The 2009 Britannica Book of the Year is an unequalled account of the people, the events and the trends that made 2008 memorable. Read about major political elections across the globe, including the historic Presidential election in the United States. Learn more about today's hot spots and major world events. From the Beijing Olympics to the worst economic crises in eighty years to the continued violence in Iraq and Afghanistan, capture 2008 in this one-volume beautifully-bound hardcover book. Access hundreds of statistical facts in the World Data section. Or discover important events when browsing Dates of 2008. Find out about those who changed the world and touched our lives in People of 2008. From education to health to sports, Events of 2008 covers the critical issues you want to read about.