By Steven Anzovin and Janet Podell

The popular American reference standard now takes on the world!

Destined to become as indispensable to historians, librarians, teachers, students, and browsers as the acclaimed American-based classic, the International Edition lists thousands of inventions, discoveries, and first happenings from a global perspective.

This International Edition of Famous First Facts expands coverage of first facts past the borders of the United States, to chronicle important facts from throughout history worldwide. Famous First Facts, International Edition contains more than 5000 firsts from hundreds of countries and ranging in time from 3.5 billion years ago (the age of the oldest continental land discovered) to 2001 (the scheduled date of completion of the first building over 1500 feet tall).

Easily retrieve facts from all areas of inquiry, such as:

• The first cloned animal was a frog, created by British molecular biologist John B. Gurdon in 1970.

• The first aircraft carrier, built as such from the first design phase, was a Japanese carrier, the I3Hosyo,17, with 7,470 displacement, commissioned in December 1922.

• The first tape cassette was developed by Dutch electronics firm Philips NV in 1961.

• The first civilian to travel as an astronaut to orbit the earth was an American, Neil Alden Armstrong.

◘ 837 pp.
◘ 2000
◘ ISBN 0-8242-0958-3
◘ $180 (U.S. and Canada only)
◘ $195 (outside the U.S. and Canada)