This is a book review of How It Began: A Time-Traveler's Guide to the Universe by Chris Impey. There are three parts with five chapters each---essentially the Milky Way and things within it, extragalactic astronomy and the early universe---though there are some chapters which depart somewhat from the spatial/temporal theme, on black holes, accretion-powered energy sources, life and the multiverse. I enjoyed the book, but unfortunately it could have used better editing.