The 1920s ¦ The 1970s

This series is much less concerned with visual appeal. Instead it considers the decade year by year, through pseudo news reports of the time, highlighting a major event each year (e.g. '1921 - Irish Agreement'), with further reports on world events, science and technology, the arts and sport. The 1920s works reasonably effectively as items are given authenticity by support from contemporary illustration - advertising for Craven A eigarettes and all-wool combinations for 6/2d, press reports of the death of Valentino and the Wall Street crash. The 1970s does not make use of such material and suffers as a result. Nor does it consider its intended GCSE readership in the selection of adult highbrow films and novels. Overall this series looks dull, with dim illustrations which hardly live up to the 'colourful picture of the decade' that is claimed in the publisher's blurb.