THE WPA—Putting America to Work

Gr 8 Up—A solid survey of the Works Progress Administration and the Great Depression in general. The book places the WPA in historical context, giving readers background on the hardships and realities of the period and the difficult political decisions that had to be made following the collapse of the New York Stock Exchange in 1929. Hill describes the Hoover administration's response to the crises and contrasts it with Franklin D. Roosevelt's profoundly different strategy. The book explains the various New Deal programs, such as the difference between the Civilian Conservation Corps and the Works Progress Administration. Differences between direct relief and work relief are also explained. Hill provides in-depth coverage of the political struggle between New Deal backers and their rivals. Black-and-white photographs depict examples of WPA and other New Deal projects, such as the Fort Loudoun Dam, the San Antonio River Walk, and the photography of Dorothea Lange. A section includes biographical information on important figures such as Harry Hopkins, Lyndon B. Johnson, and Jackson Pollock. The final section is comprised of primary sources, giving students an opportunity to read actual documents from the time. They include works by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Walter Lippmann, Hallie Flanagan, and several others, providing readers with firsthand accounts of New Deal programs. Additional black-and-white photographs of important political and social figures, political cartoons, and images of New Deal recruiting posters appear throughout. This volume is a well-sourced and great reference for historical research.—Jeffrey Meyer, Mount Pleasant Public Library, IA