On Target
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I asked for this on my Christmas present list on the strength of an appealing advertisement on Classic FM. I was not disappointed. It is a traditional almanac with reviews of the past year and calendar information for the coming year. But it's delight is the esoteric lists it gives from past and present. One significant omission is a table for tax free day in different countries. I would also like some information on birth rates according to etnicity. This book is a mine of useless information and will be a great help to anyone wanting to compose a trivia quiz. I love it and may but it on myCchristmas list for the 2009 edition.
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More than just a stocking filler
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Coming out just before Christmas, this book is clearly aimed squarely at those looking for present for someone who likes news and trivia.
This is the third year of Schott's Almanac but they have made a real effort and managed to keep up the standard of previous years. As before, there is a summary of the key events of the year (up to September 2007) including entries on the hand-over from Blair to Brown and Harry Potter mania. The rest of the book is then a collection of the serious and the trivial, everything from the Nobel Prize winner to the list of 44 terrorist groups proscribed under UK legislation.
There is plenty for everyone here. Can you remember who won celebrity big brother? Name FHM's 10 sexiest women? Britain's most rented films?
Ideal for dipping into if you like useless facts, highly recommended.
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Informative and entertaining
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Schott's Almanac is, amongst other things, a record of the newsworthy events and notable people of 2007, alongside lists of facts and figures of more general interest. There are reminders of things such as the Olympic logo controversy and the Big Brother Shilpa Shetty scandal, which although garnering miles of newspaper coverage at the time, are now rapidly fading from our memories.
The great joy of this handsomely-presented book is its mix of earnestness and sense of fun. It's guaranteed to raise a smile or spike the interest in the quiet aftermath of Christmas meals and present-opening.
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