The story of the universe portrayed in this work by Crofton (Science Without the Boring Bits) and Black (history, Exeter Univ.; The Holocaust: History and Memory) moves humans from the central agent of history, instead placing them among many working pieces of the universe. Beginning with the big bang theory and quickly moving through evolution, prehistory, and early civilizations and making its way toward the modern world, the book covers an enormous amount of material while trying to highlight all of the events, animals, concepts, and inventions that make up human civilization and the universe. Similar to E.H. Gombrich's A Little History of the World, the language and tone are accessible to young readers without alienating older ones. The ambitious scope of the book leaves many topics underdeveloped to the extent that their inclusion is unnecessary. A section on disease offers little more than a list of named illnesses. At the same time, certain exclusions are confusing and troubling. The section on genocide provides three sentences on the Holocaust, yet the sections leading up to and covering World War II fail to mention it at all.Verdict While parts of this book may provide a new perspective on humanity's place in the universe, many sections are too facile and leave the work skewed and unsatisfying.—Timothy Berge, SUNY Oswego Lib.