The Top 10 of Everything 2003 - Hardcover

Who would have thought that Moscow's population is bigger than London's, that America is the world's cat capital or that the funeral of Diana Princess of Wales in 1987 was watched by 2.5 billion people worldwide , the largest audience on TV history? And did you know that the Irish drink more alcohol per head than any other nation but that they are also the world's greatest imbibers of tea?

No prizes for guessing that Chloe and Jack were the most popular names for English children in 2001--the year this edition refers to--but how interesting that in 1901 it was Mary and William that topped the poll closely followed by Florence, Doris and Edith and by John, George and the evergreen Thomas. And if you happen to be called David Jones or Margaret Smith than yours is the commonest name for your sex in the UK.

Laid out in 10 sections with headings such as "Town and Country" "Sport and Leisure" and "Life on Earth", The Top Ten of Everything is easy to use because of its handy index. This year the book has been redesigned so that the pages are less fussy and easier on the eye. It's great stuff for fact magpies and essential reading for quiz–addicts, both compilers and competitors. --Susan Elkin