Gr. 6-10. This volume sets itself apart from other, more general encapsulations of the decade by introducing the intense personal concerns that originated with the Cold War. Early chapters discuss the Korean War and the political upheaval that escalated to world crisis because of the atomic bomb. These ideas segue into a section on the Red Scare, with particular attention paid to the Rosenberg trial and McCarthyism. Later chapters delve into lighter but no less compelling pop culture topics, including the pervasive influence of television, the advent of rock and roll, and the globalization of American sports. Well-selected photographs illustrate both the era's angst (families running toward bomb shelters, Little Rock desegregation) and innocence (a bubbly Mamie Eisenhower trying on 3-D glasses, crew-cut college students piling onto a motorbike). Additional information on space exploration, Elvis, Castro, and the advent of suburban life, with modern appliances and cars, round out this well-done overview. Chronology appended.

Gr 7-10-The Korean War, the "Red Scare," politics, civil rights, and the Cold War dominated this pivotal decade. Substantial chapters relate the important events and offer perspective on the trends that led to occurrences in the late 20th century. Three chapters are devoted to social and cultural themes. One chapter highlights achievements in baseball, football, basketball, track and field, tennis, and golf. While individual sports figures aren't indexed, some are mentioned in the limited year-by-year chronology. Lindop's coverage is meatier than Richard B. Stolley's in The American Dream: The 50s (Time-Life, 1999) and focuses less on popular culture than Stuart A. Kallen's The 1950s (Lucent, 1998). While not as generously illustrated as those two volumes, Lindop's book offers a solid, serious discussion in a relatively appealing package.-Ann G. Brouse, Steele Memorial Library, Elmira, NY Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.

Encyclopedia-quality prose reviews a single decade in American life. The volume succinctly examines serious issues such as the Korean War, the burgeoning civil rights movement, and the Cold War, but also touches on entertainment (television, movies, theater, and music) and presents an overview of sports throughout the 1950s. The accompanying photos are, fittingly, in black and white. A timeline is included. Bib., ind.