In this densely designed volume, Grant discusses the events in America and Europe that led to the worldwide economic Great Depression. The factual approach recounts the hardships suffered as a result of the stock market crash and bank and crop failures. Numerous sidebars add interest but contribute to the crowded presentation. Reading list, timeline. Glos., ind.

Gr 6-9 Discussions of the economies of the U.S. and various countries around the world offer a global look at this period. Archival photographs of unemployment lines, impoverished farmers, protesting veterans, and campaigning politicians, along with quotes from letters, articles, and speeches, offer a more personal examination of the Great Depression than encyclopedias or textbooks. The author notes that in this country, the Depression affected people differently. One farmer from Montana is quoted as saying, "we didn't know there was a Crash. What did the stock market mean to us?" For others, it meant financial ruin. While the book focuses on the 1920s and '30s, the final chapter mentions the fear of another depression in the 1980s. This book strikes a good balance between human interest and factual information. Julie Webb, Shelby County High School, Shelbyville, KY