SIX DAYS IN OCTOBER

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Blumenthal, Karen. SIX DAYS IN OCTOBER: THE STOCK MARKET CRASH OF 1929. New York, NY: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2002.  ISBN 0-689-84276-7

2. SUMMARY

SIX DAYS IN OCTOBER chronicles the harrowing story of the days immediately surrounding the stock market crash of 1929 in the United States. The informational book juxtaposes the deeply personal human experiences alongside valuable educational details that teach readers about what a stock market is and how it functions. Author Blumenthal provides an absolutely fascinating education that includes all of the major players of this particular stock market era. She even includes some unexpected participants from the entertainment world. SIX DAYS IN OCTOBER offers a solid overview of one of America’s most difficult times.

3. CRITICAL REVIEW

After serving as the Dallas bureau chief of the Wall Street Journal and reporting on business and finance for over twenty year, Karen Blumenthal employs her journalistic savvy, expertise, and research acumen in this must-read book. Outstandingly organized, this 156-page text includes a helpful table of contents, extensive source bibliography, detailed index, acknowledgments, and wonderful captions explaining all of the photos and replicas of documents that complement the primary text. The political cartoons reveal another insightful aspect of this turbulent time, though it is the marriage of the history with the information sidebars that make the book both educational and compelling. Black and white photographs, copies of Western Union telegrams, and hand-written ledgers  add to the authenticity of the period. Blumenthal’s detailed acknowledgments section enhances the credibility of her research and writing. Her lively but serious writing style creates a vivid picture of the time, engages the reader, and creates anticipation that further creates curiosity that compels further investigation of these compelling events, connecting historical events, people, and practices to today’s life and culture.

4.  AWARDS & REVIEW EXCERPTS

Robert F. Sibert Honor Book              2003

Notable Children’s Book (ALSC)            2003

Notable Social Studies Trade Book (NCSS)            2003

HORN BOOK starred, Spring 2003: “ Tracing the trajectory of the 1929 stock market crash across six days, Blumenthal provides a vividly drawn picture of Wall Street pandemonium, introduces key players, and explains often complex concepts.”

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, September 2002: “This fast-paced, gripping (and all-too-timely) account of the market crash of October 1029 puts a human face on the crisis.”

5.  CONNECTIONS

*Study and discuss economic and cultural comparisons and contrasts between 1929 and the present economy.

* The text addresses the experiences primarily of the Caucasian middle, upper-middle, and upper class of people who experienced the boom before the bust. Create a Webquest to have students (intermediate school and above) research the experiences of people of color during the boom and bust of the stock market.

* Read the text as a part of a social studies unit on economics.