"Vikings sail far west." "Fierce fighting rocks capital of Aztecs." "Fire devastates London." "Horseless carriage frightens the cattle." "Clinton survives impeachment." The Millennium Year by Year tells the history of the last thousand years in the form of modern newspaper articles. The articles cover everything from military history, political changes, and scientific discoveries to cultural milestones and obituary notices. For example, headlines from 1949 include: "Russians have the atomic bomb," "Pauling describes sickle cell anaemia," "Orwell's book foresees a grim 1984," "China establishes People's Republic," and "Actor Ronald Reagan earns more than the U.S. president." This lavishly illustrated book is difficult to put down--not surprising, when each turn of the page reveals gems like "Glass discs offer new eyes for old," "Bavarian sells brown jeans to U.S. miners," and "Black powder is changing warfare" ("A black powder invented in China is likely to revolutionise the nature of warfare for ever"). Some of the choices are odd; it's unlikely that an artist who had sold only one painting would be remembered in the newspapers: "Van Gogh, beset by gloom, kills himself" ("one day his mystical and original art may become fashionable, although it seems unlikely today"). That said, The Millennium Year by Year is a beautiful book, perfect for browsing, that will thrill any history buff. --Sunny Delaney