The publisher has previously issued similar references on the decades of the fifties, sixties, seventies, eighties, and nineties. Intended for students at about junior high and above, this three-volume work offers 650 signed entries of about one to six pages in length, each following a consistent format: a line or two of definition or identification followed by a summary paragraph and then narrative with plenty of headings, and finally a paragraph or more discussing "impact," a further reading list, and cross references. Arrangement is alphabetical. Inexplicably, readers must find their way to the end of the third volume for the list of entries according to theme--a listing that should appear right up front in the first volume so that a reader interested in business aspects of the decade, for instance, would see that within this theme there are entries for ballpoint pens, credit and debt, the G.I. Bill, etc. Among the other themes: African Americans, agriculture, aircraft & aviation, art & architecture, Asian Americans, Canada, civil rights & liberties, and about 40 others. Seventeen appendixes include information about films, radio programs, best-selling books, literary awards, popular musicians, major sports events, legislation, and more. Editor Lewis is affiliated with St. Cloud State U. Online access to the contents is included with purchase. Annotation ©2010 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)