I was so excited when I got the 1990 edition of this book. As a young history buff it was full of detail to fill in the gaps in my knowledge of modern history. I love the way it describes events in the present tense, and provides a 'point in time' perspective. Of course there are lots of topics it would be nice to see full articles on (even though the book is already enormous!), and I would have to say it is difficult to follow through on successive events sometimes. That said, a great reference book and a pleasure to dip into - I learnt a lot from it. The 2000 edition (published in the US) is good to fill in the last ten years of the 20th century. ( )

Ive had this book in my collection now for many years. I find it indispensable. A fantastic reference guide for 20th century history. All the articles are from newspapers going right back to 1st January 1900. Absolutely fascinating. Its so vast I still find articles I have never read in it before! ( )