Book excerpt: Now thoroughly revised and updated, The Cambridge Paperback Encyclopedia remains the most comprehensive portable reference book available. Its clear, easy-to-read entries - nearly 20,000 of them on all topics - contain the essential information for the 1990s. All areas of human knowledge are covered: technology, the environment, sport, geography, politics, history, art, music, astronomy, physics, medicine and literature. Special attention has been paid to new scientific, cultural and sporting achievements and to the recent developments in the European Community, Yugoslavia, Somalia, Germany, and South Africa. With its wealth of maps, diagrams and a unique Ready-Reference section, no other paperback encyclopedia offers such comprehensive, up-to-date coverage - or such incredible value for money. • Over 19,000 entries • 100-page Ready Reference section • 570 maps, panels and drawings • 26,000 cross-references enabling rapid information retrieval • Over 100 internationally-renowned contributors