Encyclopedia of the United States Cabinet: (3 Volumes) [Library Binding]

Mark Grossman (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0874369770 | ISBN-13: 978-0874369779 | Publication Date: December 1, 2000 | Edition: annotated edition

Encyclopedia of the United States Cabinet covers the history of each cabinet department and all the individuals who served as cabinet secretaries, from the founding of the republic to the present. The work is organized into 20 chapters covering all cabinet departments and offices, with each chapter providing a thorough overview of the department or office, then detailed biographical and historical entries of each of the individuals who have occupied the top position in that department. Readers will gain insight into the workings of politics and government over time, while absorbing some truly fascinating facts.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

In this excellent work, Grossman, author of the ABC-CLIO Companion to the Native American Rights Movement and several other reference books, presents in a single set all of the people who have served in all of the cabinets in U.S. history. The departments are presented alphabetically, and the entry on each opens with an essay describing its creation, historical development, and significant achievements. Within each chapter, the secretaries' biographies follow in chronological order. The biographies, which vary in length from several paragraphs to several pages, are clearly written, informative, and accessible to the average reader, and a short list of references follows each. The author was even thoughtful enough to include the secretaries of the cabinet of the Confederate States of America. The appendixes and bibliography are rich in information as well. This fine work belongs in all public libraries. Thomas J. Baldino, Wilkes Univ., Wilkes-Barre, PA
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

To find the material needed for such a book must have been a monumental task; to make it readable and, yes, even fascinating is Herculean! Yet here it is--biographical information and analysis of each cabinet secretary from the administrations of George Washington to Bill Clinton.

The volumes are arranged in alphabetical order, first by department (Agriculture to War) then in chronological order by cabinet member. Each section is introduced by several pages of historical information about the department. The biographical information averages one to two pages in length. It includes an analysis of the person's background for the post he or she held and an examination of successes and failures as well as changes that occurred in the department during his or her tenure. There is bibliographic information at the end of each entry. There are no portraits. In the rare instance that a person held more than one post, the biography is under one department with only a see reference from the other (e.g., Elizabeth Hanford Dole held both Labor and Transportation posts; her biography is under Transportation). The third volume ends with profiles of the Confederate cabinet.

Each volume has a table of contents for the set and a "Chronological List of Cabinet Members" in the front matter. The last volume has four appendixes: "Cabinet Officers by Administration," "Cabinet Members Who Died in Office," "Failed Nominations for the Cabinet, 1834-Present," and "Withdrawn Nominations for the Cabinet, 1801-1969." There is a 58-page bibliography arranged by type of source, such as books, government documents, and correspondence, and an excellent index, a nice feature of which is that the post held is noted after a person's name.

Because it is fairly specialized, this is not the type of reference tool that every library needs, but most academic libraries will find it indispensable for history and political science students and faculty. Large public libraries will also want a copy. High-school libraries might consider purchase, especially if they have a strong advanced placement curriculum. RBB
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Library Binding: 1137 pages
• Publisher: ABC-Clio; annotated edition edition (December 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0874369770
• ISBN-13: 978-0874369779
• Product Dimensions: 10.4 x 7.4 x 3.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.1 pounds
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,485,000 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.