The Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes

Advantages: Easy to use, comprehensive
Disadvantages: None

...Let's suppose you are a poet or a song writer and you need a rhyme. Rather than beating your brains out for hours on end wasting paper, what you need is a copy of what is probably the world's best English language rhyming dictionary, the Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. Actually, it is not just a English language rhyming language dictionary, as well as proper names and pace names, it contains foreign teems, too. Unlike some behemoth rhyming dictionaries, this one is of a sensible size. I can imagine a poet in his or her garret, notebook in one hand, pen or pencil between teeth, with the Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes in their other hand. How is the book laid out? Firstly there is a preface which explains what the book is and also why it is. Then there is the introduction by John Lennard. Actually, this is more than a mere introduction. It...

Martinscholes 17.07.2006 · Read review
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Oxford Dictionary of Ecology

Advantages: Very useful
Disadvantages: None

...The new edition of the Oxford Dictionary of Ecology is a very handy reference work for the student of ecology or for those interested in environmental matters. It is listed in alphabetical order (as one would expect) and covers all branches of ecology and related fields. As well as covering "things" (such as haboob -a local Sudanese name for a dust storm- hadalpelagic zone -the deepest part of he pelagic zone of the ocean- eustatic -applied to the worldwide changes in sea levels induced by growth or decay of glaciers or by tectonic movements- and raised bog -an ombrogeneous bog community-) it also covers personalities such as: Malthus, Cuvier, Engler, etc. The book is also fairly profusely illustrated with clear, concise drawings and some illustrative diagrams, too. The style of the entries in the book is clear and well...

Martinscholes 13.07.2006 · Read review
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The Oxford Dictionary of Popes

Advantages: Great informative read
Disadvantages: no

...The Oxford Dictionary of Popes is basically an encyclopaedic listing of all Popes of the Roman Catholic Church. It begins with Saint Peter and progresses in very fine style all the way through to Pope Benedict XVI. It is very laid out and it is obvious that the compilers and authors (J. N. D. Kelly, with new material from Michael Walsh) have really got to grips with a very complex subject matter and field of research. Some of the popes have relatively huge sections devoted to them, others have quite modest sections. Hardly more than a paragraph or two in some instances, but this is due to the fact that some popes very little is known about them, or what works, great or more modest, they might have accomplished, whilst serving as pope. Not only does the book list "legitimate" popes, it also lists what are known as "antipopes...

Martinscholes 25.07.2006 · Read review
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Oxford Dictionary of Nicknames Andrew Delahunty

Advantages: Useful book
Disadvantages: None

...The Oxford dictionary of Nicknames has a depth and breadth that is almost stunning. It covers politicians, kings, queens, presidential rulers, politicians, soldiers, religious figures, musicians (of all types) controversial figures, actors, actresses, cities, institutions both famous and otherwise, businessmen and women, publications, criminals, sports teams, etc., etc. Some of the nicknames are still well-known, and others have fallen into relative obscurity. There's George R. Kelly, who became known as Machine Gun Kelly. Apparently his wife bought him his first machine gun (hey? Who said romance is dead?) and also gave him the sobriquet he lived under until his death in custody of a heart attack. Betty Gabble was tagged with the name the Girl With the Million Dollar Legs. Her legs WERE actually insured through Lloyds...

Martinscholes 16.07.2006 · Read review
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Oxford Dictionary of Modern Design

Advantages: Highly useful
Disadvantages: Could do with a couple more illustrations

...The Oxford Dictionary of Modern Design is a paperback dictionary of modern design. (No surprise there, then!) Well, yes, there is a surprise as some contemporary dictionaries of modern design are very badly designed, mistaking modern design for inappropriate type fonts and garish colours, which does distract and detract from the message they are trying to put over. But this is not the case, thank goodness, with the Oxford Dictionary of Modern Design. It is exceptionally well laid out and the information contained is presented in a way that is sharp and contemporary, yet grounded in commonsense and best practice. The book covers all aspects of modern design. Covers great design concepts, such as Nancy School, Bauhaus, Art Nouveau, vernacular, psychedelia, modernism and modernismo or modernisme (it explain in succinct terms...

Martinscholes 19.07.2006 · Read review
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Oxford Dictionary of Business and Management

Advantages: Wide coverage of many terms
Disadvantages: Some puzzling omissions

...The Oxford Dictionary of Business and Management bills itself as: "best-selling dictionary, containing over 6,750 terms" And yes, that is a pretty accurate summation of this dictionary. So, I might as well get my coat then? No? You want to know a little more? Then I will tell you. This is not the first edition of this dictionary. The new (fourth) edition contains 250 new entries. It covers a wide range of different business terms, from economics to the laws as they relate to operating a business, and there is an appendix of useful business-related websites, too. Although the dictionary is generally good (some of the concepts are gone over in considerable depth, some with separate one or two page features) some of the categories are a little puzzling. For example, the entry for Netscape Navigator says: "Netscape: One...

Martinscholes 19.07.2006 · Read review
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The Oxford dictionary of English, where would we be without it?!

Advantages: Must have in every home, practical lay out and design, easy to use.
Disadvantages: Could have more information about formal writing, the information avaliable is somewhat limited.

...The Oxford Dictionary of English in my opinion (and I'm sure in many others) is THE best dictionary without a doubt. Its the most trusted and probably the most used. I recommend The oxford dictionary to anyone and everyone, and its a must have in every home. The additional features that are avaliable in the Dictionary is also very impressive and I would say a 'God send' especially when formally writing. The Dictionary is very well written, with great examples and explanations of the meaning of words, and even additional comments that help further with understanding of the sense of which the word should be used in. Its is extremely useful and is always being used in our house. I would encourage young children in particular to use the Oxford Dictionary to assist them in their learning and especially spelling....

EC85 09.06.2009 · Read review
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Oxford Dictionary of Medical Quotations

Advantages: Interesting and a bit of fun
Disadvantages: None

...The Oxford University Press is know for the wide and eclectic range of the books that it publishes. Another example of such an interesting work id the Oxford Dictionary of Medical Quotations. What is this Oxford Dictionary of Medical Quotations about? It is a dictionary about? medical quotations. (NO?! Really? Yes, another one of Martin's stating the bloomin' obvious reviews!) But seriously, what IS this book about? It is a collection of quotations about medical matters, medicines, treatments, ailments, etc. etc. Some of them are written by doctors and other medical men and women, whilst others are from writers, humorists, politicians, rulers and patients. Some of the quotations selected by editor and compiler Peter McDonald are a little eccentric. For example, the quote from a Joe Orton play, Entertaining Mr Sloane: "It...

Martinscholes 18.07.2006 · Read review
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The Oxford Dictionary of the Law

Advantages: Very comprehensive
Disadvantages: None

...PLEASE NOTE: DUE TO A GLITCH THIS REVIEW IS IN THE WRONG CATEGORY. PLEASE ***DO NOT*** DOWN MARK IT OR MARK IT "NH" OR "OT" AS CIAO IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND HAS BEEN ASKED TO ADDRESS IT. THANK YOU. The Oxford Dictionary of the Law is available as a paperback and at £11.99 is worth every penny. A law student? Worker in an advice centre? A journalist? Or just someone with a thirst for knowledge? Then you will find this book indispensable. It is comprehensive, but not too large and as well as containing hundreds of concise definitions of many legal terms, there is also a very useful appendix of abbreviations and also a directory of online legal resources, too. And last, but by no means least, a list of important organisations. This lists websites for these. The list is from ACAS all the way through to the United Nations Office...

Martinscholes 10.07.2006 · Read review
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Oxford Dictionary of Humorous Quotations

Advantages: Good
Disadvantages: but only in parts

...I would like to say that this is the funniest book of humorous quotations that I have ever read. I would like to say that, but I just can' bring myself to say it. Why? Because it simply is not true. Yes, Ned Sherrin has written many plays, yes he was the producer of the seminal and ground-breaking satire programme of the 1960s, That Was the Week That Was, and yes he has compiled several other anthologies (including a previous Oxford Dictionary of Humorous Quatations) and yes, despite the fact that Ned was born in Somerset, and has family members that speak proper English in pure Somerset tones, whilst Ned effects a sort of upper-class drone? and no, this book is not particularly amusing or all that humorous. In his introduction Sherrin does rather give the game away: " An editor required to find the space for well over 600 new...

Martinscholes 25.07.2006 · Read review
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