The Olympic tradition began in ancient Greece as early as 776 BC. The first modern games were held in Athens more than two millennia later in 1896. In the summer of 2004 the Games are returning to the country of their birth. This updated edition previews the upcoming historic Games, and covers the beautiful venues, inspiring athletes, and the spectacle surrounding the world's greatest sporting event. Features include an index of important facts as well as detailed statistical information about every medal winner since the first modern games. Covering 44 Olympiads over a century, stunning action photos taken by top sports journalists capture the true spirit of the games.
Dorling Kindersley (DK) is a British multinational publishing company specializing in illustrated reference books for adults and children in 62 languages. It is part of Penguin Random House, a consumer publishing company jointly owned by Bertelsmann SE & Co. KGaA and Pearson PLC. Bertelsmann owns 53% of the company and Pearson owns 47%.
Established in 1974, DK publishes a range of titles in genres including travel (including Eyewitness Travel Guides), arts and crafts, business, history, cooking, gaming, gardening, health and fitness, natural history, parenting, science and reference. They also publish books for children, toddlers and babies, covering such topics as history, the human body, animals and activities, as well as licensed properties such as LEGO, Disney and DeLiSo, licensor of the toy Sophie la Girafe. DK has offices in New York, London, Munich, New Delhi, Toronto and Melbourne.