*Winning the traditional Christmas dinner political debate has never been so easy.*

Based on the 'Briefings' columns that appear in every issue of The Week, here is a book that addresses the key issues of our day and breaks them down into bite-sized questions and answers. Each one takes minutes to read yet provides objective and meticulously researched perspectives on the major matters of our times. How did Darwin change the world? What exactly is Sharia law? Which was the world's worst industrial accident? Is computer hacking getting more serious? Can Aspirin cure cancer? What was the legacy of the Iran-Iraq war? Ranging across a wide array of subjects - from medicine, science and politics, to history, geography and finance - about which we are often less informed than we would like, this is a fascinating book to dip into.

We would all like to be better informed. Here is a book that makes it easy.