Which U.S. Presidents were born on the Fourth of July? When did Alexander Graham Bell make the first telephone call? Catherine the Great, Jerome K. Jerome, Baron von Richthofen, Bing Crosby, and Dr Spock were all born on the same day of the year, but which? Columbus sailed the ocean blue in fourteen hundred and ninety-two--but on what day did he set sail? Compiler of the London Observer's weekly dates column, Cyril Leslie Beeching here provides an informative and entertaining listing of important anniversaries for each day of the year. Revealing a remarkable number of coincidences, he records births and deaths of the famous as well as significant and unusual events in history. With the bonus of a chronology of world events from the earliest times to the present day, and a full index, this is an invaluable reference book for anyone with an interest in history or just plain fascinating facts.