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Best Dictionaries

Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary
Special sections include: A Handbook of Style, Foreign Words & Phrases, Biographical Names and Geographical Names. The Merriam brothers desired a continuity of editorship that would link Noah Webster's efforts with their own editions, so they selected Chauncey A. Goodrich, Webster's son-in-law and literary heir, who had been trained in lexicography by Webster himself, to be their editor in chief. Assuming that a lower price would increase sales, the Merriams introduced the 1847 edition at $6, and although Webster's heirs initially questioned this move, extraordinary sales that brought them $250,000 in royalties over the ensuing 25 years convinced them that the Merriams' decision had been abundantly sound.
Reviews
"When using it as a writer (I know the word, but not its spelling, nor if I completely understand the word I seek to use) and not as a reader, I would have been more pleased if those who had added electronic usability had also made it more intuitive to those of us with poorer ability to spell by more simply allowing the browsing for a word as is done with a paper dictionary."
"Received what I ordered and needed."
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Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised (Robert's Rules of Order (Paperback))
This newly revised edition is the only book on parliamentary procedure to have been updated since 1876 under the continuing program of review established by General Henry M. Robert himself, in cooperation with the official publisher of Robert’s Rules . Henry M. Robert III is the grandson of General Henry M. Robert and has served as president of the Maryland Association of Parliamentarians and as parliamentarian for the National Association of Parliamentarians (NAP).
Reviews
"General Henry M. Robert published the original "Robert's Rules" in 1875 and 1876 and, since the copyright on that edition (and the next few editions) has long since expired, there are numerous unofficial editions on the market. With the copyright expired, even the name "Robert's" has passed into the public domain, and many imitators have slapped the name "Robert's" on books of parliamentary procedure that bear minimal relation to General Robert's work (much as many dictionaries claim the name "Webster's" without any connection to Noah Webster or the Merriam-Webster brand that carries on his work). Now in its 11th edition, published in September 2011, this book "supersedes all previous editions and is intended automatically become the parliamentary authority in organizations whose bylaws prescribe 'Robert's Rules of Order' ... or the like, without specifying a particular edition.""
"Nothing new here but the latest revision ;). The paper is literally like it’s a bible."
"Good format, good size, print font large enough to read."
"This is a very nicely printed and bound softcover book."
"The language is rather stilted at times and some of the procedures are very detailed, but these are the rules for properly conducting an orderly, efficient, effective meeting."
"It's a good book for officials to know, I use mine a lot to advise new volunteers."
"New Version of old book... Great to have a new one to replace my worn old copy."
"I bought this for my husband, and he says it was exactuaaly what he wanted."
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American Sign Language Dictionary, Third Edition
This illustrated abridgment of the most authoritative reference book on sign language features more than 5,000 signs and 8,000 illustrations, as well as clear, detailed instructions to help you master each sign. An illustrated abridgment of the most authoritative reference book on sign language, with well-written and easily understood instructions for the use of each sign.
Reviews
"It is a great book."
"A good reference when not using ASL apps."
"I am very pleased with this book after my first glance."
"Very helpful."
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Best Atlases

National Geographic Atlas of the World, Tenth Edition
Marking the 100th anniversary of National Geographic cartography, this prestigious reference is the essential guide to understanding today's interconnected world. A portion of all National Geographic proceeds is used to fund exploration, conservation, and education through ongoing contributions to the work of the National Geographic Society.
Reviews
"I previously bought the National Geographic "Family Reference Atlas of the World", which was big enough to impress people that you have a big atlas on the coffee table, but not big enough to actually FIND any historical locations you are interested in."
"This was a gift, and I am thrilled how fabulous this NG Atlas actually is."
"I have compared, the map for Suriname is even less detailed than my micro pocket atlas which costs only 0.8 USD."
"I could not be more pleased!"
"Absolutely stunning book!"
"I bought this book for my mom and she loves it."
"An essential for anyone with any interest in geography."
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Best Encyclopedias

5 lb. Book of GRE Practice Problems (Manhattan Prep GRE Strategy Guides)
Book of GRE Practice Problems is an essentialresource for students of any level who are preparing for the GRE revisedGeneral Exam. In 2000, Teach for America alumnus and Yale graduate Zeke Vanderhoek had a radical idea: students learn better from better teachers.
Reviews
"However, I've glossed through other Kaplan/Princeton/Etc GRE books and have to say that this book is one of the best study materials you can get. I scored a 325, and the questions I mostly got wrong were in the vocabulary section and because of timing, because I didn't feel like studying vocab, and because I only timed myself on a practice test once. I would go through at least 1 of each section in this book - READ THROUGH THE EXPLANATIONS OF WHAT YOU GOT WRONG. If you have the time and means, what I suggest to do is to read news editorials and opinionated articles and look up the words you don't know."
"The practice material from PR and Kaplan isn't the same level of rigor as the ETS exam, and ETS's book has a limited number of practice problems. I wish I had known about this book with more time before taking the GRE again, I probably would have also invested in some of Manhattan Prep's other study material for the quantitative section. 500+ pages of just math practice and explanations (nevermind all of the reading and essay practice in this beast of a book). -- 30-50 practice questions for EACH topic. I agree with other reviewers that ETS is still the best practice material, but this is definitely the second best book you can buy to prepare yourself."
"Got my scores back yesterday: 96th percentile for verbal...which is better than I did five years ago while still in college and with months to study."
"This book is great!"
"It will show you all the standard problems of the GRE alongside with its standard solutions; however, if you are looking for a book with challenging problems that will take above the 90th percentile, this is not the book."
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Best Bibliographies & Indexes

The First Folio of Shakespeare: The Norton Facsimile
These improvements, the meticulous work of the great Folio scholar Charlton Hinman made possible by the extensive Folger Library Collection, established The Norton Facsimile as an indispensable volume for book collectors and serious readers of Shakespeare. Looking for a way to provide scholars with a reliable version of Shakespeare's text, Hinman invented a device that sped up the collation process, allowing him to compare 82 of the surviving copies of the Folio and bring to light features of Shakespeare's work that have been--and continue to be--edited out of most modern editions. These traces of the composition process survive only because the printers, working directly from Shakespeare's handwritten copy, were not given a chance to thoroughly proofread their work. The many errors the printers introduced into the text of Shakespeare's work still provide fertile ground for theatrical and academic debate.
Reviews
"This beautiful and HUGE volume will not disappoint those looking. for a First Folio facsimile, or just a beautiful version of Shakespeare."
"Beautiful collection."
"If you are not familiar with what the First Folio is, the First Folio is considered to be the very first published collection of Shakespeare's plays. (If you want to see what it looks like inside, while this edition of the First Folio doesn't have the "Look Inside" option, this newer edition does: The First Folio of Shakespeare: The Norton Facsimile.)."
"I researched this book and a few others like it before purchasing the Norton Facsimile."
"I was an Equity actor (now an instructor of communications and theatre), and before each role I consulted four books: this facsimile, the Norton Oxford edition, Schmidt's Lexicon, and Harold Bloom's Shakespeare, the Invention of the Human."
"Compiled from the best extant leaves of Shakespeare's First Folio, this edition is a labor of love."
"Simply put, it is a First Folio made up of facsimile copies of the best pages of all First Folios available, and there are numerous pages dealing with the detective work involved in the assembling of the work. Yes, it is large,maybe somewhat unwieldy,and the style of type is unusual to read by today's standards, but in the presentation it is a work of art."
"It is essential for any true actor to get the most genuine interpretation of Shakespeare's work."
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Best Writing Skills Reference

The Chicago Manual of Style, 17th Edition
This seventeenth edition of The Chicago Manual of Style has been prepared with an eye toward how we find, create, and cite information that readers are as likely to access from their pockets as from a bookshelf. It offers updated guidelines on electronic workflows and publication formats, tools for PDF annotation and citation management, web accessibility standards, and effective use of metadata, abstracts, and keywords. The citation chapters reflect the ever-expanding universe of electronic sources—including social media posts and comments, private messages, and app content—and also offer updated guidelines on such issues as DOIs, time stamps, and e-book locators. ( Washington Post ). “This manual stands as an indispensable and thoughtfully constructed English language and style resource for those compelled, by enthusiasm or responsibility, to attend to the minutiae of written expression.”. ( Publishers Weekly ). “As it incorporates contemporary examples (e.g., NOOK, Lady Gaga), CMS, as expected, offers sensible, clear advice on matters great and small for authors’ guidance—such as the treatment of names of ships and spaceships, use of the en dash, how to edit electronic manuscripts, and the ins and outs of documenting and citing works of many kinds.
Reviews
"I bought CMOS 17 primarily for two reasons: (1) my CMOS 16 was battered and torn, beaten down by years of abuse and page-cornering; (2) I like to keep up with the changes, even if Bowie is dead. The biggest changes in content in CMOS 17, compared with CMOS 16, are an added subsection on syntax and expansion of the discussions of copyright and permissions. Another change one may not notice without CMOS 16 in hand, unless one happens to be a publisher/typographer, is with fonts. If so, I recommend GARNER'S MODERN ENGLISH USAGE by Bryan Garner (still weighty and not quite as comprehensive, but a bit more entertaining—and Garner is the contributor of the Usage chapter in CMOS, so the information in his book is consistent with that provided in CMOS) and EDITOR-PROOF YOUR WRITING by Don McNair (nice and short but absolutely loaded with information that can make a subpar writer an above-average one—maybe). Given the number of discordant reviews of his book by obviously failed writers (and because I've read it cover to cover and can attest to its quality), I'd say McNair has a live one."
"Even so, this is a very good resource to clarify some rules of usage that we can forget or we never learned in school. It would be lovely if folks who bought a copy of this pricey tome also got access to more examples at the CMOS site and ongoing notifications of revisions of rules before the next edition released. Some changes to hyphenation-- head hunting becomes head-hunting; e-mail is now email--and some differences in certain uses of commas are also included in the new edition."
"Briefly, I like the organization and I love the index--a real old-fashioned index done by a professional indexer that means if it's in the book you can find it However, I simply haven't used it was much as I though I would."
"What's to like or not like: it's a guide that one needs for one's professional life."
"The Chicago Manual of Style is the gold standard."
"The best style manual in print."
"The gold standard of English usage."
"Sure, Turabian distills this book (and the sin of the latest Turabian is that in a misguided attempt to appeal to more people, they've added a parenthetical reference system to the footnote system she popularized), but sometimes you must turn to the Chicago for more information."
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