Anita Louise McCormick
Freelance Writer and Editor

Shortwave Radio Listening For Beginners

1993

Booklist  Shortwave radio is becoming more--not less--popular in this age of the computer; in fact, many ham enthusiasts use computer modems in their broadcasts. In her excellent primer, McCormick explains why shortwave is so much easier to receive over long distances than FM or AM and offers profiles of some of the major shortwave broadcasters worldwide. These include the BBC; Deutsche Welle, the "Voice of Germany"; the evangelical station, HCJB, in Quito, Ecuador; Radio for Peace International, in Costa Rica; Radio New Zealand, which relays a great deal of local AM programming; and the wild WWCR of Nashville, which offers an open programming that sometimes includes a link with pirate stations. McCormick discusses those pirate stations, which often have political agendas but sometimes go on the air simply to foil the FCC. She includes a summary of equipment the beginner will need; tables, with band frequencies, of shortwave and clear-channel AM stations; and appendixes covering clubs, associations, and publishers devoted to radio. McCormick is an entertaining writer, and her book will indeed tell beginners what they need to know. (Reviewed May 15, 1993)John Mort.

The Internet:  Issues in Focus

August 1, 1998     (Nonfiction, ages 11-14)  

Kirkus Reviews  The latest entry in the Issues in Focus series covers the growth and development of the Internet, its history and potential future, and some of its uses, especially as it applies to children. In this context, McCormick discusses a range of issues, from control and censorship to security, spamming, privacy, and the limits to the Internet's growth. She concludes with extensive back matter, including guides to newsgroups and organizations. The discussion of controversies is dispassionate and balanced; the author leaves the answers to some questions open. Such a thorough summary of facts and opinions on a still-new medium will be useful to students doing research, and to educators looking to lay out the facts for nervous parents. (chronology, notes, glossary, bibliography, index)

Booklist  From a brief examination of the beginnings of the Internet to a lengthier discussion of its future, McCormick explores a variety of controversies as well as positive uses of this most intriguing of technologies. Organized around the major issues of control, security, equity, and access, the book addresses such topics as filters, pornography, viruses, encryption, Web TV, and Internet 2. Although none are examined in depth, enough information is provided to allow readers to begin to form opinions or launch further research. Writing a book about anything as volatile and fast moving as the Internet is a gamble, but McCormick has addressed enough broad-based, far-reaching issues to make her book a reasonable option as a print resource on the topic to round out a collection. Includes a list of organizations to contact, a time line of Internet development, chapter notes, a glossary, and suggested further reading.

School Library Journal   An overview of the history, the mechanics, and the use of the Internet, presented in a clear and readable format. The pros and cons of the issues associated with surfing are discussed and controversial subjects such as child pornography, hate groups, cults, and censorship are explored. The chapter notes and list of organizations to contact will be of particular interest to report writers. This book will also appeal to general readers.

The Industrial Revolution in American History             

November/December 1998       

The Book Report    Students looking for information on the industrial revolution will find this book very helpful. The introduction draws the reader into the activities at the first World's Fair in Philadelphia. Short chapters trace the history of the industrial revolution from its beginning in 18th century England through to its decline in the 20th century. Alexander Graham Bell, Henry Ford and Andrew Carnegie and their contributions are among those mentioned in the text. B&W photographs are scattered throughout the book and help establish a feeling for the period. Time line; table of contents; index; suggested reading; chapter notes. Recommended.

The Horn Book Guide    In American History series. In these informative volumes, three seminal events in United States history are recounted in detailed, but never dull prose. Each proves absorbing reading. Unfortunately, the quality of the scattered black-and-white photographs does not equal that of the texts. Time lines are included. Bib.

Booklist The Industrial Revolution in American History, from the In American History series, describes many of the same innovations and social changes discussed in the other book. The larger type and smaller pages limit the ooklist space available, but by focusing on American history and ending its time frame in 1946, this book competently surveys the topic as McCormick defines it. The illustrations include black-and-white reproductions of period photos, portraits, and documents.

The Vietnam Antiwar Movement in American History

April 2000 

School Library Journal   This capsule history of the U.S. involvement in Vietnam focuses on the broad-based protest that slowly grew out of America's military and political failures in Indochina. Very superficial in its coverage, the book mentions the My Lai massacre but doesn't discuss how it affected the American home front (other than that many people were "shocked") or how the American government reacted to it. The author also fails to discuss the various acts of civil disobedience such as protesters refusing to pay taxes during the war. And, although McCormick briefly discusses marches and other activities against the backdrop of the '60s counterculture, she doesn't mention their place in the history of American protest movements. Black-and-white photos and boxed source documents that include quotes and an FBI record appear throughout. While the outline history of the war is generally accurate and unbiased, many other recently published books offer comparable coverage. A serviceable supplement to more complete treatments of the subject.

VOYA    "The Vietnam War, the longest in American history, changed the nature of political protest in this country forever. Now, some thirty years after America first became involved, these two titles attempt to help today's students understand the impact of a historical event that continues to affect every aspect of social culture. McCormick's contribution covers much of the same ground, but her use of source documents gives an added dimension to the facts. Both titles include information about the violent confrontations between authority figures and pacifists, such as those witnessed during the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, when police and demonstrators battled in the streets. Both authors pay tribute to an event that no member of the Baby Boom generation will ever forget the killings at Kent State University in Ohio, in which a clash between National Guardsmen and college students resulted in the deaths of four students and wounding of nine others.

Although the war officially ended with the signing of the Paris peace agreement in January of 1973, the national grieving and healing process continues today. Both tides include a section addressing lessons learned and the aftereffects of the war, from the geographical devastation of Vietnam itself to the financial and emotional costs of the war on American citizens. McCormick's time line will help students gain a sense of how the war evolved, concisely and effectively describing the historical events that led up to the conflict. Pairing these two titles, both of which contain poignant black-and-white photographs that document key events and people of the war, will provide students with an excellent introduction to a war that defined their parents and grandparents' generations."

The Pony Express in American History 

2001                  

Children's Literature      Can you imagine the day when postage for a letter will cost over five dollars? Well, it has already happened. In the days when ten dollars meant you were well off, it took most of your "wealth" to send a letter across the country. Your letter was dependent upon a 120 pound man riding a horse as fast as he could. He would cover around 15 miles and then hand off your letter to another rider who in turn repeated the same pattern. At $120 a month, the riders held good jobs while also receiving room and board. In 1860, Johnny Fry, believed to be the first rider, set off on the initial ride of the Pony Express. That same year, telegraph lines were strung nearly across the country. Even with this spreading marvel in technology, the riders were greatly needed to pass messages from non-wired areas to wired areas for transmittal. This included the announcement of Lincoln's winning bid for the presidency. Losing money at a rate of over $1000 a day, the Pony Express's days were numbered, and it closed after just a year and a half in business. The riders gained their place in history, having battled fatigue, the elements and hostile Indians in their trek to deliver the mail. This text has interesting inside stories about the background of the business and its struggles to remain active. This book will definitely be added to my history collection for my students.

Email: anitamccormick@msn.com