Isabella Mary Beeton was born in London is 1836, where she grew up in a household of twenty-one children. It took Isabella four years to compile her masterwork, publishing Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management in 1861. It contains an enormous amount of information to help people live, in Isabella Beeton's own words, 'economically, tastefully and well'. Her style, imparting information as clearly and simply as possible, was hugely influential. The book sold 60,000 copies in its first year, but Isabella Beeton died four years later, in 1865, aged just twenty-eight. The enduring popularity of Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management is testament to the quality of her advice.

Dr. Christopher Grey-Wilson, for many years at Kew Gardens and now secretary of the Alpine Garden society, living in Norfolk. Much-travelled, he is one of the country's best-known gardeners and botanists.Majorie Blamey is by far the most successful illustrator of wild flower books in Europe. Her books have sold well over a million copies. This book is unquestionably the peak of her achievement.

Michael Bristow has been co-editor of National Anthems of the World since 1984 and this is the 6th edition that he has worked on. He is also editor of the State Songs of America. He now lives in Hungary.

Salvatore Calabrese is the acclaimed Bar Manager at the Lanesborough Hotel in London. He was awarded the title of Campari Bartender of the Year 1993 and is holder of both the Chevalerie du Verre Galant de Cognac 1993 and the Chevalier l¿Ordre des Coteaux de Champagne 1992. Author of the best-selling Classic Cocktails, Salvatore Calabrese is a popular guest on television lifestyle programs and his opinion is sought after by both radio and print media. He currently resides in London.

Thomas Fink holds a theoretical physics professorship at the Curie Institute in Paris, and contributes numerous papers to such scientific magazines as Nature. He was previously a don at Cambridge.

Forms part of the Little Giant® Encyclopedia series.

Martin H. Manser has been a professional reference book editor since 1980. He has compiled or edited more than 150 reference books, particularly English-language dictionaries, thesauruses, and Bible reference titles. He is also a language trainer and consultant with national companies and organizations. He and his wife live in Aylesbury and have a son and a daughter.

David Pickering is an experienced reference book compiler, freelance since 1992. He has contributed (often as sole author or chief editor) to around 200 books in the fields of general reference, English language, the arts, history and popular interest. He has also broadcast many times on a variety of subjects on radio and television. He lives in Buckingham with his wife and two sons.

Tony Ross is one of the most popular and successful of all children's illustrators, with many picture books to his name. He has also produced line drawings for many fiction titles.

Boris Nikolayevich Yeltsin was a Soviet and Russian politician and the first President of the Russian Federation, serving from 1991 to 1999. MIDNIGHT DIARIES, an account of his decade in power, were published in 2000.