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Reviewed in Monitoring Times, June 1999, p. 99. Reprinted with permission.
Nostalgia is all the rage, and the radio hobby is no exception.
Millions of cassettes have been sold recreating the golden years
of broadcasting from the 1920s clear up to World War II.
It is appropriate that radio archivist Jerry Berg should take
on the pleasant task of documenting these exciting evolutionary
times in On the Short Waves, 1923-1945.
Appropriately beginning with the birth of broadcasting in
the Fessenden/Marconi/DeForest days, Berg traces radio, step by
step, in a most readable style. Hundreds of illustrations
from historical documents and publications punctuate the book,
along with great reprints of receiver ads from days gone by--Hallicrafters,
Philco, Zenith, American-Bosch, and the rest. Substantive
text describes these great receivers and their manufacturers.
The impact of World War II on broadcasting is heavily emphasized,
with fond reminiscences of legendary names like Lord Hee Haw and
Mr. Guess Who. This fine work is extensively footnoted and
includes a comprehensive reading list and index.
Hard bound and available for $46.50 postpaid from McFarland &
Company Publishers, Box 611, Jefferson, NC 28640; order toll-free
(800) 253-2187.