Bulls, Bears, Boom, and Bust: A Historical Encyclopedia of American Business Concepts. By John M. Dobson. Santa Barbara, Calif.: ABC-CLIO, 2007. 423p. $95 (ISBN 1-85109-553-5).
Historian John Dobson has written an intriguing reference work; he includes concepts, business leaders (focus is on key inventors and entrepreneurs), and significant financial events in United States business history.
The reader is transported to major time periods in United States history, as each section consists of a concise historical review followed by key concepts. Brief biographical entries also are included. The entry for “Bubble,” in the section on the Colonial time period, showcases the author’s expertise in making a financial speculation topic readable, interesting, and relevant.
While each appendix lists the entries by subject, the 160 biographical entries are listed by broad industry categories; the 210 topical entries have additional groupings (for example, “Antitrust,” “Business Cycles,” “Strategy”). The detailed index is impressive.
There is some overlap with two recent titles. The Encyclopedia of American Business History (Facts on File, 2006) has fewer concepts and is arranged alphabetically; entries for companies, federal agencies, and laws also are included. The three-volume A Financial History of the United States (M. E. Sharpe, 2002) has, understandably, extensive detail about the financial topics it covers.
Overall, the Encyclopedia is an excellent resource. Ideal for students and general readers, the Encyclopedia is recommended for all collections.–Patricia Kenly, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta