This is a workmanlike history of the great city of York, divided into nine historical periods covered by different writers, with the compiler covering the twentieth/twenty first centuries. It covers the full range of aspects of history, archaelogical, political, military, economic, industrial, educational, religious, and so on. The book contains numerous illustrations and photographs, though all black and white and many fairly small. It's good background reading for anyone interested in this great city. Some better historical maps would be a bonus. 4/5 ( )