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Review from: Choice, February 1997
Major
actions, players, and the political climate for each of the 104
Congresses to date have been compiled in a single
volume for easy comparison. Several pages for each Congress describe
significant historical events during the two-year period; party balance,
gains, losses, and leadership; committee chairs; chronology of major
actions; major bills passed and not passed; key votes; proposed
constitutional amendments and votes; impeachments or other scandals;
statistics on appointments, nominations, and confirmations; and a short
bibliography. The preface describes how Congress works: separation of
powers, the chambers, leadership, and the legislative process. Richard
Allan Baker (historian of the Senate) provides an interesting introduction
on the formation of Congress; characteristics of its four main eras; a
history of membership and election; and Congressional operations,
procedures, and structure, including leadership and committees. He also
cites major sources for research on Congress, especially the papers of
members. Appendixes include the text of the Constitution; presidents and
vice presidents of the US; lists of the speakers of the House and leaders
of both the House and the Senate; the numbers of representatives for each
state for each census year; congressional pay rates; congressional
buildings; a glossary of political terms; and a bibliography. This concise
history of 208 years of congressional activity cannot compete with the
detail of Congress and the Nation (1964- ; CH, Jan'66) or its annual
counterpart, CQ Almanac (1948- ). But detail is not always needed, and
Christianson (author and contributor to books in law) presents the major
facts and events in easy-to-scan tables and text. An excellent choice for
community college libraries and larger academic and public libraries.
Reviewed by L. Treff-Gangler, University of Colorado at
Denver |
