From the dawn of civilization to the first decade of the 21st century, this straightforwardly written, superbly accessible reference distills the concentrated essence of world history into a single compact volume. It's a book as vivid as it is definitive, with an innovative design that invites readers to envision the human epic from revealing perspectives.

• 1,000 colour and black & white photographs and illustrations
• 544 pages; 5" x 6 1/2"
• © 2007