Booklist

Is methamphetamine use an epidemic? This title from the Compact Research: Drugs series considers that question along with the dangers of the drug, links between meth addiction and crime, and addiction prevention. Each chapter is followed by a “Facts and Illustrations” section that includes a page of bullet-point statements and several pages of information clearly presented on colorful, clearly labeled charts, graphs, and maps. “Primary Source Quotes” offers a series of quotes, from statements by doctors, journalists, and government officials to those of former addicts, with writers identified and the source references given below the quotes. Some students may find these sections useful as a way to identify places to look for “primary source” quotes for their papers, but the use of the statements out of context, frequently with words left out or inserted, takes these quotes a step or two away from what most teachers would consider primary sources. Back matter includes a chronology; source notes; lists of books, periodicals, and Internet sources; and annotated lists of key people and organizations. —Carolyn Phelan