Life: Our Century in Pictures

Drawing from magazine and the greatest photo archives of our time, this book chronicles our century by way of an unparalleled collection of photographs. There are more than 770 spellbinding images - chosen from the 50,000 - plus pictures that were reviewed - within these pages. They show significant events and people most responsible for shaping our world and cutlure during the last 100 years. Many are classic photographs from , burned deep into the memory of this nation; others are remarkable prints not seen for generations. Together they create the ultimate Life book - the most fascinating pictorial history of the last 10 decades ever published.

Life: Our Century in Pictures was shaped by Richard B. Stolley. One of LIFE magazine's most distinguished editors. Stolley has spent almost five decades covering and analyzing the major events of our time.

The book spans the century in nine epochs. Each is introduced with an essay by a notable historical commentator. In each is a special section, called Turning Point, that traces an event or trend from the beginning of the century forward. And each epoch closes with a Requiem, which recalls some memorable individuals who died during that time. The worlds of politics, science and technology, and the arts, as well as the lives we led at home and at work - all are explored and brillantly captured within these pages. Life: Our Century in Pictures is history as you've never seen it before - a book to be savored time and again, a book whose images will grow in depth and meaning as we move into the next millennium.

About the Author:

Richard B. Stolley is Senior Editorial Adviser at Time Inc. A native of Pekin, Illinois, and graduate of Northwester University, he began practicing journalism at age 15. After working at three newspapers, he joined the staff of the weekly Life magazine in 1953 and for 19 years covered events and personalities throughout the world. Most memorable among these stories was the death of President John F. Kennedy; Stolley discovered and obtained exclusively for Life the famous Zapruder film of the assassination. In 1974, he was the founding editor of People magazine. After eight years there, he was named editor of the monthly Life and then editorial director of all Time Inc. magazines. He assumed his present position in 1993.