Schott's Almanac is designed to be a practical and entertaining annual volume that tells the real stories of the year, from the anxious South African elections to the hope generated by the election of Barack Obama, from worldwide recession to the green shoots of recovery, from Russia's growing ambition to the Copenhagen Conference on climate change, and from the Ashes rivalry to the possibility of another all-English Champion's League final, all in the UN's Year of Astronomy. Section headings are: Chronicle; World; Society & Health; Sci, Tech, Net; Celebrity & Media; Music & Cinema; Books & Arts; Travel & Leisure; Money; Parliament & Politics; The Establishment; Sport; Ephemerides. In an age when information is plentiful but selection is rare, Schott's Almanac offers both the essential facts and the lucid analysis, combining the authority and accuracy of the Economist with the wit and vitality of Have I Got News for You.