America's Century

Beginning with 1900, four (usually) pages of text and pictures are devoted to each year of the 20th century. Lesser events have one-sentence descriptions; more important events are presented like newspaper stories (they are not, however, real newspaper articles), and are often accompanied by pictures in either b&w or color, about 1,300 in all. Three periods (1900-16, 1917-45, and 1946-99) earn one-page introductions. Appendices provide descriptions and pictures of the century's presidents, pictures of millennial celebrations around the world, selected statistics (population, immigration, etc), and profiles of the five states that joined the Union in the 20th century. As is true of most DK publications, this book is meant for the popular trade market, not for the scholar. What unfolds is a portrait of the way America likes to think of itself: a world-leader and nation that though imperfect, realizes its mistakes.