Dictionary Reviews

I can't imagine I got along so long without this reference book.
No matter how well you know Russian or English you need to know how to translate idioms and no general-purpose dictionary has them all and certainly not indexed as this volume is.

This should be any professional translator's 2nd purchase (after a general-purpose dictionary)

When I left my employment with a government translation agency to become a freelance translator, this was the one reference work I knew was indispensable. If the usefulness a work of reference is determined by the strength of its index, this is the most useful reference work I have ever encountered. Every word in every phrase in the book can be found in the index *in the case in which it occurs in the idiom.* This is the only reference work I know that can compare with online sources in speed of finding the phrase you require. But that is not all. The translations of the Russian idioms offered are so comprehensive that, whatever the context, you will find a translation to match it. Even when I know a particular idiom, I will often look it up in Lubensky because it will offer me an alternative to the translation I had in mind. Beautifully laid out - this is not one of those reference works that give you eyestrain in the use of it - this book is a joy to use. There was translation before this book and translation after it, and I know which I prefer. Idioms are the life blood of any language - yours will be anaemic if you don't have this superb work!

This is a one of a kind dictionary of Russian idioms. It is a true masterpiece. I haven't seen one better. A nice and clever feature is the way the index is arranged. It is possible to find a particular idiom by keywords. No true student or professor of the Russian language will be displeased with this book. It's well worth the price.

As a reader of science fiction for almost five decades now, I would have to say that this is the finest single-volume reference on the history of the field that I have ever seen. It gains from the fact that it is written by a Brit, since you get many British works and authors that probably would not be covered in an American collection, as well as, a decent covering of international efforts from Europe and Japan. This is a high quality production, the illustration is generous and gorgeous- and the quality of printing and manufacture is top notch.
I especially liked the decade-by-decade illustrated timelines stretching back to the 19th century. You have a veritable road map to the development of the genre. Plus, the manner in which actual historical events of the times are incorporated with the sci-fi shows that this was written by a thoughtful, educated, man and not some sci-fi fanboy living in a vacuum and divorced from reality. Yet it is scholarly without being the least bit boring.
I wouldn't call it perfect, however. From the decades that I am most familiar with, the 50's and 60's, I noticed a few significant ommissions. First of all, Lester del Ray only gets a single mention in small print? Plus, why is it that NOBODY seems to mention or remember MacK Reynolds? Also, how can you cover American sci-fi television without mention of Tom Corbett, Space Ranger, Space Angel, or Fireball XL-5? In the area of films, why no mention of Invaders from Mars (1953), Robinson Crusoe on Mars (1964), or Moon Zero Two (1970)?

John Clute has assembled a large, graphically-enhanced book that's attractive to even non-SF lovers. The way he organized the book was helpful: commentaries on the decades, timeline, famous works, major authors, movies and others, all giving information to even me as an SF lover and would-be writer. It is a good source for triviacs, and its pictures are well chosen and wonderful eye candy. I'm delighted that he even included a section on anime! A delightful book, a great gift for SF afficcionados.

John Clute's "Encyclopedia of Science Fiction" is the master reference to the field. This illustrated volume is at best a companion, and anyone needing the full answers should go to that encyclopedia. That said, I love this illustrated edition. I have spent many hours poring over the paintings, pictures, illustrations and timelines. It is not an exhaustive look, but rather a selection, but a selection done by someone who knows the field as well as anyone does. One of my particular favorites in this book are the author photographs: not every author has a face as famous as Asimov or Heinlein, and it was fun finally seeing what my favorite authors looked like. As a teacher of science fiction and fantasy, I also appreciate its didactive qualities, since students are often lured in by the reproductions of golden age covers that sparkle with life and that inimitable sense of wonder so important to the field. If you love science fiction, you'll love this book.

Alex McNeill's "Total Television" is one of those reference works which is useful both for settling trivia arguments at parties and for helping those engaged in serious scholarly study of television programs and their impact upon popular culture. As of this review, "Total Television" is in its fourth edition.

The book is basically an alphabetical encyclopedia of thousands of television programs in every possible genre: dramas, sitcoms, game shows, cartoons, and more. Each entry lists the series' air dates, principal performers, and other relevant data.

In addition to the main body of encyclopedic entries, the book includes a wealth of supplemental features: lists of Emmy winners, a chronological gathering of one-shot specials, and more. Particularly interesting are the programming grids, which show the nightly lineups on each network for each night of the week. You can turn to a season (say, 1951-52) and see what choices the American TV viewer had each night! This feature is great for historians.

Although most of the entries on each series are brief, McNeill spends more time and space on certain series of outstanding impact. These extended articles on "All in the Family," "CBS Evening News," "Dallas," "The Ed Sullivan Show," and more are truly fascinating.

TV has been derided by many with such epithets as "the Boob Tube" and "The Idiot Box." On the other hand, it was praised in an episode of "The Simpsons" as "teacher, mother. . . secret lover." McNeill captures TV in all of its facets: from the depths of inanity to the heights of cultural significance. This book is a great achievement whose reputation, I believe, will increase with future editions.

Like author/critics from Roger Ebert and Pauline Kael to Joel Whitburn and Fred Bronson, TV historian Alex McNeil has a fun but never-ending job. He charts the myriad of programs that have appeared on broadcast networks (including those, like Dumont, which no longer exist), cable, and in syndication. His fun comes in praising the praiseworthy, trashing the deserving, goreing sacred Hollywood cows and keeping a critical expert's eye on important pop culture strands and shifts.

"Total Television" is exhaustive, enjoyable, fun and fact-filled reading from any page it's read. McNeil generously shares facts, transporting you to time, channel, cast (sometimes literally in hundreds) and summaries of thousands of familiar and long-forgotten TV shows. TV's giants (from Walt Disney and Captain Kangaroo to Oprah Winfrey and "Monday Night Football") receive their fair space, while McNeil also chronicles changes in TV daytime dramas, game, talk, and sports shows.

McNeil's consistent irreverence and historical perspective is remarkable. He salutes Walt Disney for creating TV's first mini-series (the wildly popular "Davy Crockett") while also creating TV's first "synergy" (TV show promotes park and films, which promote movies and TV show).

McNeil also gives long-running, non-cult classics like "Gunsmoke," "Knots Landing," and "Wagon Train" their proper respect while chronicling the knotty, behind-the-scenes problems plaguing stars from Nat Cole to Judy Garland to Jerry Lewis to Sammy Davis, Jr., and the respective failures of their 50s-60s variety shows. (He recalls failed sitcoms like "Family Dog" and "The Waverly Wonders" with especially sweet relish). McNeil also features sections on landmark TV moments (which decrease in number and size from the mid-70s), full TV schedules, and Emmy winners.

This is NOT a book read cover to cover, even by diligent TV fans. Series' with same or similar titles, long paragraphs retelling old tales of Roseanne Barr and 1992's "Tonight Show" fiasco (in an otherwise fascinating entry on that TV staple) are redundant one after another. But in preferably small portions, "Total Television" is a refreshingly unobjective reference book of the best, worst, longest and least TV's omnipotentence has presented.

With the explosion of available networks on cable television, this book becomes more than just another reference work for professionals in the media. It's instantaneous information on any show that might happen to pop up on TV Land, Nick at Nite, A&E, PAX, Game Show Network, Soap Opera Network, or the multitudinous other outlets for yesterday's programming. And once you've dipped in, the information MacNeil gives (along with the occasional opinion)is like salted peanuts -- you'll keep dipping your hand in the jar. A comprehensive index of performers, a listing of notable TV movies and specials, and a chance to go back in time with prime-time network grids for every year up through the publication date, all make "Total Television" impossible to resist. You'll be counting the days until the fifth edition as soon as you've spent a week with this one (which takes us into the age of "Must See TV").

This book is great when working with various platforms like I do in Customer Support. The only problem is they have to update it from 1994 to include more and/or less terms and their definitions. Otherwise most of the terminology is good, accurate and concise when one is trying to work with scripting or just using the commands in the book. Otherwise, an excellent book. I hope they come up eventually with an update on it.

If you want to do something in UNIX this book has the command. It won't hold your hand and teach you unix step by step, but it is an excellent reference. The book lists zillions of commands - from common to obscure - and clearly explains what they do (in different flavors even). Anyone working with UNIX should have a copy.

This is my most valuable UNIX book. The real-life examples, both stand-alone commands and piped-together commands always come though when I don't remember exactly how to do something. The keyword index is grouped by functional categories, so, if you know that you want to do "job control" and not a "printing" command, then you are 80% of the way to finding the command that you want in the index. The authors did the work, so I don't have to. What a great, great book for anyone dealing with UNIX.

If your a hobbyist architect like me you will find hundreds of tidbits of info on all aspects of building construction, and architecture in this book, all illustrated in superb pencil drawings.

a comprehensive collection of elements and discriptions for whatever peice of idea that has been thought of, a must have for those who really want to understand the details of the profession. Very well organized chapters, and i liked specially the coverage of nearlly all the styles old and new with nearly all the elements included in each style. Photoes are generously included but they could use some color to make them more appealing. it is nice i think if it was available on CD.

As with most of Francis D.K. Ching's publications, this is a fundamental resource to the student of architecture, as well as the practicing professional. The practice of architecture is intrinscially tied to the ability of the Architect to communicate complex ideas to a myriad of persons. To be succesful at this communication, one needs to be conversant in both the written/spoken language of architecture as well as the illustrative language of drawing. The Visual Dictionary exemplifies this concept. Organized around 68 essential concepts of design and construction - concisely written and beautifully illustrated - Francis Ching brings forth clarity in communication rarely experienced in the world of design and construction. I use this book in teaching, in practice, in reference, and in simple enjoyment. Again, a fundamental resource for the reference shelf - although it rarely sits on the shelf.

I bought this book to help my soon to be fifth grade daughter who has an interest in language. Her best friend now asks for us to read the book whenever she comes over. My daughter took it on a camping trip and kids came from all around to read it with us. They love it! Even my husband enjoys hearing the stories (we both learned a couple new words, and we have masters degrees!). Buy this book for any older elementary child you know. Its a great gift to their future and they will have a great time with it!

As a fifth grader, one of my favorite teachers read this book aloud to our class once a week. Today, as a high school junior, I still remember every word and story from the Weighty Word Book. Recently I took the PSAT and SAT, and between the two tests words from this book showed up 4 or 5 times. It has been an extremely beneficial part of my education.

...Who never to the world has said
I love this book, this children's book...

Adults read children's books to children, but seldom pick one up for their own pleasure. They miss a lot by the omission. THE WEIGHTY WORD BOOK is an example of a book written for children that is delightful for adults, at least adults who love words.

It's written by three University of Colorado English professors and consists of a series of whimsical and enchanting stories about words -- selected words, useful and syllabic.

In the first story, for example, Benjamin Van Der Bellows, a bear "who did not know the things he was supposed to know" is moved each time he makes a mistake to an office on a lower floor. Predictably, he winds up in the basement. "So, whenever a person has been lowered in position or rank or office, we say that person has suffered an abasement."

There's an imaginative and articulate story about each letter of the alphabet. Don't miss this one -- it's for all ages and it's loads of fun.

I almost always find the answer to my question when I look it up here. Clear definitions and explanations of even advanced concepts.

Glenn D. White has taken the technical concepts and made them accessible to everyone.

I was a total beginner of sound engineering field when I bought this book. And this handy book helped me alot because I could find any technical terms I wanted to know in it and the definitions there are clear enough to understand even though I'm not a native English speaker. So, I recommend you to have this if you're beginners.

Peter Decker and his wife Rina are enjoying family life with her sons and their new baby daughter when Rina's old friend Honey Klein asks to come visit. Rina is surprised because they hasn't been in close contact with Honey in recent years, but she agrees to the visit. Meanwhile Peter works with his partner Marge on a case involving an entire family who have suddenly vanished. The husband is a diamond dealer, and there are many motives for a possible murder, most of them having to do with money. Coincidentally, after Honey comes to the Lazarus home, her husband, also a diamond dealer, is mysteriously killed. Peter's quest for the truth in these matters eventually takes him and Rina to Israel where they pursue missing persons from both of these cases. As usual, author Kellerman weaves interesting facts about the orthodox Jewish religion as well as Peter and Rina's evolving family life. The trip to Israel adds an extra dimension to the story, and the total package is very satisfying for a mystery reader.

I had trouble putting down this book from the very start -- it's a real page turner with a well-plotted mystery -- two of them actually -- keeping you going. The mysteries involve a family who has disappeared out of the blue -- he's a California diamond dealer, so perhaps this was part of a theft -- and a woman and children who arrive unexpectedly for a visit with Detective Decker and his family -- her husband is also a diamond dealer in a Chasidic community in New York. As Decker goes about trying to solve the disappearance of the California family, odd things begin happening with the New York family who are visiting -- they also disappear. Is there a connection?

The mystery takes Decker and wife Rina to Israel, a major diamond cutting/dealing country.

I learned a lot about diamonds and Israel reading this book, and for the most part really enjoyed it. The dialogue was more natural than in some Kellerman books I've read. But -- her pro-Jewish, anti-everything else sentiment was present in this book again, this time in an anti-Moslem bias. Why are metal boxes on door frames considered good religious practice but painting a doorway blue (as Moslems do) treated as superstitious? It seems to me that the customs of Orthodoxy Judaism are unusual enough that Kellerman should be more tolerant and openminded about the practices of other faiths.

In my book 'Sanctuary' is one of the best in the Peter Decker/ Rina Lazarus series. The story revolves around the missing husband of Rina's friend. The search takes Rina and Peter to Israel where we are treated to a fascinating tour of the West Bank and the diamond trade in Israel. What makes this entry so important today is the portrayal of the continuing conflict and violence that shapes Israel's future and her people. It is a pleasure to read a book that is both thoughtful and fun to read.

My only other suggestion if you are new to Faye Kellerman is to start at the beginning with 'Ritual Bath' to see the relationship between Rina and Peter unfold. Then read all her books in the order in which they were written. Its a great series.

"Wishful Thinking" is Fredrick Buechner's lexicon of some "churchy" words that need some life breathed into them. Words like "faith", "grace", and even "religion" are examined, with entries ranging from a sentence to several pages.

Buechner's unorthodox style and unique point-of-view are what carry this book. Sometimes offensive, sometimes controvesial, the entries always seem to leave you wanting to ponder the meaning for a while. I have used quotes of this book constantly for leading devotions or Bible studies; they always seem to evoke a positive response. This book is one to read and keep forever.

This book is ostensibly a dictionary of terms related to religion and faith. In reality, it's a collection of Buechner's thoughts on these issues. Some of his "definitions" are a page long, some a paragraph, some just a sentence. They all manage to capture the essence of an idea and make you look at it in sometimes startling new ways. Take, for example, his definition for Lust: "Lust is the desire for salt from someone who is dying of thirst." Or Gluttony: "A glutton is someone who raids the icebox to try to cure spiritual malnutrition."

And that's just the short form. When Buechner lets his thoughts wander, the book goes from amusing to engaging and engrossing. It's like having an amusing conversation with a delightful person, who just happens to have a lot more insight into religion than you do.

I won't say this book changed my life, though I'm tempted. It did expand my perceptions, showed me alternate ways of looking at familiar things, and restored my sense of wonder in my (Christian) faith and in the world around me.

I heartily recommend it to any "Seeker" of any faith.

Buechner's Wishful Thinking provides thought-provoking ideas for well-read scholars, but is certainly accessible to anyone who is not afraid to think critically about matters of faith. It is a great resource for teachers and group leaders who want to get people talking, and it provides a useful challenge to typical opinions when discussion has reached a stalemate.

This exhaustive work is invaluable to anyone who wants to know the stories of Biblical women better. I'm doing research on Biblical widows, and this book is the most accessibly organized sourced I've found. It was written in 1955, so don't be surprised if it's a bit dated stylistically & theologically. Still, it's valuable as a reference tool that may lead to you to deepened encounter with women of faith.

Women in the bible are often not a topic discussed in church or elsewhere. This book is a wonderful look at the ignored parts of the bible, (and I don't mean every book after Exodus). Women did participate in the bible and this book celebrates their accomplishments and gives them long overdue praise.

I think I have the the only signed copy of "Family Living in the Bible" because she was my aunt on my Grandmothers side. I saw Edith most weekends in Ft. Worth until I moved away to Houston. Edith was the sweetist/dearest and most (innocent,intellegent,complex) 70-80 year old woman you could ever meet and talk to. Unfortunatly, I think the family took her for granted. But the Church did not! And she left a large library of her lifes works with Texas Christian University. As with every family, life is complex in nature. (personalities, divorces blah!!! she never had to deal with this stuff that i knew of!!) Reading her works for me now are amazing because of it's simplicity but at the same time it's reality. I will never forget Edith, her amazing library when I was too young to appreciate it, and the wonderment of just wandering around her estate.