Here is the deal. This should be a fantastic history book. Finally, one that incorporates the important viewpoints along with the historical facts. And it would be great, if that was what it is. Unfortunately, this book is rife, positively RIFE, with typos and factual errors with historical figures leaving for expeditions years before an expedition that they apparently took "later" and kings issuing edits before their births and all sorts of names mentioned and no explanation as to who the heck these people are. In addition, the Index is the most pathetically useless thing ON THE PLANET. What, pray tell, is the use of an Index in which only 2 of every 10 important persons, battles, events, or amendments looked up is actually there? Of absolutely no use, that's what. Someone should rewrite this book, fixing the errors and the occasional utter bias, and then it would be of actual use.