The World Almanac and Book of Facts 2020

Publisher: World Almanac
Publication Date: November 2019
ISBN: 978-1600572302
Reviewed by: Ellen Feld
Review Date: January 19, 2020

You may think that in today's digital world, there's no need for a print version of The World Almanac, and if you do believe that, you'd be wrong. There's something about having a complete, and I mean complete, resource instantly available, sitting on your desk, ready to use.

A new edition of The World Almanac comes out every year and while some of the material is the same from year to year, such as landmark decisions of the U.S. Supreme Court, there are also numerous new sections. New features this year include a 2020 election preview, the 2010 to 2019 decade in review, as well as new statistics on topics such as top-grossing movies and religious populations. A fun new section is the "Never Say Die: Memorable Comebacks by Athletes" that includes great comebacks from athletes such as Tommy John and Peyton Manning, all selected by the editors of the Almanac.

The statistics included in The World Almanac are truly mind-boggling. From the 100 tallest buildings in the world to presidential elections results by state, it's in here. And if you can't find it in this volume, it doesn't exist. Curious about U.S. Health Expenditures? It's in here - from 1960 through 2017. Wondering how your state income tax rates compare to the rates in other states? It's in here. Want to go hiking and need to find information about the national trails system? Pick up this book and you'll find your answers.

There are lots of reference guides on the market today, but none compare to The World Almanac and Book of Facts 2020. Each year the publishers of this volume put together the ultimate guide and while you may not need to purchase one every single year, it's a definite must-have that should be updated every few years. Whether you're a student about to embark on a research paper on the Constitution, or an avid political fan who wants to back up all arguments with facts, this is the perfect book to help you along the way.

Quill says: It may be the age of the Internet, but the print version of The World Almanac and Book of Facts 2020 is an invaluable resource.