Reference, History 

From the creator of The Guinness Book of World Records comes a new blockbuster--the history of the world as seen through the records, milestones, and other "firsts" that shaped our lives. Packed with fascinating facts and figures unearthed by Norris McWhirter over the last 40 years, this spectacular volume will captivate the entire family. Topic by topic, an eye-catching array of lists, timelines, and statistics tracks the progress of time, from prehistory to the new millennium, while 400 breathtaking illustrations bring history to life before our eyes. Uncover the secret, for example, of how space travel began in medieval China, when warlords developed rockets for use as military signals, then advanced through a series of ever bolder experiments culminating in the manned space station of the 21st century. Learn about the world's first bank, the biggest shark ever caught, why the dishwasher was invented, and surprising facts about almost every subject imaginable....The breadth and depth of topics is simply astonishing! Accurate, accessible, and highly entertaining, this is a reference for all time. - from Amzon