Launched in 1984 for the Los Angeles Olympic Games, the Almanack rapidly established itself as the leading Olympic statistical book. It contains an extensive and entertaining collection of facts and figures from Athens 1896 to Beijing 2008, plus the ancient Games at Olympia and the Winter Olympics. There is coverage of every summer and winter Games with detailed descriptions of venues, sports, competitors and records. There are medal tables by sport and by year which makes it the most comprehensive record of Olympic reference.