From the Stone Age to the Digital Age - The History of the World

We homeschool, and I just can NOT tell you how much trouble I've had finding a timeline for a history supplement that I really, really like! This is the closest I've found, and I'm happy to have it!

PROS
- LOTS of events are listed, all the way up to Felix Baumgartner's space jump.
- Gorgeous. Lots of pictures. Intriguing to just flip through.
- starts at 6.5 million years ago with the emergence of apes that walked upright. As a secular homeschooling family, finding a timeline that goes back further than 4000 BCE has been a bit of an issue :(
- Each two page spread either covers a time period (2000-1500 BCE, 600-700, 1770-1780, 2000-2005 for examples) OR takes a particularly interesting topic and goes more in depth with it (The First Writing, The Crusades, The French Revolution, Fleeing the Nazis, for examples)

CONS
- SOOOO visually busy, just like all DK books. If this book just had wide margins where we could write in other topics to put them in our timeline, it would be better. I personally don't like visual business anyway, so this is more of a negative for me than for most.
- Just not enough on non-Western culture. We're studying the Japan's Yamato Dynasty in my son's second grade world history book. It's not mentioned. It's only the longest running imperial family in the history of the WORLD, you'd think that could get it a mention. Empress Wu, the only woman to ever rule China in her own name, and for more than 40 years - no mention. Harun al-Rashid, the medieval caliph on whose court The Thousand and One Nights are based - no mention. So it's a bit of a bust for us, since I'm getting all these names from my son's world history book! We have been pointing out WHERE these people would be if they had been included, but it would be nice if a few more of them appeared.

Still, all in all, this is a very comprehensive and attractive timeline, and it makes a very good supplement to a homeschool. I read it aloud to my son because the print is small - I'd say it would work for 4th-8th grade for reading on one's own.

***EDIT*** OK, I'm LITERALLY putting the book away after writing this review, and I open to a random page and I see - Empress Wu. So, my apologies!! But this does lead to a NEW complaint about the INDEX, LOL!! :-)

I'm not a believer in the evolution theory. The visuals are awesome though and the brief explanation of people in various times fascinated me to wanting to find out more specifics later on. Makes for a GREAT entertaining read. I'd 'ov like some more information on some of the things covered in this book, but still great non-the less.

Our homeschool family loves history. We can't get enough - which is one reason I had to have this book. The other reason is because History Year By Year is a timeline. I find that children "get" history so much better when they understand where it fits chronologically. And, when a timeline includes fabulous images as well as bits of explanation, all the better. Visual cues make a big difference for my children.

This 320 page, full-color timeline-in-a-book begins with hunter-gathers and works its way thoroughly through 2012. Well, the book actually begins with a couple of pages about millions of years ago and evolution, but our family doesn't adhere to that theory, so we begin with the hunter-gathers after we have a discussion about Creation.

Each new era is marked by a different color timeline that is visible even when the book is closed, making it easy to explore a particular time period. Various events happening all over the world during a particular period are included together. This makes me happy because my children (and I) can understand better that certain events were simultaneously happening - which can be hard for children to put together without a nice, visual reference.

Not everything noted on the timeline includes an illustration or photograph, but most things do! There are also occasional maps, tidbits of trivia, famous quotations and other fun additions. Sometimes, an entire page is devoted to giving more detail about a specific person or event. While my elementary student enjoys browsing through the book, it's my middle and high school students who are really getting the meat from it. We all love, love, love this book!

For a book that is about the history of the world and has the words “year by year” in the title, you would think this would be a HUGE thing. But it’s not. It turned out to be much smaller than I expected.

The entire book is formatted like one giant time line that continues throughout the book. The term “year by year” is a misnomer since the beginning of the timeline (6.5 million years ago) only highlights several million years. (It goes from 6.5 mya to 3.9 mya) as get closer to the present time, the duration between highlighted events gets smaller. (It goes from 280 BCE to 262 BCE.) It isn’t until the 1900s that it goes year by year, but even then some years are skipped. So in short, this is a very brief overview of history.

To the book’s credit, it does try to make the history a global one. The great Mongolians Khans are featured. The reunification of Japan in 1590 is mentioned. Mughal India and China’s Golden age are also examples however, as noted before, everything is brief. So brief in fact that you kind of lose a sense of proportion. For example, the trial of Galileo gets a double page spread, but the American Civil War also gets a double page spread. Do those two events in history seem equal? The Spanish Flu (where 3% of the world’s population dies) gets only a brief box but the first flight of the Wright brothers gets a double page spread. It was just puzzling to me.

On a good note, I do like that everything is visually appealing. Each page is full of color from original photos, pictures of artifacts, famous artwork and diagrams. It is very easy to skim and still learn things as important facts are highlighted. Overall, it’s a good book. I just wish there was more depth.

"History Year By Year" presents a beautifully done, comprehensive overview of the world's history. Important events are highlighted; this vehicle for providing information should pique the reader's exploration of a subject in greater depth. Peter Crisp, Joe Fullman, and Susan Kennedy have done a masterful job of selecting and synopsizing historical, anthropological, and cultural aspects that continue to influence our world.

Illustrated using maps, graphs, drawings, photographs, and significant works of art, "Smithsonian History Year By Year" provides a visual feast for the eyes. Colors are vivid and enhance the book's appeal; the clear, well-written text is printed on heavy, high-quality paper. Even though "Smithsonian History Year By Year" is an overview, the authors have not "dumbed down" the information.

The authors use color effectively to separate items of specific interest. For example, biographical subjects, who receive more detailed treatment, are boxed in a pale beige box. A pale green box encloses detailed information about important structures, world events, and specific eras, e.g. the Depression. The eras and time-periods the authors chose to highlight each have different color timelines shown horizontally in the center of the pages. One can easily find a specific era since the different color bands show on the pages' outer edge. Formatting the book so that the linear timeline continues from page to page emphasizes that history and events move progressively through time and do not occur in a vacuum.

Traditionalists and some others may have issues with this book. Dating is designated as BCE - Before Common Era - and CE - Common Era. Although web sources state these designations have been used since 1856, although most individuals may not remember the meanings, still recognize and use BC - Before Christ - and AD - Anno Domini or In the Year of Our Lord. Islam receives a full two-page spread including discussions of the principles of that religion, the Koran, and its scholars. However, the tenants and holy books of Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism and other faiths are not given comparable discussion. Some information is scattered through the text on these other world religions. However, the piecemeal presentation of that information does seem to minimize their historical impact and their importance in contrast with the manner in which the authors present Islam. Some may see this as a less than balanced approach to world history.

Overall, "History Year By Year" is an outstanding collection of information. It is an excellent overview of historical events. It provides a good starting point from which one can explore world events. This book would be an excellent gift for a loved one or for one's own library.

Review by Saksham R., age 8, Central New Jersey Mensa

I loved this book. It was amazing.
History, Year by Year shows the important parts of history across countries from 6 mya (two-legged apes) to 2012 (the space jump). This book has a lot of pictures that help you understand some historical events. It has a timeline that tells you what time a historical event happened. History year by year has 8 main parts called,
Before history began, dating through 6.5mya to 3000bce
Really ancient history, dating through 3000bce to 700bce
Much more civilized, dating through 700bce to 500
The marvelous middle ages, dating through 500 to 1450
Exploring and reforming, dating through 1450 to 1750
Time for change, dating through 1750 to 1850
Empires and world wars, dating through 1850 to 1945
Fast Forward, dating through 1945 to 2012
This book would be interesting especially if you like history. It can also be kept as a helpful future reference.

This new title from DK Canada will provide you not only an illustrated timeline through history but will also highlights the main events that happened during a specific period of time. The book is packed photos, paintings, artifacts, graphs, illustrations, maps, close-ups of items from that era as well as numerous archeological finds. Specific historical events are highlighted in the book by being expanded in a two pages presentation. For example if you want to know more about children's lives during the Industrial Revolution you can read about how they worked in cotton mills in Europe and the USA. I can't imagine sending my kids to work in such places nowadays!

There are eight sections in this book:

3.5 MYA - 3000 BCE: Before history began - This is all about how civilization came to be (according to evolution).
3000 - 700 BCE: Really ancient history - Gods and temples, first writing, metal ages, and much more will be covered in this section.
700 BCE - 500 CE: Much more civilized - Sparta, Greek-Persian wars, Celtic warriors, Roman Empire, Pompeii and more will be highlighting your historical knowledge in this section.
500 - 1450: The marvelous Middles Ages - The Maya, Islam, The Crusades, Aztecs and Incas are only a few of the subjects touched in this section.
1450 - 1750: Exploring and reforming - This section will introduce you to the Renaissance, the age of exploration, the Ottoman Empire, the trial of Galileo, and other fascinating events during that time period.
1750 - 1850: Time for change - Explore the Industrial Revolution, the American Revolution, the French revolution, the slave trade, and much more.
1850 - 1945: Empires and World Wars - American Civil War, World War I, Great Depression, and World War II are some of the subject touched in this section.
1945 - present: Fast forward - In this section you will be exposed to the Cold War, the division of Berlin, the Civil Rights, exploring the moon, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the Fall of Communism, apartheid, and much more.
At the present time, we are studying Greece and we are learning quite a bit about the wars during that time. This book can provide visual images which will allow us to have a better understanding of the events during that time. For example, in one of our readings we learned about the war elephants used in India when Alexandre the Great tried to conquer the area. It's interesting to see a terracotta statue of a mauryan war elephant which represent these war elephants.

No matter what era you are studying with your children (or they are studying at school), I serious think that this book is a great reference to own at home. Not only it is great for history but you can get more knowledgeable in history when you take the time to read the pages of this book. There are literally numerous things we can learn in this book. This book would be a great gift for whoever loves history in your life as well.

Forgive me for a moment if I can't help giggling. I can't help but think of the Seinfeld episode, "The Bookstore," where Jerry and George are at Brentano's and George borrows a large book to accompany him into the bathroom.

At more than 300 pages and a whopping 10.9 x 8.8 x 1 inches, DK Books has produced the best bathroom book for young readers. Of course, this book is just as nice on a coffee table or tucked away in the corner of your child's bed for nighttime reading. (Hopefully, your child doesn't grow up to be George Costanza.)

Divided into different eras, this book is loaded with full-color pictures, graphics and bits of information that are easy to read and fun to browse through. You can pick up the book and read from any page as you pass time with nature's call.

A color-coded time line regularly appears throughout the book in addition to full-page `Children in History' looks at particular moments, inventions or cultural highlights. (My sons, ages 11 and 9, were especially intrigued by the `Young apprentices' feature in the `Marvelous Middle Ages' section on page 117.

I recommend checking a few pages for yourself using the store's 'Look Inside' feature on this product page. See for yourself how colorful and interesting this book is for young readers.

BTW: This book would make an excellent birthday or Christmas gift. Most importantly, it is fun to read.

Rating: Five stars.

What can I say. I love DK books. I use them to tutor English as a second language--primarily for adult Korean and Chinese students. So what does that have to do with history? Most of my students are older and most have a good background in English grammar. What they lack is a background in western history (and many other traditionally western disciplines), fluent speech and easily understood accents. So we learn to speak English more fluently and to reduce accents by practicing as we learn more about adapting to the country (USA) and culture (western) that they are adopting or that they must deal with in their business lives. And pictures (OK, images!) make it all more fun and accessible for adults as well a youngsters. In fact, I will be using this one along with What Foreigners Need to Know About America From A to Z: How to Understand Crazy American Culture, People, Government, Business, Language and More almost exclusively as texts.

I am sure pictures do the same thing for those born in the US. I certainly find DK's books like this History Year by Year nice refresher courses.

The book is literally set up like a streaming timeline, but with interesting blurbs describing historical events. It's divided up in relevant sections. Obviously, it just gives you the highlights/major events on the time line, but I do think it was well organized in such a way to feed into the next section that is focused on. For instance, you can easily see how the seeds of discontent sown in the 1800s with the wars fought in Europe, land grabs back and forth, and hard feelings over treaties ultimately led to WWI. As for the section covering modern times... I thought that was a bit heavy on US influence. However, I can forgive that because you truly do not comprehend the significance of some historic events until much later in time. So, perhaps in 20 years, the items highlighted in that section might be quite different.

I do love the pictures and how it was set up. This book is not a boring old timeline. There are, intertwined in the continuous timeline through the book, pages in between that give a more in depth description of an event.

Trying to introduce history to a young child can be difficult. History Year by Year does a great job by combining strong visual content with short capsule stories perfect for the young reader all arranged by year in a timeline. The book does an especially good job showcasing important events from around the world with full page call outs and strong photography.

While the pages sometimes feel overfull of information - this actually leads to discovering other topics and subjects because your child goes to find out about one thing and sees two other things which in turn leads to learning about even more things. I like the periodic extra content throughout the book on children through history - helping the young reader imagine what it might be like to live in a particular era.

This book is a good tool to augment your child's education and it is especially useful when you are trying to limit your child's time on the computer but want them to spend their time doing something fun and educational.

When I see a collaborative publication by the likes of DK and Smithsonian, I am immediately interested in its contents. The “History Year By Year” is an historical encyclopedia for kids that doesn’t disappoint. The pages of contents are laid out in a timeline that is organized by historical period, which makes searching for events logical and easy. Each event is presented on only two pages so that children are not overwhelmed. However, that doesn’t mean these pages are lacking in pertinent information. Indeed, they are full of great historical information presented in small text blocks and paragraphs, along with graphic aids and fantastic illustrations and photos which follow the timeline of the particular event. Interspersed throughout the pages are quotes by archeologists, historians, photographers, museum curators, and other experts to lend an authentic and personal perspective to the information. Most importantly, is that my two daughters loved it and spent hours pouring over the pages.

My son loves this book, and it does a great job at illustrating the timeline of human history in a way that is interesting to children. However, some of the information presented is based on biblical scripture and not regarded as concrete fact to those who have a secular, academic background in history. Still, a well-written book for the most part.

If you want your kids (or yourself) to have a strong handle on world history, especially a history timeline, this will help tremendously. It has tons of color photographs and drawings, highlights many major historical figures, events, voyages, movements, and discoveries, and provides well-written and easy to understand descriptions. I find it especially helpful that each page represents a period of time and describes what is happening all around the world at that time, not just in one location. I appreciate that it appears to be politically neutral and just states the facts of the events without spinning for one side or another. I also really appreciate the care that was clearly taken in describing challenging or terrible events and the photographs and drawings that were selected are tasteful and appropriate.

Overall, I would say that this book is really well done. DK and Smithsonian are a good combination apparently!

Wow. This was lots of fun. We recieved this in the mail and my kids flocked to it and read it and enjoyed it. We had lots of conversations about what was in t his book.

The pictures were bright and colorful and only added to the text on the page. The information was interesting but also important in history. In otherwords, the text did not cover who invented the lint trapper in the dryer (for example) but did cover relevant events (How WW1 started, for example).

This book is very sturdy and it is larger than most books. It looks like it will put up with a lot of wear and tear.

This did seem to focus more on a Eurocentric view of history. This is what most of us would expect based on most of the other history books you can find today.

We homeschool so I have no doubt we will refer to this book during the next few years.
Well worth the money. 'Enjoy.

I homeschool and I love using DK books to supplement our curriculum. The books are always overflowing with educational information, as well as engaging photos and illustrations.

When it comes to the subject of history, many of our other history books separate American History from World History, which can make it a bit difficult for my son to understand the United States' place in the world's timeline. The format of this book makes it much easier for my son to compare the history of the US to other countries in the world.

I also recommend the First Science Encyclopedia and the other books in the DK First Reference Series for homeschoolers, or any parents just looking to enrich their child's education.

I was excited to go through this History Year By Year reference book with my older daughter who is in 7th grade. The book is presented in a time line format where children can page through the book and learn about history through short articles, blurbs and pictures. Throughout the book there are several articles on what it was like to be a child during certain periods of history which makes it easier for some children to immerse themselves in history and think about how different their lives would be had they lived in another era.

The hardcover book is a nice reference book to have on your bookshelf. I can see many ways for us to utilize this book in our homeschool. It's certainly a book that's worth having for your child.

This book is by no means comprehensive enough to be used as a sole resource for world history, but it is a spectacularly well-done time line that gives a broad overview of human history from 3.5 million years ago to the present. In signature Dorling Kindersley style, the book contains myriad photographs, maps, and illustrations interspersed with short blocks of text. Although many subjects are touched upon, few are given more than a paragraph or two of explanation. I see this book as a valuable resource to be used in conjunction with other materials. It can provide a sense of what happened both before and after certain historic events, or as a starting point for finding a subject to explore in depth.

I picked this book up after enjoying DK's publications Timelines of ScienceTimelines of Science. The contrast between the two books was stark and I was not very impressed with 'History Year by Year'. The big difference is that this book is pointedly meant for younger children while Timelines of Science really crosses all ages.

I've never been terribly impressed with Timeline books (Until Timelines of Science!) since they tend to be dry, superficial and prone to leaving out many important dates. History Year by Year repeats the old tired formula of a big fat timeline running along the center of the page with offshoots of information blips laid out around it. The pictures are interesting and the layout attractive for a child. The pages are pointedly uncluttered and light on information making me think that this is definitely for a younger child. The complexity is nowhere near the Eyewitness series.

The seven sections the book is divided into have oddly simplified titles and I found myself a little annoyed at the fact that 3000 BCE-700 BCE was titled Really Ancient History and 700 BCE-500 CE is titled Much more civilized. Really?? So the Egyptian and Indus Valley civilizations were just not civilized enough?? It is an odd choice of titles and it is odd that Howard Carter (who opened Tut's tomb) gets a two page spread but Egyptian civilization gets two blips on the timeline and a spread on children's lives! The Indus valley civilization and the ancient universities in India do not even get that much!

I did like the fact that every few pages of timeline is interrupted by a two page spread about a related topic. The lives of children living in the time period are scattered throughout. E.G Page 40 and 41 are a spread about the life of boy scribe in Egypt, pg 78-79 are about A roman girl's life. Notably the book tries to remain upbeat in it's coverage of the Second World War and the Holocaust and, while Anne Frank is mentioned, the spread about the child living at the time is an optimistic description of the Kindertransport. This can be a either good or bad, depending on what you think your child should learn about that time and what he/she is capable of understanding.

In sum, I was not thrilled with this book. It is overly simplistic and is probably only suitable for a child younger than 10. It lacks the complexity and compelling layout that could draw a child in at different levels as he/she ages. It does not have the lasting power that a better designed book could have had.

This book is set up for children, but it's thoroughly enjoyable for adults as well. It's 320 pages and a nice, coffee table size. Each page is colorfully illustrated with both photographs and drawings of significant events and people in world history. The glossy pages begin with a historical timeline and then a detailed history from 6.5 million years ago until the 21st century. This book is an excellent reference. One can pick it up and find out a little or sit down and peruse it for hours. It's a great addition to any family library!

After avidly playing some quiz games with friends it quickly became apparent that my biggest weakness lay in the history category. I was woefully behind in the history knowledge department. Thus I was prompted to search for some books that would set me up with some basic information. When I came across the History year by year, Illustrated, I figured it would be a nice, basic way to start. I am not looking for encyclopedia knowledge, but a better grasp.
This book is ammmaaazing. The illustrations are brilliant, attention capturing and really help put the information into context. The text is also written in an easy to follow manner. Not too in depth, but just the right length for a well rounded spot of information. Plus, the main selling point for me is that its in chronological order. That's right, world history, (not just any one Country), is given to me in a nice tidy path.
Granted, this is written to a younger age set, both my 8 and 10 year old have picked it up and taken advantage of its very useful format and content. But, I've found that I'm getting quite a few more quiz questions correct, and all without feeling like I bogged my brain down with too much, or too slow, information.
A+!

This new book published by DK is an example of what this publisher does best. This is a massive volume set up as a comprehensive historical timeline, beginning with the pre-history and the stone age and going up to 2012. Like their other books, DK offers a wide array of color illustrations, including many photographs of historical artifacts. The book offers short features on important figures, technology, art, music, architecture, natural events, religion, and more. In addition, the book features two-page spreads on children in history, which discuss what it was like to grow up in different historical periods, features on important historical periods, such as China's golden age, or the Crusades. The authors successfully manage to avoid being Eurocentric, and include historical events from all over the globe. This is a handsome book that children who enjoy history will love to pore over. The brief explanations offered should serve to spur further interest and research into different historical periods. The end of the book features a separate timeline history on the United States and Canada. Back matter includes a glossary and a detailed index.

I love this latest set of DK Smithsonian books! "History" is as good as the others--large, beautiful pages full of large color illustrations and text snippets--it pulls you in and pulls you along, whether your child is one to read the book in just a couple of sittings, or only a page at a time. I also appreciated that it includes sections on Japan, India and China, rather than focusing solely on the history of (/leading up to) the Western world that was presented as "world history" when I was a child decades ago.

What a great book to look through and discuss with my 1st grader. Filled with great little blurbs, timelines, and illustrations it is one of those books my son and I can sit at the table or on a big chair and look through and discuss together. There are so many little details and dates and graphics this book can be looked at over and over and something new will be discovered or discussed. What a great complement to my son learning about ancient civilizations in class. Highly recommend this book.

The nature of these chronological history books is it gives up on thematic coherence (for example, studying the rise of Mesopotamia and the spread of civilization) but this book is well done and a great reference and supplement for any home school or school curricula. We used this book as a supplement for the "The Story of the World" series that we are homeschooling our daughter with and it works great. Well produced and recommended.

Usually I love books produced by DK. But this book is an EUROCENTRIC as it gets. This is NOT a world history book. For example, only two pages are dedicated to the Mughal Empire and majority of the pages are dedicated to Taj Mahal. Taj Mahal is an architectural marvel but not history. Not only that only the first three Mughal emperors are listed instead of the entire dynasty (thus, factually incorrect). I can go on and on about non-European history or lack there of in this book. It's unfortunate that a book is being peddled as world history when like many books the content of this book mostly covers Eurocentric Western history and lacks any diversity or what really happened in other parts of the world. Very disappointing.

My ten-year-old son has really gotten into this book. He's been wanting to know more about world history, but that's just not something that's really covered in 4th grade. The book gives very brief overviews of every major event that's happened since the Stone Age, and it's meant to be read through from beginning to end, unlike an old-fashioned encyclopedia. It's laid out with great pictures and diagrams, and it does a solid job of showcasing past cultures and conflicts.

The only thing that would really make it perfect is if it had included a map of each location. American children aren't really known for their geography skills, and that would have helped tie in when and WHERE history happened.

This book is beautiful. It is hard to tell about this type of book from pictures; however, when it arrived I was amazed at the quality. Although I intended for my grandson to read this at my house, I will admit that I have thumbed through the book several times. A great purchase for any kid interested in history.

I rated DK History Year by Year 5 stars because it is a fanatic history book. It is easy to read and look through, the pictures are clear and relevant. The Only con is that the text is slightly smaller than I would prefer it to be.

Even though this is geared towards kids, as an adult I find myself reading and browsing through it! DK YBY is found throughout the home, from the dining table, ottoman, hallway and even bathroom, it is a good sign that it is actively being read!

Overall, this is a great kids history book that is arranged chronologically and easy enough to read through and enjoy it.

High quality coffee table type book that is nice to look at, and touch. If you're familiar with DK books, you will recognize the quality immediately. Tons of info and it's been fun to look things up with the kids. I'd say it'd make for a perfect gift for a pre-teen who is into history as a hobby.

Excellent history reference for kids - 8 year old enjoys it and hopefully she can use it for school projects as well. Lots of pictures, but also lots of information and as the title says it gives you major history events chronologically and it is written in an easy enough way to understand for kids.

We just added this book to our homeschool collection, and I'm really pleased with it. It is full of photos and enough info to get started on any major event in history. I love that a timeline runs horizontally through the center of the book, it is clear and easy to follow.

Growing up, I didn't have a good sense of how the various topics I studied in history related to each other chronologically. If you had asked me were the Ancient Maya before or after the signing of the Magna Carta, I wouldn't have had a clue (the correct answer is before). This book is an excellent way to help students see exactly what was going on around the world at any given time. That's the good.

The reason why I decided to give it only 3 stars is because it is overly "politically correct". It treats what Muslims believe about Muhammad as fact (calling him a prophet and stating that the Angel Gabriel appeared to him) but then uses "the Bible says..." and "Christians believe..." language when talking about Christian beliefs. All religious beliefs should be treated the same way with a "the [name of religious text] says..." or "[name of religion] teaches..." That way the reader can decide for himself/herself which things (if any) to accept as factual.

The book also says that Christians believe that Jesus is "the son of God" with no mention of Christian beliefs in Jesus' divinity or that He is the Messiah. Christ is most important to His followers because He is their Savior, not just that He is the Son of God.

"Young Earth" Creationists should be aware that the book starts its timeline not with the first farmers but 6 million years ago with early hominids. Pages 8-15 are devoted to hominid evolution and prehistory. As a Christian who is not a YEC, I personally don't have a problem with this, but wanted to give a "heads up" about it.

The treatment of modern history topics displays a politically liberal bias. Conservatives should be prepared to discuss alternate views on the various topics.

It's a shame that this book wasn't more balanced in its writing because I think it has a great premise. The authors should have tried to be more consistent in its treatment of religious beliefs and more politically neutral in discussing modern history.

High quality coffee table type book that is nice to look at, and touch. If you're familiar with DK books, you will recognize the quality immediately. Tons of info and it's been fun to look things up with the kids. I'd say it'd make for a perfect gift for a pre-teen who is into history as a hobby.