The Illustrated History of the 20th Century The Illustrated History of the 20th Century is an informative and richly illustrated portrait of the twentieth century. All the important events between 1900 and 2000 are explained in text and photographs: political incidents, developments in science and technology, arts, literature and music, religion and philosophy, journeys of exploration and discovery,, sports, and changes in society and everyday life. The book also contains over one hundred short biographies of the men and women whose lives were influential during the twentieth century. The text is illustrated with over 700 superb and evocative photographs.