Truth be told, I kind of prefer a mixed approach. I like to see narrative and historical elements woven into the overall outline, in order to provide context and background and I think that it's much more engaging than a straight up timeline-style approach, with a few dry facts and dates. That being said, telling a story from a character's point of view is something I also like to see incorporated along with the other elements. I mean, yeah, it's a mite challenging to pull off, but it makes for a great read if done right.