This volume serves as a comprehensive record of events, statistics, and cultural markers specific to the year 1987. Roy Wirtzfeld compiles a structured overview of the period, utilizing archival data and contemporary reporting to document the state of the world during this specific annual cycle. The text functions as a reference tool for researchers and historians seeking to understand the socio-political and economic climate of the late 1980s. The framework is organized chronologically and thematically to provide a snapshot of the year's significant developments.

This annual edition is recognized as a standard reference document for those studying the specific timeline of 1987. Scholars and researchers often utilize this text to verify dates and contextualize events within the broader scope of the decade.