America In The 1980s (Decades of American History) Hardcover – Illustrated, August 1, 2005

The 1980s were years of excess and achievement, of economic turmoil for some, and economic advancement for others. The decade is often associated with greed, conspicuous consumption, and a return to "traditional" values and social norms. The rich got richer, the poor got poorer, and the chasm between the "haves" and the "have-nots" grew even larger. Yuppies were the most obvious examples of conspicuous consumption, driving luxury cars, taking exotic vacations, and buying gourmet groceries. Thanks to the prevalence of mergers, acquisitions, and buy-outs, big business grew even bigger, and the major players in the business world played even harder. America in the 1980s provides an engaging account of the important people, events, and trends of this time. Monumental changes such as how the Soviet Union went from being an "evil empire" to an ally and how the wall that separated East and West Berlin came down are detailed, as well as other events. More than 100 photographs, pull-out quotations and facts, a glossary, further reading list, and an index round out this concise, accessible reference. Coverage includes:The end of Jimmy Carter's presidency, the presidency of Ronald Reagan, and the beginning of George H. W. Bush's presidencyThe retirement of Muhammad AliThe debut of MTVThe identification of and initial fight against AIDSThe eruption of Mount Saint HelensThe advent of the PCThe Iran-Contra affairThe explosion of the space shuttle Challenger. Read more