Britannica Marks 250 Years with Commemorative Book Highlighting Knowledge Evolution; Unique Compilation from a Brand That Has Documented Knowledge for Over Two Centuries
Encyclopaedia Britannica® is marking its 250th anniversary this year with a special commemorative numbered edition that includes interesting insights from its past and present and perspectives on the future from leading scholars, writers and thinkers from the 18th century to today. The volume is a testament to human progress - how far we have come and how far we have to go from here.
CHICAGO, Aug. 29, 2018 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Encyclopaedia Britannica® is marking its 250th anniversary this year with a special commemorative numbered edition that includes interesting insights from its past and present and perspectives on the future from leading scholars, writers and thinkers from the 18th century to today. The volume is a testament to human progress – how far we have come and how far we have to go from here.
The Encyclopaedia Britannica Anniversary Edition (1768-2018): 250 Years of Excellence is now available at the Britannica online store. The 735-page book captures classic works from Britannica's past editions, beginning in 1768 when the company was founded in Edinburgh, Scotland, through its current online edition, as well as 33 new articles from world leaders on the challenges and opportunities facing the human race today and in the years ahead, from climate change and technology to culture and politics.
Each volume is uniquely numbered, reflecting the distinctive nature of the book and the likelihood that it will become a collector's item.
"The Anniversary Edition is a trip down the 250-year memory lane that will entertain and enlighten you no matter what your interests," said Karthik Krishnan, global chief executive officer of the Britannica Group. "A number of people have discovered the origins of fields, such as geology, to the original conception of California, to tobacco, paging through the different Britannica editions. It's the longest running publication updated at regular intervals, thereby providing a snapshot on the state of human progress in any given time period."
Two special copies of the Anniversary Edition, autographed by more than 75 world leaders in a wide range of fields, will be auctioned off for charity. Signatories include singer and Nobel Prize winner Bob Dylan, astronaut Mae Jemison, Academy Award-winning actress Dame Judi Dench, The Dalai Lama, Nobel Peace Prize winner Archbishop Desmond Tutu, "Hamilton" creator Lin-Manuel Miranda, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and a host of Hall of Fame athletes. Proceeds from one of the signed volumes will go to First Book, which makes a variety of educational resources available to kids in need.
The book is divided into three parts:
Part One — "Evolving Knowledge"— shows, through the historical pages of Britannica, how knowledge has changed, expanded, and become more reliable in the past quarter of a millennium. Was California once thought to be an island? And where exactly could unicorns and vampires be found? Entertaining articles from Britannica's past reveal the state of human knowledge long ago.
Part Two — "Classic Voices"— highlights the words of great men and women who have written for Britannica. Albert Einstein. Marie Curie. Sigmund Freud. And today: Archbishop Desmond Tutu on post-apartheid reconciliation; Neil deGrasse Tyson on public science; and Chris Evert and Jack Nicklaus on the U.S. Opens of tennis and golf, respectively.
Part Three— "Issues of Today, Visions of Tomorrow"—consists of entirely new essays by eminent writers and scholars from the world today, addressing a wide assortment of subjects, such as the car-less cities of tomorrow, cyberbullying and the future of democracy. Contributors include Martin Scorsese (on the urgency of film preservation), Harvard's Henry Louis Gates, Jr. (on the Confederate monument controversy), E.O. Wilson, and Steven Pinker. MIT's Sherry Turkle (on today's "Robotic Moment"). Former U.S. secretaries of state Madeleine Albright (on "The War on Democracy") and James Baker. The Archbishop of Canterbury. Former world chess champion Garry Kasparov (on artificial intelligence and authoritarianism).
Long associated with its famous multivolume print encyclopedia of the past, Britannica was one of the first brands to embrace the internet and has been online now for 25 years and on mobile devices since 2000. "The brand continues to deliver on its founding mission – UTILITY – by helping people cut through the internet clutter and find reliable information through Britannica Insights and providing engaging and revealing answers to questions such as Does listening to Mozart in the womb make babies smarter? through its Demystified channel." said Krishnan.
The Encyclopaedia Britannica Anniversary Edition is available at https://store.britannica.com/.
About the Encyclopaedia Britannica Group
The Encyclopaedia Britannica Group is a global knowledge leader whose flagship products, from Encyclopaedia Britannica, Britannica Digital Learning, Britannica Knowledge Systems, Merriam-Webster®, and Melingo®, inspire curiosity and joy of learning on multiple platforms and devices. Encyclopaedia Britannica, founded in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1768, marks its 250th anniversary this year. A pioneer in digital learning since the 1980s, the company today serves the needs of students, lifelong learners, and professionals by providing curriculum products, language-study courses, digital encyclopedias, and professional readiness training through its extensive products.
SOURCE Encyclopaedia Britannica Group
Share this article