Reference Reviews

Lawrence Looks at Books

Disasters, Accidents, and Crises in American History: A Reference Guide to the Nation's Most Catastrophic Events. Ballard C. Campbell. 461p. New York: Facts on File, 2008. 978-0-8160-6603-2; 2007-27688. $95.

Disasters, Accidents, and Crises in American History: A Reference Guide to the Nation's Most Catastrophic Events Americans have long enjoyed a morbid fascination with natural disasters, industrial accidents and political crises. Well before the advent of twenty-four hour television news coverage, the public eagerly consumed tracts, broadsides, newspaper extras, movie reels and special bulletins devoted to deadly events throughout the world. Once the urgency of identifying the dead and relieving suffering has passed, we relive the event in thousands of books, songs, television specials and motion pictures detailing the inevitable doom of hundreds. This latest reference tool caters to this continuing interest on the part of American readers by focusing on 200 traumatic events in American history. The entries are chronologically arranged and trace five hundred years of disastrous events, from the decimation of indigenous populations by disease following their first European contact to Hurricane Katrina. Coverage includes storms, floods, earthquakes and heat waves, as well as oil spills, ship wrecks, fires, explosions and epidemics. However, the scope is not limited to natural disasters and accidents. Political and economic crises also are featured, including terrorist attacks, assassinations, rebellions, business scandals and military disasters. Not every topic was a contemporary headline grabber. Selected articles highlight long-term health, social and environmental issues, like deaths from automobile accidents, smoking and pollution. Each entry details the background, causes and particulars of the events. Impacts are measured in casualties as well as local responses and national reactions. From the Red Cross to FEMA, selected sidebars highlight the agencies that respond to crises in the United States. Suggested readings guide further research. This guide will serve readers in high school, public and academic libraries.
—John R.M. Lawrence