Modern Times: The World from the Twenties to the Nineties
The history of the 20th century is marked by two great narratives: nations locked in savage wars over ideology and territory, and scientists overturning the received wisdom of preceding generations. For Paul Johnson, the modern era begins with one of the second types of revolutions, in 1919, when English astronomer Sir Arthur Eddington translated observations from a solar eclipse into proof of Albert Einstein's general theory of relativity, which turned Newtonian physics on its head.
The Persian Gulf War and the end of the cold war; the invention of the World Wide Web and the introduction of the Euro currency; the launching of the Hubble space telescope and "Dolly," the cloned sheep; the repeal of apartheid in South Africa and nuclear weapons tests in India and Pakistan; ethnic violence in the Balkans and genocide in Rwanda—these and other momentous events defined the last decade of the 20th century.
This book features a sweeping view of the decade's impact on the United States and Canada. The Gulf War, dot-coms, impeachment, grunge, Y2K..."The Nineties in America" examines the iconic personalities and moments of this important decade. With more than 600 articles about films, books, political leaders, events, fads and technology, this three-volume encyclopedia serves as a valuable source of information and keen insights for today's students.