Dictionary Reviews

This book is one of the best i've ever read on Greek/Roman myth, and i've read many in my life. This book contains entries on characters rarely found anywhere else such as Nox, the Greek personification of night. As such i often use this book as a measuring stick against other books in this area.

Grant and Hazel have provided a finely grained and authoritative dictionary-style reference that is quite handy for identification of any figure from classical mythology. The book will prove useful for keeping at one's side when reading Homer, Hesiod, Sophocles, Euripides and company. Very helpful appendices include genealogical trees, alphabetical list of classical authors referred to, and clear and informative maps.

Who's Who is an excellent resource, but it is not meant for those who wish to sit down and read Greek myths. The book is set up in an encyclopedic fashion. References to specific Greek mythological figures are easy to locate. However if you are looking for Greek myths in story form, this is not the text for you.

Suffering from lethologica? Then look no further. This book contains definitions for some of the most fascinating, useful, yet obscure English words. And yes, every word in this book is indeed an English word. You will find no neologisms by Heifetz in this wonderful work for wordsmiths. Find out how powerful and vast the English language really is. Read this book; expand your mind.

This 264 page book has over SIX THOUSAND words all of which are definitely unusual and obscure. I didn't find any preposterous words though:-) I recently bought this book so I can't use the words from the book in this review yet. But I wanted to share a few thoughts and observations about the book.

The first thing I did before buying the book was to see how many of the words I was unfamiliar with. You see, I had once gone through the entire Collins English Language Dictionary cover to cover (not the pocket version, the one with over 70,000 words). It's not important to this review why I did such an insane thing as read a dictionary cover to cover. More importantly, because of this background, I figured that I should find very few words in this Word Lover's Dictionary that I had not run across in my life before. I was in for a surprise! I scanned 3 whole pages and to my utter shock, I didn't find a single word that I had seen before! This amazed me so much that I immediately purchased a copy of the book.

The second thing I did was to get on the Internet to see how many words would show up in their search engine. I was even more surprised when I found that out of 10 consecutive words that I randomly picked from the book, only 3 showed up as valid! Of course, this doesn't mean that these words don't exist, it just means that you need to go to the Unabridged version of some English language dictionary to find them. Since the Unabridged versions are premium services on most sites, I didn't check to see how the 10 words would fare on those sites. But I wouldn't be surprised if you have to go to quite a few sites to find all the words. The author does admit that you would have to look through many Unabridged dictionaries to actually find some of these words.

Some interesting facts about words in the English language. There are approximately 600,000 words in the English language and most of these words are related to Science and Technology. Of these, a majority are biological or chemical terms to be more precise. They also happen to be nouns referring to the thousands of chemicals, bacteria, plants & animals, etc. Leaving these nouns to the side, there are less than 100,000 words that we could possibly use in our daily communications unless we are in those highly specialized fields of Science and Technology. So, most Abridged dictionaries contain anywhere between 30,000 and 70,000 words and you would actually have to go to the Unabridged versions to find the rest of the usable words. The author has collected 6,000 of the most unusual and obscure of these other 30,000 words to present to the reader. It is a truly REMARKABLE effort indeed!

Bottom line, if you love words, get this book. Don't even hesitate. I haven't regretted my purchase since I got my copy. Every week, I plan on spending a few minutes going through these pages. I know I will thoroughly enjoy the experience (as I have so far). I hope you do too :-)

Of course, you wouldn't find "scrumptious and delectable" in this dictionary. You know what those two words mean. This dictionary has the words you never heard of without having to buy the mammoth OED.

As a book reviewer, one who feels quite at ease telling you what I think, I've learned I'm a philodox (one who loves his own opinions), but I think I'm more of a philonist (searcher of knowledge).

Ever fum? No, no, that's nothing naughty (which then would be placular). It is playing a fiddle. Maybe fiddle players know this, but I didn't.

Get 'wowf' with words (wild and extreme). You can be as snod as 007. Grab a miche and slice a piece, and read through this yummy book. The definitions are only a few words each, but will provide you with just enough knowledge to impress your friends (or alienate you from them!).

You won't be overwhelmed by the layout or length. You can read through it in a few Saturdays.

Intumulate your Websters, and buy this one. It is aosmic and apinoid (odorless and dirt-free). What more could you want?

For fun (that's f-u-n, not f-u-m), I read it backwards, from zzxjoanw (a Moari drum) to aa (rough, crumbling lava). Preposterous books ought to be read in a preposterous way, don't you think?

I fully recommend "The Word Lover's Dictionary: Unusual, Obscure, and Preposterous Words" by Josefa Heifetz. It is precisely what it claims to be. For any philocalist of words.

Anthony Trendl

I admit to being surprised by this book, knowing that it was the first effort from a former journalist. (I have found that most writers coming from the worlds of journalism or academia lack the ability to communicate on the same level as those of us outside of the twin ivory towers.) But here is an utterly delightful, at times moving, history of one of the most unique languages on the planet. Part history, part memoir, part dictionary and phrasebook, this book could not have been put together with greater love and craft. I especially loved the frequent garnishment of Yiddish proverbs and "Sprichworte" throughout the narrative.

Some additional thoughts:

1. Especially moving to me are the chapters on the early history of Yiddish in Germany and the nations of Eastern Europe. One of the great tragedies of history is the unique and fateful relationship between the German people and the Jews. Born linguistically from German, Yiddish took on a life of its own in the kitchens and shtetls of the Jews. The author's account of the manner in which moderate Jews turned their backs on Yiddish in Germany in the 18th and 19th centuries is an ironic chapter in the history of Germano-Judaic relations. (I have in my possession a German translation of the Tanakh published in Berlin in 1876, which I read now with a more wiser understanding.)

2. Having both lived in Germany for two years and studied Hebrew on the University level, I can understand much of written and spoken Yiddish.

3. For those who believe in the literal fulfillment of prophetic statements in the Tanakh, the gradual disappearance of Yiddish as a primary spoken language makes absolute sense, as the Jews are restored to their ancient homelands accompanied by the simultaneos "restoration of all things." Though it may fade as a spoken tongue, I for one hope that the rich literary tradition of Yiddish never fades.

Yiddish: A Nation of Words is the kind of book you don't want to put down once you've started. Weinstein has the perfect touch for getting across the facts about this almost lost language, neither weighing the reader down with the terrible sadness of the story nor degrading the story with humorous cliches. The research the book is based on is thorough and trustworthy. You will learn a lot about the Jewish diaspora, about Europe and the Middle East, about America in the last century--and enjoy doing it. Anyone from an immigrant family is going to resonate to the pressures that eventually saw the end of American Yiddish--and to the wisdom that is still preserved in the words.

Jeanne Guillemin
Cambridge

A wonderful book, engaging, humorous, warm, and moving, that tells the compelling story of a culture's survival against all odds. The Jewish people, living at the edge of other cultures and nations, kept itself alive through a shared language full of wit, wisdom, irony, compassion, and spiritual resonance. Yiddish: A Nation of Words is less about a religion than it is about the way any group or ethnic culture finds its deep identity, and its common strength, in the bond of words. The book is full of proverbs and bits of poetry--you get a real feel for the language, its sly shrug of humorous resignation, and its emotional pathos. The book also has portraits of unforgettable characters--people like Eliezer Perlman, who turned himself into Ben Yehuda, the architect of modern Hebrew; Esther Frumkin, a Yiddish activist who tangled with Communist Russia; Peretz Markish, the 'heartthrob Yiddish poet'; and Isaac Bashevis Singer, Nobel laureate. Even the Holocaust is dealt with in a way that salvages meaning and hope from the ashes. Weinstein tells her stories with heart and humor -- a great read, that makes you laugh and cry at the same time, and teaches ways of living in a world of threat and change.

At first, I was a bit disappointed with this book. I thought it would fit nicely into my daily recipe of French study, which includes (1) a half-hour of basic conversational practice, (2) a half-hour of written grammar exercises, and (3) before-bed vocabulary drills and miscellaneous readings. My mistake was to assume that this book belonged in category (1) or (3), when (for me) it really belonged in category (2). Reading and repeating the sample sentences by voice alone did not prove very helpful; I couldn't retain much and began to feel that the book was of little educational value. The book sat unused for several months until one happy day when I decided to bring it to the cafe and write the sample sentences in the notebook I use for various French exercises. Bingo! My retention improved and I began to incorporate the relatively advanced verb structures into my conversation drills. This book is now my main "category 2" component and is serving me wonderfully as a grammar-learning tool. It also has taught me the valuable lesson that learning materials are only of maximum value if they are properly incorporated into our pattern of study based on our personal abilities and preferences. (One caveat: this book would not have been nearly as helpful to me if I hadn't previously studied a great dead of basic grammar.)

As the title indicates, the book lists 750 verbs and demonstrates their uses with sample sentences. It is not the same as the usual verb book which lists and conjugates many of the most basic verbs, but instead it concentrates on the meaning of more advanced verbs and supplies sample sentences. The book is intended for someone who already has a basic knowledge of French. In the main text, the verbs are not conjugated, but there is an appendix at the end of the book of grammatical tables in which verbs are conjugated. The author assumes that the reader already has a knowledge of basic verbs such as "to be", "to speak", "to go", etc. but instead dwells on more advanced verbs, such as s'insister pour que (+ the infinitive) meaning to insist on or opter entre quelque chose meaning to choose among a group of things. The book does demonstrate more complex usages of some of the simpler verbs - for example, parler dans quelque chose meaning to speak into something such as a microphone, or laisser quelque chose meaning to leave something (somewhere or for someone). Sentences are given for each verb which I found extremely helpful, although it is necessary to go to the appendix if you are not sure of the conjugation of the verb.
Overall, I believe this book would be very helpful in improving the grammar and vocabulary of an intermediate to advanced French student.

The are many books on French verbs but the emphasis is usually on conjugations. What distinguish this book from others is that it is focused on how to actually use those verbs. I am surprised to find that I am the first person to review this book because it is so useful. Before I had the book, there were many verbs which were only in my "passive" vocabulary -- i.e. when I read or hear them, I would have a sense of what they mean. After reading this book, however, many more verbs have become part of my "active" vocabulary. This means that I can now actually use them in a conversation. The examples given in the book have helped me to have a much better grasp of how and when to use those. I am very pleased with the improvements I have made. What I do with the book is that everyday I would read a couple of pages at random. After reading the examples given for a particular verb, I would imagine myself in situations where I can use the verb. This has proven to be a very effective way to integrate the words learned into my vocabulary.

ABC'S OF FOOD encyclopedia is one of the most interesting and informative books I have. For example, I assumed in eating the abalone that we ate the body. In the ABC'S OF FOOD I learned it's the foot we eat. It even explained how to cook and tenderize the foot. Most fascinating were the how and where foods, such as Hot Cross Buns, originated from. With the explanation of terms, such as Dry Water, I can now answer customer questions. I work in the food area of the largest retail chain in the world and I am asked about lots of products. Now if I don't know the answer, I use my ABC's book!
Also,reading about such down home wild foods as chinquepins
(chinky pins), hickory nuts, muskadine grapes, and pawpaws brought back childhood memories of following my daddy through the woods, looking for these, along with sassafras roots for the tea in the winter for better health. And if I got hungry while there, we ate veenie weenies (Vienna Sausages)with crackers. I wonder how many of the readers have some of the same fond memories. It would be very interesting to hear from them. I hope there is a follow up book VERY soon! Linda Clark,
former Bakery Manager for Ingles, Consumers, Wal-Mart.

It is a pleasure to read a food book with such vast information. With its tightly written entries, I can absorb knowledge while relaxing. I have worked with freshly prepared food and fresh produce all my life. My father is an avid gardener.
With my past 30 years of experience in restaurant work and as a produce specialist, it is uplifting to keep learning from this book. The ABC'S OF FOOD has fascinated and challenged me to broaden my horizons. I highly recommend THE ABC'S OF FOOD to any age group. --Joan Harness, Wal-Mart Superstore Produce Specialist

Ulmer and Calhoun have presented a comprehensive food library that is sprinkled with stories and anecdotes that keep the reader at full attention. It is easy to read, concise yet useful by its brevity, and gives the reader what he is looking for. It has both utility and entertainment. Bravo Ulmer and Calhoun!

Contrary to the review of Oct. 16th, 2001, Adinkra is NOT a language of a secret society known by only a "select few." If it were, this dictionary should never have been published. I find this book to be a terrific resource (with a few minor errors that have been corrected by an addendum), full of meaning for everybody. I have owned a copy for a few years and highly recommend it.

This is an excellant resource book for graphic artists, designers, textile designers, illustrators, - anyone in the arts field. But the extra kick with this book is that it gives you
information on the background and history of the Adinkra symbology and even shows you how to make stamps so you can make and design your own fabric!

Many people don't know that the Western Africans had many secret scripts that are still used today in secret organizations. This is only one form of the script that is around Western Africa that only a select few have knowleadge of. I recommend if you happnen to run across this book to read it and study it,and it will guide you to the real heart and soul of Western Africa. I have learned so much from my reserch about Africa and it;s true culture that europeans have tired to hide.

This is an Arabic-English Dictionary. It is very helpful if you are trying to learn Arabic but of course the words are not romanized/transliterated so you have to at least know how to read arabic script and recognize root words. It is similar to Hans Wehr's but adds the bonus of giving you Arabic Synonyms for most entries.

This Arabic-English dictionary by Rohi Baalbaki should not be confused with The English-Arabic dictionary by Muneer Baalbaki.

Do not buy this dictionary if you are not learning Arabic script!

If English is your primary language and you are a student of Arabic you will want to have the Al-Mawrid Modern English-Arabic dictionary as well as this one. Unfortunately, the introduction and preface in both dictionaries is written in Arabic

This dictionary is just what you need for translation FROM Arabic TO English. Arabic words are arranged alphabetically.

If you are translating FROM English TO Arabic you will need the other dictionary.

This is a wonderful book for Arabs. It helps to explain numerous English words in full detail. It comes in a leather bound, large volume with very clear, readable type. For the student of Arabic, it is not the book you had in mind. The title would have you think Arabic words will have an English definition. It is just the opposite. It has numerous other features which help the non-English speaking student such as translation of familiar expressions back and forth.

I found this book to be very clear, with useful exercises in reading and writing Hebrew. The letters are not taught in alphabetic order, but rather in logical groupings that are often used together in words. The vowels are added one or two at a time, and though I felt challenged, I was not overwhelmed. I found it fun, and even reading right to left seemed natural as I became familiar with how the consonants and vowels related to each other.

Besides teaching the sounds of the letters, there are sections on Hebrew word roots, which I found immensely helpful in understanding some of the thinking and spirit in the language. I felt as if I'd been given a key into a whole new way of thinking. For example, there are names of G-d that relate to certain root words in ways that are surprising and wonderful, and there are foods we eat on High Holidays because they are a "pun" on another word that is a spiritual quality we ask for in the new year. The extra dimension this book adds beyond mere pronunciation is its real gift.

I recommend this book to adults with an interest in exploring Hebrew. After just a month, I was able to read (slowly) from the prayer book, and find myself asking questions that I would not have thought of had I only known the English translation.

I liked this primer much better than 'Learn Hebrew Tody, Alef-Bet for Adults'. It offered better exercises, clearer pronunciation guides and more in-depth grammatical explanations. An excellent first choice for the adult beginner.

Most grammars give the alphabet a chapter or two and expect the student to swallow it whole - Rabbi Motzkin takes the Hebrew alphabet and teaches it in digestible bites. The alphabet is taught in its natural context - Jewish worship and beliefs, a few letters at a time and with plenty of background material to cement the letters and sounds into the student's mind. Writing is taught along with the letters.

Directed specifically those who want to learn Hebrew in worship, this work is invaluable to anyone - Christian or Jewish - who wants to study the Bible in its original text.

The second book is due to come out in 2001 - Watch for it!

The Japanese particle was confusing before I owned this book. Other texts panned the information, or wrote particles off as 'not really meaning anything'. Don't fool youself, or let yourself be fooled- the particle determines specifics of information and direct the intent of a sentance. They quanitify many nouns into object, subject, direct object. The also describe ownership, adjective and adverb use. This book describes it all (well, I assume this is ALL) in order of most common usage. Each particle is shown in each way it might be used corresponding to English, with a sentence (or several) in English and japanese to explain usage.

Naoko Chino's pocket text is one of the most important Japanese instructional texts in print today.

Every Japanese learner struggles with particles. Organizing particles is one of the most difficult part of the language, and there are few good resources to help you out. "All About Particles: A Handbook of Japanese Function Words" is the single most useful book I have found on the topic.

This is a true reference book. Although it can be read straight through (and I recommend this at least once), it is most useful for looking up difficult particles as you discover them. Placing them in context will help the learning process. Read all in one sitting it is a little overwhelming, but good for an overview of all 70 plus particles.

One of the advantages of "All About Particles" is that the examples use various forms of politeness. It also demonstrates interchangeable particles, and which expressions are more daily-use. The text itself is very compact, and travels well.

I would recommend this book to any Japanese learner looking to bridge the gap from Advanced Beginner to Intermediate.

This book discusses the use of about 70 particles, listed in order from most to least common. For each particle, Chino lists the different ways you can use it, grouping similar uses together, and provides at least two example sentences for each use. The examples are shown in kanji, roomaji, and English.

I think this book covers most particles a beginning or intermediate student would need to know. Finding the particle you want is fairly easy, either by using the table of contents, checking out the index, or glancing at the page headers. Chino did not include exercises, so the book is slim and to the point. However, the use of roomaji may bother some people.

I would like to be able to rate this book at 4.9 stars, because, in my opinion and by way of usage and reference, only one other usually supercedes it (the comprehensively illustrated "AHS A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants"). Yet the Wyman's remains a valuable reference that I consult as a second (and often first) source of botannical and gardening information.

The other readers' reviews here should give ample incentive to buy this book. Their words-"well researched" [the book is thorough in its descriptions and definitions], "full and opinionated" [the writing is colorful and makes for interesting reading] and "comprehensive" [Wyman even gives the correct Latin pronunciation of each listed genus (I wish the AHS book did)]-affirm the book's usefulness.

I have many gardening books and catalogs in my library, however, Wyman's is the one I refer to time and again because of its comprehensive discussion of each plant. If I could only have one reference, this would be it.

Offering more information than you'll find anywhere else, this encyclpedia does NOT read like a pretty plant catalogue filled with the usual tired (and brief) descriptions. This book is a labor of love: full and opinionated, proof that a picture is not worth a thousand, well-researched words.