Reviews (84)

Very Very cool book
My son loves dinosaurs but had outgrown alot of the kids books out there. This is a great book for older kids and adults will like it too.

Great eye candy for your inner child, and for your other children if you decide to share
This book produced much glee in my house the day it arrived, gasps of joy and amazement, awe and delight. One of these days I'll let my kids look at it, too. I enjoyed it so much that I promptly bought Sabuda's "Alice in Wonderland," "The Wizard of Oz," and another Encylopedia Prehistorica volume, "Sharks And Other Sea Monsters." They're all sensational.
Awesome gift for kids and adults alike!
This book is just simply amazing. When you open each page you cannot stop but to wonder how on earth do they figure out how to not only design and engineer its illustrations but also how to implement it and still manage to sell it at a reasonable price. The content is very informative and educational. Definitely something that one can re-read with interest for many years. It also works great as a reference book for children and it could very easily be helpful for one of their school projects. Speaking of school, instead of getting a mug as an appreciation book for your kid's school teacher, consider offering this book. It is money well spent. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Animals - Dinosaurs & Prehistoric Creatures    2. Children's 9-12 - Nature / Guide Books    3. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Nonfiction    4. Children: Grades 1-2    5. Dictionaries    6. Dictionaries, Juvenile    7. Dinosaurs    8. Dinosaurs & Prehistoric Creatures    9. Fossils    10. Juvenile Fiction    11. Specimens    12. Toy and movable books    13. Juvenile Nonfiction / Animals / Dinosaurs   

Reviews (9)

Great contents, but
Bid a new set from ebay and it arrived in two boxes. It has great contents, but:
Finest compilation of the writings of the most brilliant minds over the centuries past ever
These books were first published in 1952.Only 500 sets were published that year, a Private Library Collection it was called, and sold for $500.00 per set.My father was one of the original purchasers, and he passed them down to me when he died.(It's still even in its original custom made bookcase!)
Cost effective when you consider your options...
Regardless of minor squabbling over what should and shouldn't be included, this is a very good collection of western works. I'd call it great in fact, when you consider the amount you'd have to pay to purchase all these seperate, not to mention all the wading you'd do through some not-so-necessary reads.
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Subjects:  1. American - General    2. Anthologies    3. Encyclopedias    4. Literary Collections / General    5. Literature - Classics / Criticism    6. Reference    7. Collections & anthologies of various literary forms    8. General    9. Medicine, Greek and Roman   

Reviews (2)

decent
a decent reference. i have only two things to complain: it's too north-american oriented (for example, there is no explanation for 'polish club' or for 'standard french system') and it doesn't have any website or electronic contact for updates/comments etc.

Excellent all-round bridge reference
The Official Encyclopaedia of Bridge is an excellent all-round bridge reference. It provides everything you could possibly want to know about bridge. Biographies are well-researched, conventions explained in detail. Obscure coups, endplays, squeezes are provided and explained with diagrammed examples. A great number of pages are dedicated in card combinations and deals with this subject is dealt in a comprehensive and complete manner, a first in bridge literature. I thoroughly recommend this book, my only slight complaint is that the book is getting slightly out of date and perhaps it is time for new edition. Bridge in the internet has grown tremendously between now and the time of print and this subject has only received little coverage in this edition. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Bridge (Game)    2. Card Games - Bridge    3. Contract bridge    4. Encyclopedias    5. Games    6. Games / Gamebooks / Crosswords    7. Games/Puzzles    8. Fiction / General    9. Games / General   

Reviews (12)

A Must Companion to O'Brian
Currently deployed to Iraq....Having read three of his books without this companion, I can tell you that I was missing out on a great deal of the language and the history. Buy this with the Lexicon and O'Brian's series are impossible to put down!!
Great Reference
I bought a second one of these for my son, who recently started reading Patrick O'Brian's series.This is an excellent reference for anyone who wants to learn about the Royal Navy of the late 18 / early 19th century.Highly recommend.

good, but lacking in depth
I suppose I may have expected too much.I was a little disapointed in the lack of depth and detail.The various graphics, pictures, etc are great.An interesting coffee table book for O'Brian mavens and a good place to start in looking for more about the Napoleanic era of the Royal Navy. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. History    2. History - Military / War    3. Military    4. Military - Naval    5. English    6. Literary reference works    7. Maritime history    8. Novels, other prose & writers: from c 1900 -   

Reviews (12)

nice explanations
Abrams supplies very nicely written explanations of many terms you are likely to come across in literature, or more specifically, in literary studies. If you have puzzled over an "objective correlative", then he explains that it wasn't due to TS Eliot, as many believe, but to Allston. Though Eliot was the one responsible for popularising the term. Or, if you want to use "doggerel" properly when deconstructing some Bukowski poem, perhaps check Abrams first.

Beware Beware!
The reader who complains that the 8th edition is radically different from previous editions with respect to the definitions of literary terms such as sonnet and ode is entirely mistaken.The entries on these and other terms are either unchanged from earlier editions or improved and updated.Moreover, a number of new terms have been added.

Essential for Lovers of Literature
Every student of literature should have their own copy of this book. Non-students would get a lot out of this too. And while the price might appear excessive, I think in the long-term this book is a worthwhile investment. What makes this guide of literary terms different from others, is its comprehensiveness. Abrams goes into great detail on the important terms that one comes across most often in literature. There is information on theories and movements in criticism and terms such as modernism and post modernism, are clearly defined. there is also material on symbolism, metaphor and other figures of speech and so on. A Glossary of Literary Terms, now in its 8th edition, is written in a lucid style, and is a must buy for anyone who wants to expand their literary horizons. Recommended. 5 stars. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Criticism    2. English language    3. Higher    4. Language    5. Language Arts & Disciplines    6. Literature    7. Literature - Classics / Criticism    8. Reference    9. Terminology    10. Terms and phrases    11. Language teaching & learning material & coursework    12. Literary Criticism & Collections / General    13. Literary reference works   

Reviews (14)

Revision of Holman's classic Handbook
The original compiler/editor, Hugh Holman, had created a classic--probably the best handbook to literature (almost exclusively English and American) available.The latest edition (10th) has everything that Holman had, with some modifications and additions.One of best features of Handbook is its invaluable time-line at the end, covering every major book and author in every major period of English literature, side-by-side with a chronology of American literature.

A Handbook to Literature (10th edition)
Easily one of the best handbooks on the market, and an indispensable reference for English teachers of literature and researchers at all levels.After thirty-seven years in teaching, I still make certain my copy of AHTL is readily accessible.

Great for School
This text was required, and it was cheaper at Amazon than the local university book stores. The book is actually great. I wish I had it when I first started school. It is fantastic at describing various literary terms and definitions. We may know a term in general use; however, in literary use the term may have a different meaning, and this is when this book comes in very handy. Utilize this book and you can actually participate in class discussion and not feel like a dummy. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Dictionaries    2. Literary Criticism    3. Literary History And Criticism    4. Literature    5. Literature (General)    6. Literature - Classics / Criticism    7. Reference    8. Literary reference works    9. Literary studies: general   

Subjects:  1. Children's Literature - General    2. Children's literature    3. Encyclopedias    4. Literary Criticism    5. Literature - Classics / Criticism    6. Reference    7. Literary Criticism & Collections / Reference    8. Literature/English | World Literature    9. Literature: History & Criticism   

Editorial Review

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Reviews (23)

A Writer's and Readers Tool
He drove an ambulance during World War 1, before becoming one of America's most famous novelists. Who wrote "Death of a Salesman"? Who wrote "Manhattan Transfer? Who created the character, Sherlock Holmes"? Holden Caulfield was the main character of what famous novel? Who wrote "Catch-22"? These are just some of the questions that "Benet's Reader's Encyclopedia" can answer.Bruce Murphy's book offers biographical notes on writers, synopsis of famous books, plays and poems, descriptions of characters and detailed explanation of literary terms and movements.
Where are the tabs?
I love my 4th edition and am glad I've kept my 2nd edition as now I have the best of both worlds.New info in 4th and the deleted info in the 2nd.The only thing I would do to improve the next edition is go back to the alphabet tabulations.
The more you know the more you want to know
This is the kind of work which when first dipped into leads to the temptation to dip into it more and more . The sheer amount of information is so great, the entries so various in subject that endless delight is to be found in learning more and more. There are however as with most things, a few problems and limitations.
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Subjects:  1. Art    2. Dictionaries    3. Encyclopedias    4. Literary Criticism    5. Literature    6. Literature (General)    7. Literature - Classics / Criticism    8. Music    9. Reference    10. Literary studies: general    11. Reference / Encyclopedias    12. Reference works   

Editorial Review

From abecedarius to zeugma, by way of cywydd, estribillo,Nibelungenstrophe, Tachtigers, and other poetic terms that sound like poetry, Read more

Reviews (8)

Comprehensive, informative and awkward
This is the most comprehensive and informative encylopedia of poetry and poetics that I know. It at times seems so comprehensive and detailed as to make understanding of its entries possible. It is in fact so overwhelming sometimes that it confuses by telling much more than I, at least, need or want to know. It seems to me in a way a very academic work, wonderful for critics but probably of very little use in inspiring to poetry. So much knowledge about poetry is not necessarily what poetry is.

Less than perfect
This book is comprehensive and probably essential for the study of poetry. But there are several serious problems. First, there is only a completely useless Table of Contents and no index. Yes, it is an encyclopedia and the entries are in alphabetical order but the subjects are very broad (Symbol, Twentieth-Century Poetics) making it necessary to scan several pages in several different subject areas without knowing if you have missed the poem or poet you are looking for. How will you know to look for comments on The Illiad under the heading of Simile or that the subject heading Intuition contains a discussion of the Neo-Platonists? Scanning pages for a specific piece of information is difficult because the print is tiny. The Preface and Acknowledgments are in big print and then they switch to very small print for the remainder of the book. You will need lots of time and a magnifying glass to take full advantage of this book.

It really is
one of the three books that any student or writer of poetry needs to own, besides a good dictionary.(The other two are Pound's "ABCs of Reading" and Shapiro's "Primer.")Answers questions & points you in the right direction for more.Once you open it, you'll wonder how you got by without it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Dictionaries    2. General    3. History and criticism    4. Literary Criticism    5. Poetics    6. Poetry    7. Reference    8. American Language and Literature    9. British Literature    10. Literary Criticism / Poetry    11. Poetry & poets    12. Reference works    13. Rhetoric   

Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. Authors, American    3. Authorship    4. Books & Reading    5. Books and reading    6. Essays    7. Literary Collections    8. Literature - Classics / Criticism    9. Literature: Classics    10. Literary Collections / Essays    11. Literary reference works    12. Novels, other prose & writers: from c 1900 -   

Reviews (29)

Good source for thinking about your further education
I am very happy with this book.It has given me food for thought about where I would like to take my desire for lifelong learning.

The Classics Wait Patiently
One need not be a college graduate with a skimpy acquaintance with the Great Books to appreciate how to read them.In THE WELL-EDUCATED MIND, Susan Wise Bauer outlines the reasons why "classic" has unfortunately become synonymous with "hard" or at worst "boring." The key, Bauer asserts relentlessly, is a mindset that has evolved from a state of non-caring to caring such that dedication to reading becomes paramount.Reading, she notes, has several levels of discipline.To read a novel that is plot driven, say anything by Steven King, need not be anything more involved that skipping from word to word, looking for plot connected details.Unfortunately, for the reader who aspires to tackle the Great Ideas, such cursory reading skills will simply not do. Bauer demands much of the serious reader. Such a reader must learn How to Read, a process that involves actively coming to terms with the author. She urges one to underline, take notes, ask questions of oneself or with the absent author.How can one pass judgment on a work unless one first understands that work?Bauer sets up strategies for reading and ultimately evaluating all the genres that typically constitute what classicists term Great Ideas. She confronts the obstacles inherent in making sense of histories, novels, autobiographies, drama, and poetry. Bauer begins each genre with a series of exercises that differ more in degree than in form.With each genre, she wishes the serious reader to grasp the essentials of that particular genre.For novels, Bauer suggests that one connect the general ideas of prose with the specifics of that prose work: plot, character, theme, setting, and symbolism come to mind.For autobiography, one must first grasp how the concept of "self" has evolved from Augustine's CONFESSIONS to Malcolm X's autobiography. What did that self-chronicler know about himself or the times in which he wrote?Such a daring and daunting task becomes less daring and daunting when the serious reader asks questions of himself that the autobiographer asks of himself. And for drama and poetry, Bauer insists that the best reading comes only with a pen in one's hand as one reads and searches for a meaning that is denied to all those unwilling to treat the ideas in the work as unworthy of seriouseffort.
An O.K. starting place
One day in a bookstore I came across both this book and Baur's "The Well-Trained Mind," and looked through both of them. Later I went to the library and pulled this book off the shelf to get a better idea.
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Subjects:  1. Best books    2. Books & Reading    3. Books And Reading    4. Education    5. General    6. History and criticism    7. Home Schooling    8. Literature    9. Literature - Classics / Criticism    10. Reading    11. Literary reference works    12. Literary studies: general   

Subjects:  1. Encyclopedias    2. Judaism    3. Judaism - General    4. Religion    5. Religion - Judaism    6. Bibliographies, catalogues, discographies    7. Criticism & exegesis of sacred texts    8. Literary studies: general    9. Reference / General   

Editorial Review

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Reviews (49)

Not Impressed
While there were few fleeting moments of humor, overall it felt like the author was just rambling her way through the "alphabet."

Read this if you want to know why you should not purchase this book.
Ok, I bought this book based on the recommendations I had skimmed over on Amazon. I can barely turn the pages any longer asthe book is beginning tofeel like an unbearable reading assignment. I can understand that Amy Krouse Rosenthal would like to believe that after she dies someone will remember her. (The small idiosyncrasies that make a life, etc.) That's what your children are for. What could have been a wonderful and innovative idea turned into a stale, mind numbing read. All of the small clever thoughts you have are not original and perhaps should stay right where they began.. in your notepad.

Fast Cure for the Blues
I saw this book on a stand in Barnes and Noble, and picked it up, not really knowing what it was about, who the author was or anything. The first page that I opened, I was already laughing hysterically in the middle of the store!
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Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography & Autobiography    3. Biography / Autobiography    4. Biography/Autobiography    5. Form - Parodies    6. Literary    7. Personal Memoirs    8. Rosenthal, Amy Krouse    9. United States    10. Women    11. Biography & Autobiography / General   

Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Encyclopedias    3. Ethnic Issues    4. Ethnic Studies - African American Studies - General    5. Ethnic Studies - Native American Studies    6. History    7. Indians of North America    8. Native American    9. Native American Sociology    10. Native Americans    11. Social Science    12. Social life and customs    13. Sociology    14. American history    15. Collections & anthologies of various literary forms    16. Ethnic studies    17. North America   

Reviews (2)

A 'must' for any actively involved in producing different scrapbooks
Plenty of books have hit the market covering all aspects of scrapbooking, the new popular hobby of building a family memory book - but Susan Pickering Rothamel's Encyclopedia Of Scrapbooking Tools & Techniques is about the only reference you really need if you're an avid scrapbook maker. All tools and techniques are described here, from acid migration and its problems to handling bubbling and edging problems with decoupage, understanding how journaling works, and handling photos and paper. A 'must' for any actively involved in producing different scrapbooks.
Wonderful resource
This long anticipated book doesn't disappoint!Beautiful photographs of layouts throughout.Lots of tips and techniques.Every scrapbooker should have this book! There is something for everyone, from the beginning scrapper to the experienced scrapper.A must have! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Conservation and restoration    2. Crafts & Hobbies    3. Crafts / Hobbies    4. Encyclopedias    5. General    6. Hobbies/Crafts    7. Photograph albums    8. Photographs    9. Reference    10. Scrapbooks    11. Scrapbooks, Memory Books    12. Crafts & Hobbies / General    13. Handicrafts    14. LITERATURE - LIT CLASSICS TRD PB    15. Paper crafts   

Reviews (5)

An 8-year old's dream
My son loved this book. It's full of enough obscure information to make him feel like an expert in the field of Bionicles. Of course, it's full of so much information that he's now an insufferable font of Bionicle facts!

great book for kids, wonderful moms resource!!
my boys have spent hours reading and coming up with all sorts of new information. i bought 2 so there would be some commradary. boy, i tell you it even got me hooked and interested in these little people of metru nui and all their friends and enemies we have great chats as to what does what and what some of these creature...people look like. book has some stickers but only a few. my boys constantly refer to it , the little bio fans they are

Bionicle Encyclopedia
The book is informative enough but the pictures are really small. It's hard to appreciate the detail of the different characters. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Action & Adventure - General    2. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    3. Children: Grades 4-6    4. Juvenile Fiction    5. Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Magic    6. Juvenile Fiction / Action & Adventure   

Reviews (12)

Freemasonry's Alpha and Omega Resource Book
A New Encyclopedia Of Freemasonry may just be the best pure resource work on the subject today. This is not your typical Freemasonic expose where someone sells-out the fraternity. Come here looking for handshakes, passwords, rituals and secrets, hoping to catch Freemasons at play, and you'll be bitterly disappointed. This is not the cheap seats, so don't expect any home-run balls to come soaring in.
A must have for a Freemason
This is a must have for any freemason. This is a comprehensible reference of almost all masonic and related definitions. It is extremely helpful to have it handy when reading masonic articles.

Overall Good
Taking all the reviews into consideration, every Mason should own this text.As well, everyone interested in all things Masonic should also own this text.Is it the easiest to read?No.Is it really that difficult?No.
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Subjects:  1. Encyclopedias    2. Freemasonry    3. Freemasons    4. General    5. Sale Adult - Occult / Parapsychology    6. Social Science    7. Sociology    8. Freemasonry & secret societies    9. Reference works    10. Social Science / Freemasonry    11. Sale Books   

Subjects:  1. 19th century    2. Biography    3. Encyclopedias    4. England    5. English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh    6. History    7. Literary Criticism    8. Literature - Classics / Criticism    9. Novelists, English    10. Social life and customs    11. Women Authors    12. Women and literature    13. British Isles    14. Literary Criticism & Collections / English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh    15. Literature: Texts   

Reviews (15)

Discovering something new.
This book has been a huge help giving words preferred for certain age/grade levels. It is easy to use and a great reference.

Children's Writer's Word Book
This book is a must for any and all childrens authors. It is full
Great Thesaurus for Grade-Level Vocabulary
This book is a super source for grade-level vocabulary in thesaurus format. I write curriculum materials for children, so I need to be sure my diction is grade-level appropriate. This books is a great resource to help me do this. I couldn't work without it! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Authorship    2. Language    3. Language Arts & Disciplines    4. Reference    5. Vocabulary    6. Writing Skills    7. Children's literature studies: general    8. Creative writing guides    9. Literary reference works    10. Reference works    11. Writing & editing guides   

Reviews (12)

WOW!! This book delivers with a BANG!
I came across this book quite by accident and what attracted me besides the GREAT title was.....the GREAT title...! I mean, who doesn't want to learn ways on how to make more money---even Donald Trump is always on the hunt. I picked up the book and could not stop reading it. It had me at 'hello' and I learned exactly what I needed to do to become very successful as a writer.
The Wealthy Writer
I didn't think this book was that great.I am interested in starting an on-line writing business and this is the only book I've bought and read so far --based on these glowing reviews.It did cover many common-sense aspects of writing and working for yourself --but I was disappointed in what it didn't cover: the legal requirements for running your own business and taxes.There was a single line on being a Sole Proprieter.No mention of taxes.No information on websites beyond stating that it would require too much information to cover here and would justify a book in itself.The book focused almost entirely on the author's preferred niche market, writing for companies.Overall I found this book disappointing and dated.If this is the cream of the crop, I shudder to think what the other writing-for-money books are like.This is definitely not a reference book that you will return to again and again.

A practical handbook
The Wealthy Writer is an excellent resource for both established freelance writers and those just entering the field. Its strengths are its practical nature. While many such books are written from an academic standpoint, The Wealthy Writer is entirely practical and simple to read. Its other strength is that it covers many different areas of freelance writing and shows readers how they can specialise in different areas. This is valuable for those wanting to know what focus they can take, while it also offers established writers new avenues. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Authorship    2. Composition & Creative Writing - General    3. Freelance journalism    4. General    5. Language    6. Language Arts & Disciplines    7. Language Arts / Linguistics / Literacy    8. Marketing    9. Publishing    10. Literary reference works