A STAMP COLLECTOR'S HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES

Though written by the Stamp Editor of The New York Times, the text is merely a simplistic narration of events in US history and makes no mention at all of the stamps--old issues as well as bicentennial commemoratives--that serve as illustrations. Nor are the black and white reproductions clear and attractive enough to make this visually interesting. About all that's left are the possibility for using this as a checklist for a similar collection, and the unfulfilled potential of the idea.