The following books are PREAPPROVED for your summer reading assignment. Some entries contain your teacher's brief review of the work to help you make your choice.

Ambrose, Stephen E. Citizen Soldiers New York: Simon and Schuster, 1997.

Ambrose, Stephen E. Undaunted Courage: Meriwether Lewis, Thomas Jefferson, and the

Opening of the American West. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1996.

Stephen Ambrose does a nice job describing the life of Meriwether Lewis and he writes with a lot of detail about the Lewis and Clark mission. From the Native American tribes they met, to the massive preparations for the journey, to the harrowing escape from hostile natives near the end, Ambrose succeeds in writing an exciting piece that keeps the readers attention.

Ambrose, Stephen E. Nothing Like It In The World: The Men Who Built the

Transcontinental Railroad 1863-1869. New York: Simon and Schuster, 2000.

Ambrose's version of the story of the building of the transcontinental railroad. The West was a favorite passion of Stephen Ambrose, which shines through this work. Each chapter provides an intricate weaving together of all the men who made this 19th century engineering feat possible. An excellent read!

Becker, Carl L. The Declaration of Independence: A Study in the History of Political

Ideas. New York: Vintage Books, 1942.

From the very beginning, this book discusses the significance of the Declaration within the ideology of American history. It discusses the various drafts of the document and the essential ideas that continue to be part of the American creed. While this book is written more for an academic audience, it still is a good work for students that are interested in the American Revolution or in Thomas Jefferson.

Beschloss, Michael. The Conquerors: Roosevelt, Truman and the Destruction of Hitler's Germany. New York: Simon and Schuster, 2002.

An interesting look inside the planning phases of the end of World War Two, as determined mainly by Roosevelt and then his successor Truman. This book seems to focus around the Morgenthau Plan and the role that key people like Stimson, and Morgenthau played in trying to shape FDR's decisions regarding Germany in an effort to avoid a repetition of Versailles, yet to still punish Germany. An excellent read!

Bilton, Michael and Kevin Sim. Four Hours in My Lai. New York: Penguin Books, 1992.

An excruciating account of the war crimes that were committed by American soldiers in the Vietnamese village of My Lai. This book was extensively researched and pieces together the credible evidence to sort through both the variety of accounts provided by the soldiers themselves and the government's responses to the tragedy. An excellent book on a very sad event in American military history.

Boorstin, Daniel J. The Americans: The Colonial Experience. New York: Random

House, 1958.

A very intellectual version of the early years of American History. I found this work to be  too heady and thick with academia to find it enjoyable to read. This is, however a classic among American historians. This is the first of a series written by the man that worked at the Library of Congress and the book itself won the Bancroft prize in 1959 (an award named after the Father of American History George Bancroft).

Boorstin, Daniel J. The Americans: The National Experience

Brodie, Fawn M. Thomas Jefferson: An Intimate History. New York: Bantam Books,

1974.

This is the highly controversial biography of our nation's third president. It essentially attempts to use psychological explanations for Jefferson's actions, and has been scrutinized by historians for attempting to psychoanalyze rather than detail the history of the subject.

Brown, Dee. Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee New York: Henry Holt and Company 1970.

This book covers the tragic story of Native Americans in the period 1865 to 1900. It covers the systematic destruction and intimidation of native American groups. It is well written, and a classic on the subject. I would recommend students to keep a pad nearby to jot down the numerous native names that appear here as they can become quite confusing. Highly recommended.

Burns, James MacGregor. Roosevelt: The Lion and the Fox. New York: Harcourt, Brace

and World Inc., 1956.

An interesting account of Franklin Roosevelt. Burns is a noted historian who does a nice job discussing FDR's life without sinking the text in a morass of details. It is concise and thoughtful, but not overly wordy. A very good piece of historical writing.

Carville, James. …And the Horse He Rode In On: The People v. Kenneth Starr. New

York: Simon and Schuster, 1998.

Positively NOT for the faint of heart. This very partisan, humorous look at the impeachment investigation of President Clinton by Ken Starr gives a very one sided view of the process. As a Clinton defender, Carville once remarked that Clinton was a good man that did a bad thing, and in this book he accuses Starr of being a bad man that did a wasteful thing by pursuing President Clinton. An interesting read.

Cash, W. J. The Mind of the South. New York: Vintage Books, 1941.

Cerami, Charles A. Jefferson's Great Gamble. Naperville, Illinois: Sourcebooks Inc. 2003

Everything you ever wanted to know about the land deal that doubled the size of the United States in one fell swoop. An interesting read for anyone who wants to know more about the diplomacy behind the deal that Talleyrand called the "noble bargain".

Clift, Eleanor. Founding Sisters and the 19th Amendment. Hoboken, N.J: John Wiley and Sons, 2003.

An excellent introduction into the world of women's history, this relatively small book covers a lot of ground from the earliest beginnings of the notion of women's rights as expressed by Abigail Adams, to the fight to secure the 19th amendment in the early twentieth century. An excellent read, and a great resource!

Clinton, Bill. My Life.New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2004

Clinton, Hillary. Living History. New York: Simon and Schuster, 2003.

A fascinating look behind the life of one of America's more controversial first ladies. The vast majority of the book recounts now Senator Clinton's life inside the White House during the 1990's. From travels around the world, to parenting, to dealing with constant investigations, this book keeps the reader interested in the behind the scenes action of President Clinton's two terms in office.

Cunliffe, Marcus. The Presidency. Boston, Massachusetts: Houghton Mifflin, 1987.

This book outlines the history of the institution of the presidency more so than the men who have occupied the position. Still, it gives an interesting political science type background to the office of the presidency and discusses how it came to be what we know it as today. 

Dangerfield, George. The Awakening of American Nationalism: 1815 to 1828. New York: Harper and Row Publishers, 1965.

DeTocqueville, Alexis. Democracy in America. New York: Penguin Books, 1956.

This is a classic of American History, written by an observer of America in the early 1800's. DeTocqueville describes the America he witnessed during his personal visit to the United States, and provides an interesting glimpse into the America of that time.

Direnfield, Bruce J. The Civil Rights Movement. New York: Pearson Longman, 2004.

Ellis, Joseph J. Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation. New York: Vintage

Books, 2000.

This book is a collection of vignettes from early American history that Ellis suggests are illustrative of the founding fathers. He discusses Washington's presidency, the relationship between Jefferson and John Adams, the Hamilton Burr Duel among others to demonstrate the ways in which the founding generation related with themselves, and with posterity. An excellent read!

Ellis, Joseph J. American Sphinx: The Character of Thomas Jefferson. New York:

Vintage Books, 1996.

This biography of Jefferson is an interesting one-volume account of a fascinating American. Ellis' contention that Jefferson is mysterious oversimplifies the very complex character of Thomas Jefferson. The book outlines the highlights of Jefferson's life, yet fails to acknowledge major failures (such as the ill fated Embargo Act). While one-sided in favor of Jefferson, this is nonetheless an interesting read. 

Ellis, Richard E. The Union at Risk: Jacksonian Democracy, State's Rights and the Nullification Crisis. New York: Oxford University Press, 1987

Foner, Eric. A Short History of Reconstruction. New York: Harper and Row Publishers, 1990.

A very good, yet short analysis of the period of Reconstruction. Foner dissects the good, the bad, and the ugly of one of America's most controversial time periods. Readable but thought provoking.

Flexner, James Thomas. Washington: The Indispensable Man. New York: Penguin

Books, 1984.

From the title, students ought to be able to ascertain Flexner's position on Washington's role in early American history. This is a very good biography that is extremely readable, yet informative and well researched. Overall an excellent choice!

Garment, Leonard In Search of Deep Throat: The Greatest Political Mystery of Our Time. New York: Basic Books, 2000.

A truly intriguing account by one of the many "minor players" in the Watergate drama. Garment attempts to (and convincingly argues) his newest theory about who the mysterious "deep throat" of Watergate was.

Gergen, David. Eyewitness To Power: The Essence of Leadership Nixon to Clinton. New

York: Touchstone, 2000.

Gergen served as an advisor to Presidents Nixon, Reagan, Bush and Clinton, and his experiences shine through in this excellent piece of writing. His basic purpose in writing this piece is to examine the ways in which men have successfully and unsuccessfully handled the reins of power. A very interesting read, especially for students that enjoy reading more about how people have handled power rather than reading a full blown history of various presidents. Highly recommended.

Halberstam, David. The Fifties.New York: Ballantine Books, 1993.

This is a well written, albeit lengthy book that covers a wide variety of aspects of the 1950's. The book is subdivided into separate "books", each of which would be sufficient for the summer assignment. Halberstam covers the rise of Elvis, McDonald's, General Motors, television as well as the political history of the decade. Rich in detail and a good read.

Halstead, Ted and Michael Lind. The Radical Center: The Future of American Politics.

New York: Anchor Books, 2001.

Another great current events book. The authors suggest a comprehensive set of solutions to the problems of early 21st century America. They have addressed problems such as health care, education, and social security without falling into the usual partisan traps. They suggest ideas that carve out a new constitutency between the two current political parties. An excellent read!

Hastings, Max. The Korean War. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1987.

This exhaustive book chronicles the three year American effort in Korea. A good military history of America's first "hot" conflict in the cold war. Especially recommended for those students interested in military history.

Hayslip, Le Ly with Jay Wurts. When Heaven and Earth Changed Places. New York:

Doubleday, 1989.

A heartbreaking true story about a young woman that gets literally caught in the crossfire of the Vietnam War. She tells of her childhood in a Vietnamese village, her recruitment by the Vietcong, and the degradation of giving up her body in order to get out of Vietnam. She then continues her tale by discussing how she came to be an American citizen and tells of her return visit to Vietnam many years later. An extremely well written story of a woman's escape from the scars of Vietnam.

Hofstadter, Richard. The Age of Reform: From Bryan to F.D.R. New York: Random

House, 1955.

Richard Hofstadter tends to write in a very academic style which can be difficult to follow at times for students that are unfamiliar with the time period. He presents an interesting thesis in this book about the "status ambiguity" that Americans felt during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Recommended for strong readers only.

Hofstadter, Richard. The American Political Tradition and the Men Who Made It. New

York: Vintage Books, 1948.

This is a classic work in American history. Hofstadter writes about one significant American in each chapter, and in so doing he challenges traditional assumptions about that person. For example, he questions how an aristocrat like Thomas Jefferson could become a great democrat. While somewhat heady, this is a great read, especially for those who are familiar with the basics of American history. This book will certainly get you thinking!

Horton, James O and Lois E. Horton. Hard Road to Freedom: The Story of African America. New Brunswick, New Jersey, Rutgers University Press, 2001.

An excellent overview of African American history from beginning to end. From the evils of colonial slavery, to the role of African Americans in America's wars, to the civil rights movement, to recent events in African American history, this book covers it all. This generates enough interest to keep the reader engaged without over politicizing or boring the reader. An even, balanced account of an underwritten part of American history.

Isikoff, Michael. Uncovering Clinton: A Reporter’s Story. New York: Crown Publishers,

1999.

This is an interesting account of the Clinton scandals from the point of view of a journalist who unwittingly became part of the storyline. It is an interesting look at the unraveling of a scandal from the perspective of the press. Isikoff is a writer for Newsweek who eventually came to know the major players in the "Lewinsky matter" during   President Clinton's second term. An interesting read! 

Isaacson, Walter. Benjamin Franklin An American Life New York: Simon and Schuster 2003.

An excellent read about a dynamic and diverse character. Maybe one of the most well-rounded Americans ever, Franklin's life is replete with stories of science, politics, diplomacy, philosophy and religion, to name but a few. This book leaves the reader with a whole new appreciation for this complex American.

Ivins, Molly. Shrub. New York: Random House, 2000.

Not for the conservative of heart. Molly Ivins was a reporter who followed the career of then governor Bush in Texas. This scathing account will make conservatives cringe and liberals seethe. Humorously written, but a devastating exposure of the career of "little Bush".

Josephy, Alvin M. Jr. The Indian Heritage of America. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1991.

This book gives a detailed history of the Native American tribes that existed in America before the Europeans arrived. It is relatively concise, and very broad in that it covers all different tribes, and many different facets of the tribes and their cultures, their history, and their tragic contacts with Europeans. A great read for those interested in native American or early American history.

Kaiser, Charles. 1968 In America: Music, Politics, Chaos, Counterculture, and the

Shaping of a Generation. New York: Grove Press, 1988.

This book's title ought to be "The Election of 1968" because that is the main subject of the book. The work takes you on the roller coaster ride that was 1968. From McGovern's candidacy, to MLK and RFK's assassinations, to the upheavals of Vietnam protests, this book covers the significant changes that occurred during that pivotal year. While the book mainly focuses on the presidential politics of that election year, it gives enough cultural and social history to keep readers interested. A decent read, especially for those interested in the turbulent sixties.

Karnow, Stanley. Vietnam: A History. New York: Penguin Books, 1991.

This is an exhaustive account of America's involvement in Vietnam, written by a journalist who spent many years covering the war from the frontlines. He covers every possible facet of the war, and does so in detail that is sometimes overwhelming. That being said, it is an excellent source on a long, sometimes confused, sometimes depressing war that caused the deaths of 55,000 American soldiers. A good, but lengthy read.

Kennedy, John F. Profiles in Courage. New York: Harper and Row Publishers, 1956.

This well known work was written by President Kennedy and it tells the stories of politicians who took unpopular stands at various points in American history. He relates the damage that was done to their careers, as well as the long term benefits that America reaped from the sacrifices they sowed. An inspiring read to say the least!

Koch, Adrienne and William Peden eds. The Life and Selected Writings of Thomas

Jefferson. New York: Random House, 1993.

Koch and Peden give us a brief version of Jefferson's life and then allow the reader to get a better glimpse of the character through his own words. As a Jefferson enthusiast, I found this to be an interesting read, but it does contain writings that may be somewhat difficult for weaker readers. Of special note is the famous Head and Heart letter that Jefferson penned to a young woman he had met in France. It is quite revealing of Jefferson's inner self, as the other documents are revealing of the public Jefferson. 

Kolchin, Peter. American Slavery 1619-1877. New York: Hill and Wang, 2003.

LaFeber, Walter. America Russia and the Cold War 1945-1980. New York: John Wiley

and Sons, 1980.

This book covers the history of the conflict between America and the Soviets during the first three and a half decades of the cold war. Never partisan, yet firm in conviction, LaFeber gives the reader an excellent, brief history of the cold war, as well as the reasons behind American actions. A very good book!

Leuchtenburg, William E. Franklin D. Roosevelt and the New Deal 1932-1940New York: Harper and Row Publishers, 1963.

An excellent overview of the New Deal and some of the personalities behind the reforms that came out of FDR's first two terms as President. The latter half of the book deals more with the foreign policy issues that increasingly occupied America's attention as the drive for reform waned in the late 1930's. An excellent read!

Lind, Michael ed. Hamilton’s Republic: Readings in the Democratic Nationalist

Tradition. New York: The Free Press, 1997.

This book is a collection of readings from famous Americans throughout history that have echoed the sentiments of Alexander Hamilton. The book successfully persuades the reader that Hamilton's vision has been fulfilled by our industrialized, centralized, democracy. An interesting broad look at how the ideas generated y a founding father have been passed down and adapted over time.

Lind, Michael. Vietnam: The Necessary War. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1999.

An interesting reassessment of the Vietnam War. Lind's basic arguments focus around political science based conclusions. The underlying conclusion of the book is that Vietnam was a show of American resolve and willingness to meet the communists in a peripheral war to avoid the appearance of weakness. He cites the series of  events that occurred after our withdrawal from Vietnam as examples of what would have happened had we not made SOME effort in Vietnam (Soviet boldness in Afghanistan for example). An especially interesting read for students that know the basic story of Vietnam and are looking for a new, interesting viewpoint.

Loewen, James W. Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History

Textbook Got Wrong. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1995.

A more apt title of this work might be Lies my TEXTBOOK told me, as it focuses its real fire on the errors that are found in commonly used American History textbooks. Nonetheless it is an interesting read for those who have a working knowledge of American history, and it may pique the interest of students who do not have a large store of history in their backgrounds. While it doesn't really cover "history" it really deconstructs the teaching of history, and may be difficult for some students to use in completing the next phases of the assignment.

Macmillan, Margaret. Paris 1919: Six Months That Changed The World. New York: Random House, 2001

McCord, James W. A Piece of Tape: The Watergate Story Fact and Fiction

McCullough, David. The Path Between the Seas: The Creation of the Panama Canal 1870-1914. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1977.

McPherson, James M. Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era. New York: Ballantine

Books, 1988.

This is an excellent one volume history of the Civil War. It is comprehensive, and a bit lengthy, yet worth every page. McPherson covers the military, social, political, and economic aspects of the war, and writes in a style that is accessible to students. An excellent choice for those interested in the Civil War.

McPherson, James M. The Negro's Civil War. New York: Vintage Books, 1967.

McPherson, James M. Ordeal By Fire: The Civil War and Reconstruction. New York: Alfred A Knopf Inc. 1982.

Merk, Frederick. Manifest Destiny and Mission in American History. New York: Vintage Books, 1963.

Millet, Allan R. and Peter Maslowski. For The Common Defense: A Military History of

the United States of America.New York: Macmillan, 1994.

This book is an interesting history of the U.S. from a strictly military point of view, and is laden with details about the status and activities of the United States military. It covers the topic from the Revolution until relatively recent times. A good read for students that really like military history, otherwise this book will probably not grab the interest of the typical student.

Morgan, Edmund S. The Birth of the Republic 1763-1789. Chicage: The University of

Chicago Press, 1992.

A brief and interesting work on the revolutionary period of American history. This is an excellent overview of the key events of that time period by a prominent historian. Great read!!

Morris, Edmund. Theodore Rex. New York: Random House, 2001.

I particularly enjoyed this book which describes the political career of Theodore Roosevelt. It pares away the usual biographical extras such as birth, childhood, parents, schooling etc. This work focuses mainly on TR (as he preferred to be called) as the leader of the United States. A very intriguing character makes for a very interesting read. Highly recommended.

Oates, Stephen B. With Malice Toward None: The Life of Abraham Lincoln. New York:

Harper and Row, 1977.

A very good biography of Abraham Lincoln. In a single volume the author explores the life and trials of this ordinary American who rose to become an extraordinary leader and president. Highly recommended.

Remini, Robert V. The Life of Andrew Jackson. New York: Penguin Books, 1990.

This is an excellent biography of one of America's more controversial and complicated presidents. Remini is a well known Jacksonian scholar, but he admits the weaknesses of Jackson's character and has written, on the whole, a balanced biography. Highly recommended.

Rossiter, Clinton. The American Presidency. New York: Mentor Books, 1956.

This is a classic work on the institution of the presidency. Rossiter dissects the variety of roles that the president has played over the course of time and discusses the ways in which our more prominent presidents have performed. The only weakness of this book is that it doesn't bring the institution up to the present as it was written in 1956. A great read.

  Schlesinger, Arthur M. The Birth of the Nation. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company,

1968.

Arthur M. Schelsinger is a prominent American historian, who worked in the administration of John F. Kennedy for a while. This is an interesting look at the revolutionary period, and covers a variety of aspects of that period. An excellent book on the period, and a very good read.

Skaggs, David Curtis and Robert S. Browning III eds. In Defense of the Republic:

Readings in American Military History. Belmont, California: Wadsworth

Publishing, 1991.

This book is a collection of readings from a variety of historians about key military periods in American history. More suitable for students that have a decent background in American history, or those that have a deep interest in military history.

 Stampp, Kenneth M. The Causes of the Civil War. Englewood Cliffs, N.J: Prentice Hall, 1959.

Stampp, Kenneth M. The Era of Reconstruction 1865-1877. New York: Vintage Books,

1965.

An excellent, readable work on the Reconstruction period. Stampp is a well known historian of this period and this is an excellent book that introduced a new interpretation of the period at the time it was written. It is the last strong work on the period until the recently published works on Reconstruction by Eric Foner. Highly recommended.

Stephanopoulos, George. All Too Human: (A Political Education). New York: Little,

Brown and Company, 1999.

This is a memoir of George Stephanopolous who worked on the 1992 Presidential campaign of William J. Clinton and then took a position as a political advisor to Clinton when he first became president. It is an interesting inside look at the character of Clinton, which Stephanopolous describes almost like a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. He is tough, yet fair, on the topic of Clinton and his presidency. A fascinating read. 

Stephanson, Anders. Manifest Destiny: American Expansion and the Empire of Right.

New York: Harper Collins, 1995.

This book is an interesting look at the idea of Manifest Destiny throughout American history, from the earliest belief that America should be a "City on a Hill" for the rest of the world, through the major periods of territorial expansion. A very intellectual, and somewhat difficult read, yet worth it for those that are willing to take on the challenge. 

Stokesbury, James L. A Short History of the Korean War. New York: William Morrow

and Company, 1988.

An interesting read on the Korean conflict. Recommended for those with a deep interest in military history. This is thorough enough to inform casual observers of the war, yet not limited in such a way that more informed readers will be bored. A very good read.

Stokesbury, James L. A Short History of World War One. New York: William Morrow

and Company, 1981.

Similar to the Korean book, this also gives a fairly thorough overview of World War One, yet I found the topic to be less interesting than I had hoped. This war and the numerous battles described in this book sometimes make it difficult to keep interest. It is thorough (it covers European and American angles of the war), and recommended to those who have a deep interest in World War One.

Stowe, Harriet Beecher. Uncle Tom's Cabin. New York: Penguin/Putnam Books, 1998.

An interesting but difficult read! This novel from the 1850's takes the reader through the life of slaves in the border states and (eventually) the deep south, giving a morality lesson for both northerners and southerners of the time period. The book's interest as a historical piece makes it worthwhile to read to gain a greater understanding of life in the antebellum period of American life.

Taylor, Alan. American Colonies: The Settling of North America. New York: Penguin Books 2001

This is an excellent reinterpretation of the colonization of all parts of North America including French, Spanish, English, Dutch and Russian colonization. This covers the entire period of colonization with a refreshing approach to the period that keeps the reader engaged.

Weisberger, Bernard A. America Afire: Jefferson, Adams and the First Contested Election. New York: Harper Collins Books, 2000.

This is an excellent, relatively short work that outlines the events that led to the formation of the American two party system. Weisberger systematically sorts through the key events of the early national period and presents a readable version of the time. Also of interest is the way in which the book outlines the variety of connections and animosities among the "founding fathers", with the fates of the main characters describe succinctly in the epilogue. An excellent read!

Whitcomb, Ian. After the Ball: Pop Music From Rag to Rock. New York: Penguin

Books, 1986.

This book is an interesting read in that it covers the development of music from its ragtime roots through Jazz and Rhythm and Blues to rock and roll. In a sense this is a history of America through its music. An interesting read for those that like history and music.

Wiebe, Robert H. The Search For Order. New York: Hill and Wang 1967.

Not for the weak of heart or those who prefer lighter reading. Wiebe dissects the period and explains how America "found its identity" during this time period. A relatively heady read.

Wills, Garry ed. The Federalist Papers by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John

Jay. New York: Bantam Books, 1982.

This is a reissue of the classic essays written by John Jay, Alexander Hamilton, and James Madison encouraging Americans to support the Constitution and giving detailed explanations about the intent of the framers in creating the "three headed monster". Interesting read for those familiar with the Constitution, but not recommended for weaker readers.

Woodward, Bob. Shadow: Five Presidents and the Legacy of Watergate. New York:

Simon and Schuster, 1999.

This is an excellent book on the presidents since Watergate and it describes the ways in which the independent counsel law and the ramifications of the Watergate scandal continue to hamper the functioning of government. Woodward's role in Watergate gives him instant credibility on the topic, and he does a good job explaining the ways in which the "Shadow" of Watergate still haunts the federal government. A bit lengthy, but worth the read.

Woodward, Bob. The Commanders. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1991.

Only for the student of military policy making and endless details about how the President's staff operate during times of crisis. The work outlines President Bush I's decisions to invade Panama and deal with the menace of Saddam Hussein in Iraq. Loads of details about the major players and their actions during these two situations.

Young, Marilyn B. The Vietnam Wars 1945-1990. New York: Harper Perennial, 1991.

An excellent book about the variety of military conflicts that have enveloped Vietnam in the 20th century. She describes the French and American efforts to subjugate the Vietnamese, and does so in a concise, and precise manner. An excellent read!

Zinn, Howard. Postwar America 1945-1971. New York: Bobbs-Merrill Company, 1973.