Publisher's Synopsis
This work offers a comprehensive coverage of the impact of the 1980's on the United States and Canada.Reagan, AIDS, the Challenger disaster, MTV, Yuppies, ""Who Shot J.R.?""...""The Eighties in America"" examines the iconic personalities and moments of this pivotal decade.This fully illustrated, three-volume encyclopedia is a companion set to ""The Sixties in America"", ""The Fifties in America"", and ""The Seventies in America"". It covers events, movements, people, and trends in popular culture, literature, art, sports, science, technology, economics, and politics in both the United States and Canada.The set's 665 articles discuss people, books, films, television series, musical groups, and other important topics representative of that era. Every entry focuses on the topic or person during the 1980's closely examining what made the decade unique.Written with the needs of students and general readers in mind, ""The Eighties in America"" presents clear discussions of its topics, explaining terms and references that may be unfamiliar. Entries fall into the many general categories, including arts and literature, business and economics, crime and punishment, education, environmental issues, film and television, health and medical issues, international relations, journalism, military and war, politics and government, popular culture, popular music, religion and spirituality, science and technology, sexuality, social issues, sports, and transportation.Essays are 1-6 pages long and begin with a concise title followed by a brief description of the person, organization, work, concept, or event. Further headings attribute authorship, establish a date for the subject, and assign a location.Every essay features an ""Impact"" section, which examines the subject's broader importance during the 1980's. Overviews sometimes include a section called ""Subsequent Events"" that sums up later developments. Cross-references at the end of each essay direct readers to additional entries in the encyclopedia on related subjects. Every entry offers bibliographical notes, and annotations are provided in essays of 1,000 words or more.Volume 3 contains 16 appendixes that provide additional information about selected aspects of the decade: major films, Academy Award winners, most-watched television shows, best-selling U. S. books and major literary awards; Grammy Award winners and notable facts about popular musicians; winners of major sports events; major U.S. Supreme Court decisions and important legislation; a glossary of new words and slang; a detailed time line; an annotated general bibliography; and an annotated list of Web sources on 1980's subjects.
