Historical Encyclopedia of American Business

The 477 essays of this reference maintain a focus on the history of business as they detail the development of the different sectors of the economy, describe key events and procedures, and profile significant people. In addition to the biographies of the 37 business figures who appear in the encyclopedia itself, there are short profiles of over 150 more in an appendix. Among the topics of individual entries are numerous organizations, including unions, societies, and media industry groups; large banks and corporations; specific events that affected the American economy, and therefore American business; individual industries; and laws, acts, and government agencies. A sampling of entry topics includes cereals, the funeral industry, McDonald's restaurants, organized crime, and the financial crisis of 2008. Reflecting the times in which it was published, the encyclopedia contains a rich selection of entries on finance and corruption. Each entry begins with a definition and short paragraph on the significance of the topic. An annotated list of further reading concludes each entry. A glossary, bibliography, and numerous appendices are provided, as well as three indexes, by name, subject, and category. This is a superb reference, thoughtfully conceived and edited, that will be valuable to students and general readers. Annotation c2009 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)