This massive volume enables general readers to comprehend the pivotal events of the present century and prepare for the yet-to-be-imagined challenges of the next. Considered the most comprehensive and ambitious visual and textual account of our century, the book was the result of the collaborative efforts of editors, writers, and graphic designers, who melded an authoritive text with over 2,500 illustrations —including archival photographs, paintings, and specially commissioned maps, diagrams, and charts.