THE WORLD ALMANAC OF PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGNS, by Eileen Shields-West, illustrated by Jeff MacNelly, World Almanac, 250 pages, $10.95, paperback.

This year’s presidential campaign is shaping up to be one of the most interesting in recent history. The stakes are so high and the climate so heated that political pundits already are urging changes in how America chooses its chief executive.

Despite all the pre-election concern, voters should take some time to examine elections of the past. Eileen Shields-West has made this chore easy and enjoyable in “The World Almanac of Presidential Campaigns.” In her readable history of this nation’s presidential elections, today’s voters will come to realize that the scandals and tactics of the past will likely make the 1992 campaign seem quite tame.

Reading “The World Almanac of Presidential Campaigns” will enable political junkies to determine which campaign from the past best represents the current political situation. Readers also will find answers to other campaign questions, such as:

Which candidate stumped in all 50 states?

Who first used the elephant to represent the GOP?

Who was called a pot-bellied, mutton-headed cucumber?

Which presidential ticket was called the bombsy twins?

Which election was referred to as “The Great Fraud”?

In addition to hundreds of interesting tidbits, Shields-West gives a brief history of each campaign. The book can be used as a handy campaign reference, too. The author has provided information about each campaign and candidate by using the following categories: credentials, tickets, slogans, songs, paraphernalia, popular labels, name-calling, curious facts, the press, firsts, trends, the vote, benchmarks and quotations.

In the rough world of presidential campaigns it’s refreshing to read something about politics that doesn’t make you angry.

Jim Emple is an assistant design editor on the display desk.