Book Description
This comprehensive reference book provides the most current information available in a concise, portable format. The Third Edition includes 17,000 entries, over 50,000 cross-references, 210 maps, 100 photographs, and more than 100 tables, charts, and illustrations.
Customer Reviews:
Out of date.......2006-01-30
I enjoyed and used the first edition of this book throughout the 80s, but hey, Columbia! Seventeen years have passed since the second edition was published! The world has changed. In this edition, the Cold War is still on and 9/11 never occurred.
Clearly the publisher has decided never to update or republish what was for a while a very useful book. Columbia has made the full ecyclopedia available online for free at http://www.bartleby.com, so this dated reference work no longer has any purpose.
Columbia Concise Encyclopedia.......2005-09-15
Book was listed as lacking jacket but was quite readable. I ordered it expecting a used book. It appeared to be brand new when delivered in a timely fashion. Product, ordering, delivery and price were all one might expect and more.
One of my favorite reference tools . . ........2002-11-05
I purchased the 1983 edition of this wonderful little reference when it first came out and have used it extensively over the last 19 years. I've rarely been disappointed in the accuracy of information, or the ease of use. As an 8th grade teacher, I find my students are constantly seeking answers. Often, the larger encyclopedia are too wordy and difficult for my students to comprehend on first reading. If I hand them my Columbia, they can get a pithy summary of their topic, which then enables them to understand the more in-depth entries.
In addition to containing an amazing amount of information in a compact format, the illustrations are clear and informative, and the typeface is easy on the eyes.
In short, this is a wonderful tool and I have been known to recommend its purchase to students and parents -- whether or not they already have a full set of encyclopedia at home.
Book Description
This extraordinary one-volume guide to the modern literatures of China, Japan, and Korea is the definitive reference work on the subject in the English language. With more than one hundred articles that show how a host of authors and literary movements have contributed to the general literary development of their respective countries, this companion is an essential starting point for the study of East Asian literatures. Comprehensive thematic essays introduce each geographical section with historical overviews and surveys of persistent themes in the literature examined, including nationalism, gender, family relations, and sexuality.
Following the thematic essays are the individual entries: over forty for China, over fifty for Japan, and almost thirty for Korea, featuring everything from detailed analyses of the works of Tanizaki Jun'ichiro and Murakami Haruki, to far-ranging explorations of avant-garde fiction in China and postwar novels in Korea. Arrayed chronologically, each entry is self-contained, though extensive cross-referencing affords readers the opportunity to gain a more synoptic view of the work, author, or movement. The unrivaled opportunities for comparative analysis alone make this unique companion an indispensable reference for anyone interested in the burgeoning field of Asian literature.
Although the literatures of China, Japan, and Korea are each allotted separate sections, the editors constantly kept an eye open to those writers, works, and movements that transcend national boundaries. This includes, for example, Chinese authors who lived and wrote in Japan; Japanese authors who wrote in classical Chinese; and Korean authors who write in Japanese, whether under the colonial occupation or because they are resident in Japan. The waves of modernization can be seen as reaching each of these countries in a staggered fashion, with eddies and back-flows between them then complicating the picture further. This volume provides a vivid sense of this dynamic interplay.
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The Columbia Encyclopedia of Modern Drama
Manufacturer: Columbia University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 History
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ASIN: 0231140320 |
Book Description
A wholly unique A to Z reference for modern drama, this authoritative encyclopedia differs from others in highlighting the interdisciplinary nature of drama by placing playwrights and plays within their social, cultural, and historical contexts. Over 450 leading scholars provide students, general readers, and scholars with clearly written and concise entries that steer clear of technical jargon while also offering advanced readers new perspectives on familiar figures, movements, trends, issues, and texts. The Encyclopedia concentrates on drama in the literary sense rather than as performance.
The scope of this encyclopedia is truly global. The editors follow the development of modern theater in both Western Europe (England, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Germany, Austria, Italy, Ireland, France, Spain) and Eastern Europe; in Russia, China, Japan, India, and all of Southeast Asia; in Australia and New Zealand; in the United States and Canada; in Latin America, Africa, and in the Yiddish language. Entries are at least 500 words, richly researched and innovatively written. In "Brecht" the playwright's central themes and theories on theater are contextualized within the story of his exile, which paints a larger portrait of the cultural and political state of Europe at the time. In "Spain" the stories of certain theaters and prominent playwrights, such as Federico Garcia Lorca, are woven within the history of the country itself. And a colorful look at "Off Broadway" emphasizes the importance of theater economics and reveals its influence in shaping the development of drama.
The history of modern drama is quickly becoming a popular area of study. The Encyclopedia of Modern Drama is a comprehensive and original approach to understanding this history and a powerful tool in reinforcing the vital role of drama in the intellectual and artistic life of the last 150 years.
Average customer rating:
- A wonderful companion to British Columbia
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Encyclopedia of British Columbia
Manufacturer: Harbour Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Reference
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ASIN: 155017200X |
Book Description
For the first time, everything you always wanted to know about BC is gathered together in one place!
The Encyclopedia of British Columbia is the definitive reference work on BC. With more than 4,000 entries and hundreds of photos, maps, tables and charts, the EBC is the source of readable and authoritative information on all the significant BC people, places and things that you would currently have to search a vast library to find.
What makes the EBC even better is the wealth of special local information and BC lore - all those details that make BC the weird and wonderful place it is.
The EBC was conceived and compiled by Harbour Publishing, an award-winning, independent, 100% BC-owned company, with advice and assistance from more than 200 British Columbians. It is indispensable at home, at school, in the office - everywhere comprehensive, authoritative, concise information about BC is needed.
SEE MORE AT THE OFFICIAL SITE OF THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BC:
http://www.knowbc.com/
Customer Reviews:
A wonderful companion to British Columbia.......2004-03-25
This encyclopedia is a wonderful resource - informative, entertaining, and detailed. It invites the reader to spend hours exploring places or people that even the most attentive British Columbian might be unaware of. Gorgeously designed and full of wonderful photographs!
Book Description
The Fifth Edition continues this tradition of excellence, bringing up-to-date coverage of the whole world in all its physical, historical, geographical, political, scientific, religious, and cultural dimensions between two covers. The Fifth Edition offers more information in one volume than most multivolume encyclopedias: 50,000 articles, 65,000 cross-references, and 6.6 million words in 3,000 pages.
Customer Reviews:
Columbia Encyclopedia Beats Other Encyclopedias on Sacco-Vanzetti Entry.......2006-09-27
The Sixth edition of The Columbia Encyclopedia notes that " . . . new ballistics tests conducted with modern equipment in 1961 seemed to prove conclusively that the pistol found on Sacco had been used to murder the guard." That concession is not yet in other mainline encyclopedias. The 1983 ballistics test conducted by three ballistics experts chosen by Dr. Henry Lee led to this published conclusion: "Of the caliber .32 Auto cartridges in possession of Nicola Sacco at the time of his apprehension (Exhibit #31), sixteen (16) were manufactured by The Peters Cartridge Company; and, of the sixteen cartridges, six (6) were made on the same machine that made the two Peters fired cartridge cases (Fraher shells) that were recovered from the crime scene." This conclusion is on p. 28 of AFTE Journal (Volume 17, Number 3) July 1985. See two related articles on ballistics by Dr. James E. Starrs in Journal of Forensic Sciences (April and July, 1986). Columbia's bibliography appended to the entry "Sacco-Vanzetti Case" does not cite the 1986 book by Francis Russell, "Sacco and Vanzetti: The Case Resolved." Recall that Judge Charles E. Wyzanski, Jr. wrote to Francis Russell on March 31, 1986, and underlined this statement: "I myself am persuaded by your writings that Sacco was guilty." Editors of The Columbia Encyclopedia have not cited the book on Sacco and Vanzetti (2006) that has new evidence. In the fullness of time this 2006 book will be cited in textbooks created for the survey course in U. S. history. Francis Russell told me in his letter of June 29, 1988: "I too have been distressed by the slant of the encyclopedias and reference books. But I think in time the truth will prevail over these liberal obsessions. Eventually my view will be accepted, not because I am so clever but because facts are facts." One new fact is Charles C. Palmer's letter of June 17, 1921, discovered in the files of Dudley P. Ranney. (See Transcript of the Record, p. 5018.) Palmer's letter deepens our understanding of the testimony on Vanzetti's revolver by Dexter natives Elbridge Atwater and Rexford Slater. It confirms again Vanzetti's guilt.
Columbia versus Britannica Concise.......2004-02-26
I think both books are outstanding, and more complementary than rivals. In fact, I use both. Nevertheless, there are some differences.
Columbia's big dimensions and weight (8.9 pounds/4 kg) make almost necessary to read it on a desk. Britannica Concise (BCE) is 6.7 pounds/3 kg and smaller.
Both utilize an extremely small font size. Columbia contains 6.5 million words. BCE "only" 2.6.
Britannica C has over 2000 photographs, maps, tables, drawings, color illustrations; nations flags ... In Columbia, illustrations are sparse, limited to about 500 black-and-white line drawings.
Columbia's 6th edition stopped in 1999. BCE is of April 2003 and is edited every year in spring, but I don't know if they are going to update it or not.
Britannica Concise has articles like Super Bowl, Viagra, Coca-Cola, Big Stick Policy, Mother's Day and Father's Day ... that don't exist in Columbia.
Quantity does not always mean Quality. B Concise seems to be more shrewd, witty and, by the way, less subjective. For instance, Columbia's article Homosexuality concludes in this way: "But AIDS (.....) also sparked moralistic reactions; some felt, for example, that it represented a form of judgment on homosexuality". BCE's same article is shorter, but neutral, and does not say such a thing.
As I said before, both books are outstanding and complementary.
A lot of information in one book.......2002-12-16
I bought the Columbia encyclopedia a little over a year ago and now I feel qualified enough to review it.
I'm never amazed at the amount of information that is presented in this book. It has never failed me or my seventh-grade daughter with any of her school related questions. Whether her questions have to do with the population density of Calcutta (population and area in sq. miles), cell reproduction or plate tectonics, I have yet to find something that she needed and it was not there.
The information is presented in a very succinct manner. There is never too much or too little information for a specific entry - always just enough. The "also see" and bibliography references at the end of many entries are very useful. The binding is great. I was afraid that this huge book after constant use would crack at the hinges, but that is not true. This is one of the bulkiest books I've got and, yet, surprisingly, is also one of the strongest. After more than a year's frequent use, the hinges feel as strong as when I bought it and so do the ledge and spine.
This is not a multimedia information center. There are no pictures, only maps and drawings. When you first open it, you are faced with columns and columns of small font text, though it's nicely laid out.
I do not find any social or political bias in the book, but I may not be sensitive to it. One will not find positive or negative references being made on specific issues, although one may find something to the extend of "some academics feel that..." or "in this century XYZ has fallen out of favor with..." The book does not take sides, its stance is neutral and objective with no flavor. It does not offend and its errors (if any) are ones of omission not commission.
It may be a good idea to visit your local library first to take a closer look at its heftiness, lack of pictures and, perhaps, objectivity prior to purchasing it to see if it's something that suits your family's style. If you decide to buy it without examining it first, I don't believe you will be dissapointed - it's a great book and a best buy.
Mostly excellent but...........2002-09-13
As far as content goes, the book is certainly a treasure house of information. However, on certain sensitive socio-political topics, some of the contributors clearly show their bias. Thus, one should approach such entries with the proverbial grain of salt. I feel that an encyclopedia's contributors should be as factual and objective as possible, and make a point to avoid any appearance of personal bias...
not good.......2002-04-17
English lanquage is underrepresented.Word crime is not
here but we have criminal law.I expect on word crime
to see crime rates in the world and where USA is.
Word hunger not here either but we see hunger strike.
Encyclopedia not suppose to hide anything.
Book Description
Offering a multidimensional approach to one of the most important episodes of the twentieth century, The Columbia Guide to the Holocaust offers readers and researchers a general history of the Holocaust while delving into the core issues and debates in the study of the Holocaust today.
Each of the book's five distinct parts stands on its own as valuable research aids; together, they constitute an integrated whole. Part I provides a narrative overview of the Holocaust, placing it within the larger context of Nazi Germany and World War II. Part II examines eight critical issues or controversies in the study of the Holocaust, including the following questions: Were the Jews the sole targets of Nazi genocide, or must other groups, such as homosexuals, the handicapped, Gypsies, and political dissenters, also be included? What are the historical roots of the Holocaust? How and why did the "Final Solution" come about? Why did bystanders extend or withhold aid?
Part III consists of a concise chronology of major events and developments that took place surrounding the Holocaust, including the armistice ending World War I, the opening of the first major concentration camp at Dachau, Germany's invasion of Poland, the failed assassination attempt against Hitler, and the formation of Israel.
Part IV contains short descriptive articles on more than two hundred key people, places, terms, and institutions central to a thorough understanding of the Holocaust. Entries include Adolf Eichmann, Anne Frank, the Warsaw Ghetto, Aryanization, the SS, Kristallnacht, and the Catholic Church. Part V presents an annotated guide to the best print, video, electronic, and institutional resources in English for further study.
Armed with the tools contained in this volume, students or researchers investigating this vast and complicated topic will gain an informed understanding of one of the greatest tragedies in world history.
Customer Reviews:
An Indispensible Guide for Educators.......2001-05-31
Niewyk and Nicosia have given us an indispensible addition to the vast literature on the Holocaust. Due to legally required Holocaust education in some states, many people whose specialty is not Holocaust studies are required to teach about the Holocaust. The biggest worry in this is the serious possibility of the Holocaust being presented in a way that is kitschy, usually with no more important lesson than Santayana's trite witticism about repeating history. What *The Columbia Guide to the Holocaust* provides is a wonderful overview of the Holocaust especially designed for non-experts. While the text is concise and readable, the best parts of the book are outside the normal text. Niewyk and Nicosia provide several sections that make this book ideal for beginners in Holocaust studies and educators that must teach about the Holocaust: biographies of many important individuals, "location" biographies of the major death camps, ghettos and other important sites (such as Babi Yar), and an enormous annotated bibliography of books, music, museums, documentaries and movies, and internet sites. While there is not much here for the established scholar (though even they may find the extensive bibliography useful), for beginning students and especially for educators, there is no better source to have by your side when studying, discussing or teaching the Holocaust.
Book Description
The Redskins Encyclopedia brings to light the team's history and tradition in the most comprehensive account ever written about the storied NFL franchise. Readers are exposed to a treasure-trove of information about the Redskins.
Customer Reviews:
A Book Every Redskins Fan Should Own.......2007-10-19
Washington area journalist Michael Richman has written a rare book about a pro sports franchise, one that's worthy of a purchase by every Redskins fan. Ordinarily, books about a pro sports franchise don't excite me, but this one did.
Richman devides the book into ten different chapters, eight illustrating the different "eras" the Redskins franchise has gone through since its inception in Boston in 1932, one on the rivalry between the Redskins and Dallas Cowboys, and the final chapter which features biographies of the "top 100" Redskins, as defined by the author.
Each of the chapters on the different decades of Redskins history is broken up into sections dedicated to each season and the notable games within that season. This is pretty standard fare for an encyclopedia, but it is written in a very engaging style and includes many quotes from newspaper and other stories from those years. Another great aspect of these chapters is the photography. There are several photos in this book I have never seen before anywhere else, and I've been a Redskins fan for 30 years. The only way these photographs could have been better is if those that were originally in color were presented in the book in full color. Unfortunately, the book is purely in black and white. However, there are enough photographs on almost every page to break up the text, so it doesn't really look like a monotonous encyclopedia.
The chapter I enjoyed best is on the rivalry between the Redskins and Dallas Cowboys. Michael Richman I think does a good job of explaining how the rivalry came to be, and intensified with Redskins coach George Allen and the Cowboys being in the same division in the NFL as the Redskins. Richman also does a good job using a quote from former Dallas QB Danny White to explain how much the teams liked to beat each other if for no other reason than to shut up the opposing team's fans.
Other than the lack of color photography, the one complaint I have with this book is that it does not include information on each and every Redskins player throughout the team's history, and the book does not really explain that at the outset. However, Richman can be excused for that somewhat because in order to include the over 1,400 players that have suited up for the Redskins the book would have had to have been significantly larger than its 418 pages. Any Redskins trivia or statistics buff will love this book as well because Richman does include a wealth of statistics and records in an appendix.
Overall, a great effort by Michael Richman and a book every Redskins fan should own.
Truly a great tome for the dedicated Redskins fan. .......2007-10-18
In DC, there are really only two sports...football and everything else. Having grown up in the area with a family of mostly guys, there was little chance that I would end up as anything other than a dedicated Redskins fan myself. So this book really was a treat for me to be able to pour over, after 30+ years of cheering this team on.
As other have stated, this is not a coffee table picture book. It is a true compendium of Redskins history up to the 2006 season. Reading through all this history and descriptions of great games was really a trip back in time for this fan, and was particularly interesting to learn more of the team's history and some of the early success. I had not known for instance, that the team began in Boston before moving to DC (where they won the league championship that year). There is so much great information in this book, it's hard to even list it all. From comprehensive run-downs of all the great games (particularly all the post-season games), profiles of all the great players (and "best of the rest" players) to an entire section on the Cowboys rivalry (truly one of the most heated in sports) to an awesome appendix with every player, coach, score, record etc. in Redskins history this is just a great book for any serious fan. The journalistic writing style of the author is easy to read with all the important nitty-gritty details without trying to over-embellish too much.
As others have mentioned, there are no color photos, which is a real shame as that would have truly capped this excellent book. Indeed, what photos it does have are often not terribly great. Still, there are some gems to be found in here...who could not help but giggle at the photo of the early cheerleaders dressed as little Indian girls (no disrespect to Native Americans intended) or Andre the Giant holding up Joe Theismann. Many of the game photos are fairly good, showing key moments in the game, but the photos in the player profile section in particular I didn't think were very good overall (for those players lucky enough to even warrant a photo).
Overally, I absolutely would recommend this for any true Redskins fan. Could it have been even better? Sure...but for what it is, I'd be hard-pressed to pass it up.
The Bible.......2007-10-18
I personally am not a huge football guy, but I can only imagine if I were this book would tell me everything I wanted to know about the Washington Redskins. This book has it all including detailed year by year looks at the history of the team dating all the way from 1932 up to today. You'll see detailed statistics & individual profiles about players, coaches & fans through out the years such as George Allen, Larry Brown, Joe Gibbs, Gus Frerotte, Norv Turner, John Riggins & Doug Williams (The 1st starting black quarterback to win a Super Bowl) only to name a few. You'll also learn about their 4 Super Bowl games, & their rivalry with the famed Dallas Cowboys. You'll see all of their records, rosters, results, draft picks. You'll get year by year results, & learn all abuot the Ring Of Fame, Monday Night Lights, & their Pro Bowl players. This book really has it all including team records like "Most Consecutive Games Won" (14 1942-1943, 11 1991, 11 1983), & "Most Consecutive Games Lost" (17 1960-1961, 8 1935, 8 1950).
There's really is just an absolute wealth of information here for any fan looking to up their knowledge about the famous Washington Redskins. The only reason I gave this a 4 rather than a 5 star rating is due to all of the many pics featured throughout the book being in black & white. It would have been nice to see some brilliantly vibrant color in the many pictures featured in the book to help bring the pictures & book itself to life, but that's just a minor personal complaint. I would strongly suggest this book to any Football fan out there. I'm not the worlds biggest fan & I still really enjoyed it. Also a great gift for the Holidays for any Football fan out there.
HAIL TO THE REDSKINS baby!!!
INFORMATION PACKED REFERENCE........2007-10-17
One of the better reference titles dealing with an individual professional football franchise, this work is written by an avid Redskin authority, and includes not only a detailed year-by-year history of the franchise, but also 65pp. of statistics that will engross Redskin devotees. Approximately 200 black and white photographs spice the work that covers the years 1937/2006. Over 120pp. are devoted to extensive biographical entries of the most important players during the team's colorful history. Well-organized, the work will please almost all sports enthusiasts, particularly those who follow pro fotball. Highly recommended.
Engaging and Complete.......2007-10-16
THis Encyclopedia is written in such an engaging style that I kept being drawn in to read chapter after chapter - and I don't even like football! Others can vouch for the accuracy of the statistics, but I think the writing makes the book very enjoyable. It's attractively printed and well laid out. I think it would make a great gift for any Redskins fan.
Average customer rating:
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The New Columbia Encyclopedia
Manufacturer: Columbia University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0231035721 |
Books:
- The Elements of Style, Fourth Edition
- The Golden Notebook: Perennial Classics edition (Perennial Classics)
- The Invitation: The Secret to Creating Your Best Life
- The King James Bible Word Book
- The Least You Should Know About English (Form A) (Least You Should Know about English: Writing Skills)
- The Least You Should Know About English (Form A) (Least You Should Know about English: Writing Skills)
- The Morning Star 3-Volume Boxed Set
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- The Norton Anthology of World Masterpieces, One Volume, Expanded Edition
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