TIMELINE: A Visual History of Our World: 1

I came across this book just by accident while looking for other children's history books. I am not sure why I haven't seen it more in shops, newspapers, best books lists, or why it hasn't been given more of a publicity platform as it is simply magnificent. To say it is beautifully drawn and coloured is an understatement: it flows visually, like time itself, like a black river across the pages from beginning to end, from the beginning of first life forms to the 2010s. It is amazing how different one chunk of history on that black time river may look and feel from another (yet all consistent in graphic style) and how instantly immersed and transported to that time, place, mindset you feel. Some double-spreads look immediately very turbulent whereas others have a more ethereal feel but nevertheless movement is everywhere as befits a creation about time and its ever-changing byproduts.Peter Goes' style is somehow drained of colour, using mainly black ink on sepia-ish or grey-ish backgrounds, but each double spread has a unique colour tone and aspects that render them quite unique and relevant to the world and era rendered. The effect is both subtle and suprising, breathtaking. The whole book is packed with visual detail, yet as all of history is more or less being covered here, text is more like a trigger or a shortcut into more reading elsewhere and further interest in the subject. Which is a good thing, both for children reading about certain historic events for the first time or for those of us that have long forgotten stuff learned at school. Hidden in the plethora of facts and images, you will find funny detail and anecdotes, the curious, the glorious and immortal in humankind but also its darkest deeds forever populating that black river of History (9/11 and Charlie Hebdo are included in the book!)Buy it. Read it. Learn and remember. Here are the dreams and nightmares that make us.Very jealous that it wasn't me who created this wonderful book.

This is a beautiful book from a talented illustrator. It has loads of pages and we are looking at it very slowly, enjoying the detail. Great purchase.

This book is absolutely gorgeous. I bought it as a present for my sister who is doing a masters in children's' book illustration and she was so impressed, the page layout and flow is fantastic and the illustrations are really quirky and cool. It was a big hit not only with her but with the whole family, especially my little brother who loved picking out all the little details in the illustration and sat for hours enjoying the fantastic facts. All in all very educational and an absolutely beautiful book, cannot recommend more.

Stunning illustrations. It's beautiful to look at. I got my son this book for Christmas last year (when he was 8) and he said it was his favourite gift. There's a good mix of facts and illustration. It encourages my son to ask me questions about the illustrations so it's a book that encourages conversation if you read it together. A year later he is still enjoying this and picks it from his bookshelf above other books.

Didn't expect it to be quite as big when it arrived! Beautiful illustrations inside, though I wish the book had a bit more thought into the binding process and printing as it could have really made the illustrations stand out. The book itself arrived a bit damaged around the edges and some sticky mark on the front, but it's a beautiful reference book overall. Stunning attention to detail in the illustrations.

The book is beautifully illustrated, immensely interesting and very informative.

Our Grandsons love it

Extraordinary book, I love it, wish this was around when I was a child. Enjoying bedtime reading to my 11 and 7 year olds.

My kid (almost 5) and I are both thoroughly enjoying this book! Awesome, whimsical illustrations that leave just the right amount to be imagined.

Très bien

El formato del libro, tapa dura, gran tamaño, magnificamente ilustrado lo hace muy llamativo para los niños.Compra muy recomendable

exactly what I expected, thank you and i can recommend making use of this seller without any doubt whatsoever. cheers!

学校で学ぶ国や民族の歴史と生物の授業が一つになって、素晴らしいアートになった感じ。