The Encyclopedia of World History
The "Langer Encyclopedia," as the professional academics callThe  Encyclopedia of World Historyoriginally edited by the late William L.  Langer, is basically a history of everything--and an outstanding reference  volume. Want to know why the English called their 10th-century king Ethelred  "the Unready"? See page 181. Or what the Ottoman Empire's constitution of 1876  said? See page 531. Or when women in Honduras got the vote? See page 955. This  sixth edition, completely updated and revised by a team of scholars led by  George Mason University's Peter N. Stearns, packs all it can into a year-by-year  and region-by-region chronicle of human life on planet Earth. The book is big,  the type is small, and the maps and genealogical tables are excellent. Stearns  has added more material on women, leisure activities, and demographics to this  edition, and the sections on Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, and Latin  America are much different from the previous version. As if this weren't enough,  the book comes with a CD-ROM featuring the complete text and fantastic search  capabilities.The Encyclopedia of World Historyis highly recommended for  serious history buffs.--John Miller