Know It All: The Little Book of Essential Knowledge »

Elizabeth King Humphrey has been a contributing writer, editorial advisor, copy editor, and co-designer for several magazines, books, and PBS documentaries.

Julie Whitaker has a master's degree in anthropology and American studies. Whitaker has contributed to many books, including several encyclopedias.

Susan Aldridge has been a freelance science and medical writer for over 15 years, and has contributed to many magazines and websites.

Refresh your memory, make new discoveries, and quiz yourself on facts you once learned and may have long forgotten—just pick up this handy reference to have all the answers at your fingertips.

Wish you were that person who could answer any question? Can't find just the right thing to say to start a conversation at a cocktail party? This book offers hours of fact-finding pleasure with a huge collection of intriguing and useful facts, plus quizzes to improve your knowledge. You can gain valuable information about a myriad of subjects—with just a page or two devoted to each topic—presented in clear, easy-to-understand language. And, best of all, you will be on your way to becoming a Know It All!

There are 10 sections—Understanding the Universe, The Story of the Earth, The Story of Life, Exploring the World, Invention and Discovery, Conflicts of the Modern Age, Structure of Society, Religion and Philosophy, Artistic Endeavors, and Quizzes. Sidebars such as “Conversation Starters,” “In the Know,” and “In Fact” provide at-a-glance tidbits of information. At the end of each chapter are “Test Yourself” quizzes that can be taken at any time to give your brain a workout and prove how much you've learned. Each quiz has “Research Notes” sidebars that point you to the pages in the book that discuss the subjects covered in the quiz.

All of the content has been thoroughly researched and written by a team of experts to convey the basic elements of knowledge across a variety of topics and areas of interest. Know It All provides the essential knowledge for every subject and then some.