Macmillan's annually updated encyclopedia includes many revised entries for 1997, including apoptosis, Will Carling, Downing Street Declaration, Alija Izetbegovic, Tom Hanks, mitochondrial Eve, John Prescott, Malcolm Rifkind, O.J. Simpson, and Quentin Tarantino. Extensive changes for this edition also include changes to British local government boundaries, and introduction of the five kingdoms classification in biology, now widely taught in UK schools. The encyclopedia's 25,000 entries are supplemented by 1200 illustrations, plus a mini-atlas section and picture essays in colour. The text should be useful as a source of general reference, homework and study or general use at home.