Customer Reviews: Read 6 more reviews...
 Informative and entertaining November 4, 2006
29 out of 31 found this review helpful
Ben Schott's trivia collections lend themselves to the format of an annual almanac and the good news is that this tome is up to the same standard as his previous books, with lots of nuggets of information you didn't know you didn't know but which are strangely fascinating.
I love the mix of modern up-to-date information with the Victorian-style presentation and quaint illustrations. There is also a review of major news highlights of the year.
Overall this is an ideal Christmas present, the sort of thing you can dip into again and again. It beats socks anyway.
The Modern Year With an Archiac Twist May 13, 2006
6 out of 6 found this review helpful
For quite some time, I had been an annual buyer of such almanacs such as "The World Almanac", "Harris' Farmer's Almanac", and the "Farmer's Almanac" - Until I came across Schott's Almanac. The book is a wonderful compilation of the year - providing more information than the three aforementioned almanacs together. Separated into 13 sections (Chronicle, The World, Society & Health, Media & Celebrity, Music & Cinema, Books & Arts, Sci, Tech, Net, Travel & Leisure, Money, Parliament & Politics, Establishment & Faith, Sport, Ephemeridies), Scott's Alamanac presents the modern year with an archiac twist. A MUST have.
Finally - a seriously entertaining Almanac February 27, 2006
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
SCHOTT'S ALMANAC answers a need that, while not exactly pressing, had existed for many years: namely, the need for a serious, yet entertaining almanac. For too long, yearbooks have either been dull (Whitacker's) or frivolous (Guinness) - SCHOTT's is neither. Rather it tells you everything you need to know about the year, as well as the more unusual and entertaining aspects. I have often thought, when reading old newspapers, that the adverts are just as interesting as the articles. SCHOTT's ALMANAC manages to convey the "feeling" of the year (from its curious words to its curious characters) while also presenting the key "news" facts. And, like all Ben Schott books, SCHOTT's ALMANAC is very beautiful. Lovely type, wonderful graphics, and superb little pen-portraits. It is a joy to read, and a joy to flick through. Certainly one to collect.
A trivia goldmine February 20, 2006
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
Ben Schott has excelled once again with this fantastic miscellany of useful and - dare I say it - useless trivia. The presentation is as is usual from him really easy to read and is in the style of all his other books.This book will keep you enthralled for hours although you may not remember the vast majority of it, it is a book one can read from cover to cover or just dip into now and again. Buy it and be amazed.
A book you can read over and over again January 4, 2006
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
I've kept myself amused and friends and family bored to tears. It's a thought provoking, discussion starting adventure of a book. Full of useful and useless information, it's a book you just can't put down. You know you'll never be bored of this book because one day, you'll need some of the facts in there to catch out a knowitall!
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