While yesterday’s new release would probably be much too heavy to carry around in your backpack , another visual history book just out this week is made specifically for those on the go.
National Geographic’s Essential Visual History of the World may sound big — over 500 pages and 1,500 images — but in fact, this new mini-volume will fit snugly in the palm of your hand.
It’s divided into eight chronological chapters that seem to make it a perfect companion to take along on any history museum visit: Prehistory, First Empires, Ancient World, Middle Ages, Early Modern History, Modern History, The World Wars and the Interwar Period, and Contemporary World.
There are helpful timelines and color-coded reference aids that should speed up finding facts in a hurry. Kids, impress your friends on that next museum field trip. Adults, use this to cheat while watching Jeopardy.
It’s basically a condensed version of the super-sized original Visual History released in 2005. How nice of the Nat Geo folks to produce something smaller, which could be especially handy for all you traveling history buffs. Unless of course you already know all the essentials?