Reviews (1)

Truly Awesome!
As a new transcriptionist (without any formal training), I was struggling with medical terms. Stedman's Spellchecker has improved my speed and skills immensely. You can simply right click on a misspelled word and the correct spelling is brought up. Click on the correct spelling and it is inserted into your document. It is truly awesome!

I also have Stedman's Electronic Dictionary. If I am still unsure about a word, all I need do is click the word, click on the Stedman's dictionary icon at the top of my MS Word toolbar, and the definition is there for me. ... Read more

Book Description

Univ. of Colorado, Denver. Substantial knowledge base in anesthesia and insights for the decisive and safe practice of anesthesia. Features answers that have pearls, tips, memory aids, and 'secrets.' Bulleted lists and algorithms, For students' test preparation. Previous edition: c1996. Softcover. DNLM: Anesthesia--Examination Questions. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Anesthesia Secrets
I have used this book, periodically, since my CA-1 year, and I find the material to be useful as an adjunct, or supplementation, in my studies for my anesthesiology boards.

You should not use this book alone to learn the art and science of anesthesiology, as the discipline requires a voluminous amount of study to be a safe and competent practitioner. This book, however, is good for it's intended use by the Author, James Duke, MD, University of Colorado, by taking a large amount of knowledge and making it digestable for practical scenarios.

Solid references and bibliographies make this a reliable resource.

Excellent Summary of Most Important topics in Anesthesia
I owned the first edition of this book during medical school while taking a rotation in Anesthesiology, and it was an INVALUABLE aid! I could find many answers to questions I was "pimped" on during the rotation, which were hard or impossible to find in the standard large text books. I highly recommend it to anyone doing a rotation in, planning on going into, or working in and around Anesthesiologists! An absolutely wonderful book, buy it!

A book everyone in anesthesia should have
Where you can get the "MEAT" of each area without reading a lot of miscellaneous information. ... Read more

Book Description

A comprehensive, reliable source of information on all aspects of animal healthcare, completely redesigned and updated with 500 additional pages and more than 50 new or expanded topics. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Concise, affordable reference
The Merck Manual's new edition is a much needed update to previous editions. The book follows the same, easy to follow formal and includes sections on exotic animals that were not a part of previous editions. It is a very affordable although fairly comprehensive reference to general veterinary medicine.

Some veterinary students have found this a very useful book for reviewing while studying for National Boards.

The book's main flaw is that references are poorly cited, and for the most part, are non-existent.

Great Bathroom Reading For The Layman
Want to know what to feed your sheep? Or your lizard? Want to know why your cow has the sniffles? This book has it!

I have an old dogeared (heh) copy of the people book these folks put out. I decided to pick up the veterinary manual after acquiring a rabbit. (I was using the people book to look up feline ailments, which mapped extremely well to the entries in the people book. The rabbit is a little space alien, as far as that goes.) I sat down with some crackers and a cup of coffee and had a blast riffling through the book and pondering over such delightful words are ruminants and ungulates.

I felt the book was not the most intuitively organized book I've ever seen, but it's a great reference manual (once you get the hang of it) and is fun to flip through if the only animals you have ever dealt with have been cats and dogs.

One big problem is that I will go along reading something and have no idea what species I am reading about. I'm a little concerned about what I am going to do in an emergency. "Now is that a lagomorph problem? Oh wait. It's talking about the patient's trunk! Or is that a uvula?"

So, I liked it, but not as much as, say "The Book of the Cat". The rabbit did not (he bit it and shoved it onto the floor) and the cats want to own it (they rubbed their chins on it.)

Its a great peek into the lives of farmers and zookeepers at any rate. I wonder how veterinarians feel about it?

If only i could purchase MVM when I was student...
Very useful book. Exposition language very easy. Altough my english isn't good, I understand and MVM help to me.

Invaluable if you know what you are talking about
This is a great book. If you already know alot, then you will be all set. I've only been an assistant for 2years, and reading this is difficult, if I didn't have a vet dictionary I would be lost. If you are well trained then I see this as a wonderful book to have, maybe invaluable.

Great referencing!
As a veterinary technician who graduated in '94 and is out of the clinics, but still works in Animal care, it is the best. I refer back to it all the time. I don't remember everything I was taught and especially being away from practices, it is perfect. It has EVERYTHING!! I carry it with me, it is like my bible! Nothing beats this either, I had other books that I have tried to refer to, but this is ideal as I stated it has everything. ... Read more

Book Description

This now-classic text presents the most relevant points in clinical neuroanatomy with mnemonics, humor and case presentations. The book now includes and interactive CD with a lab section, 3D rotations, interactive anatomy, tutorial on neurologic localization, and quiz. Third edition. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

I love, love, love this book and CD!!!
Before this book I always had a hard time with Neuro. I just got by when I took the class and I did below average on the subject on step one. Before I took a rotation in Neuro I read this book and it changed everything for me. Now I love to get neuro questions and I'm much more secure about patients with neuro presentations. Although it does not provide the detail as you would get from a comprehensive book, it makes the basics and the most common problems very clear. The CD is helpful and fun! It should be used along with the book; not just at the end. The CD has many pictures (gross and drawings) that help to visualize the neuro layout of the CNS. The great thing about this book is that you can read and understand it in a couple days if you're motivated.

Great book
Goldberg just hit a home run with this book and anatomy made ridic simple. Neuro combined with the high yield fix book complement each other so well. Together they should be your primary board review. They are also great to read for you med school course also. Beautiful books

Superficial explanations, too small in size, disorganized.
Well the thing about this book is that it really is not organized very well. So if you think that you're going to feel like your reading microbiology MRS book and getting that feeling like your really learning easily from it forget it. That is what I thought.
They book can get you frustrated at many pages and areas as you're reading it because it only explains crucial stuff superficially. I really liked the CD that came with it tho.
Although over simplistic; but builds up your confidence; so I really use the CD, I liked the CD even more then the book itself; you should read the book first to get the most out of the CD that comes with it. You need a nice atlas of neuroanatomy when reading this book....
Once you get to the end of this book and use the CD you feel better about it, you're feeling a little better by then but it's so weird the side of the book its so small does not give you enough room to add notes to it. The drawings are too small and not really enough to be considered good for the reader; you really get a little lost easily here and there when trying to follow the stuff that it tells you to look at in the text.
The pictures that it tells you to follow are misplaced in the pages...
They could be better positioned.
And also it does not explain stuff very well I mean if he just stretched out more when he's already explaining something it would be great, like when he talked about the brown sequad syndrome I had to read it elsewhere because I did not get the picture from reading his book alone of what that was.
Although the author tries to convey the message in an easy way, that makes it undemanding for you to understand it, the disorganization and the lack of explanations on some areas don't make this book thorough...
That's why the FA book rates it as a B book and not as an A book like it does for HY neuroanatomy.
I prefer this book's format tho then HY neuroanatomy but the quality of this book in several aspects could be so much improved.
The author should for his 4th edition pay a little more attention to the overall shape of the book and break down all the stuff that he's trying to explain; like really talk to the students; don't mind it's size that it might get to be, the important thing should be that then you can easily follow a very hard subject, such as neuroanatomy. In order to make its ratings go up, the size of the book should increase in size.
It will make it easier for us to follow and add notes, y?know graphs and all?
Meaning that this book has some flaws right that could be fixed very easily, overall you need a really nice neuroanatomy atlas to get the most out of this book.
It really stresses you out trying to read through those small letterings and the small drawings and so forth and so on.
It's already got its way cutout for to being an A+ rated book...
Just needs a little more shaping in place especially with the length of its explanations too and the size of the book which I think should be about the size of the same book from the series microbiology made ridiculously simple for in that way it would be easier to look at the hand made drawings plus the fact that we could add notes to it.
thereza,Recife,Pernambuco.
Brazil.

This is the FIRST and ONLY place to start studying neuro!
As a medical student, I suggest that this is the first place you go to learn about neuroanatomy. It gives you the basics and builds a foundation that you can build on. After a few hours with this book, I was weeks ahead of my classmates!

It's a kind of magic
I'm a emergency physician. In my junior residency,i had a hard time approaching the neurology patients, so needed neuroscience knowledge urgently. However most books i had met were tomes and time-consuming for me, also i had to get more back of neuroanatomy for understanding big books. Accidentally i started this book. it's took only three days even in busy resident period. OH!!! It's a magical experience. This book prevented me from being burned out and saved my day and also gave me self-confidence on the neurology. At last,I could understand - the notorious - "one and a half syndrome" which even Adam's neurology failed to teach me. So fantastic. I couldn't forget that feeling. I highly recommend this book for all beginner stuck by neurology. ... Read more

Book Description

In the modern age of digital health care, Picture Archiving and Communications Systems (PACS) have become a fundamental part of the technological infrastructure supporting the practice of radiology.

This title provides the reader with a comprehensive overview of this blossoming technology. With contributions from leaders in the field of PACS, this user-friendly guide addresses the introductory concepts, computing fundamentals, advanced imaging technologies, and future opportunities. This text is geared towards radiologists, technologists, administrators, and IT professionals wishing to gain a broader understanding of this emerging field. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A Useful Book to Learn About PACS
My review of the book is through the perspective of someone who is somewhat knowledgeable about computer technology but quite lacking in my knowledge of PACS, radiology workflow and processes, and imaging technologies.

Quite simply, this book met all of my goals in filling in the gaps in my knowledge. I'm not going to go through the entire book, but I am going to discuss the chapters that I personally found most useful.

FINANCIAL MODELING
Information technology is full of interesting ideas that lack "financial legs". This chapter discussed finances behind a film-based radiology department and a filmless one including techniques for developing a business case for a PACS.

DICOM
This chapter provides a primer on DICOM. Having a stronger background in HL7, I found this chapter useful in unraveling the mystery and secret language used by DICOM professionals. I now understand the business rational and use of each of the DICOM transactions.

WORKFLOW
This chapter described the workflows in a film-based department and how the workflow should change after the proper implementation of a PACS. Workflow is described from the perspective of the patient, the technologist, and the radiologist. I feel comfortable in creating "straw man workflows" after reading this chapter. One of the most interesting things in this chapter was a description of a traditional time and motion study performed on radiologists before the implementation of a PACS and after implementation.

IMAGE ACQUISITION
This chapter familiarized the reader with the modalities that supply the images to the PACS. I learned about each modality, the different technologies for getting images digitized.

OTHER INTERESTING CHAPTERS
The book also had chapters on Computing Fundamentals, Networking Fundamentals, and Storage Technologies that would be excellent for someone needing a primer in those areas.

SUMMARY
Also, the book did good job of covering certain relevant technical details that would appeal to the more technically inclined but would add to my credibility to be able to understand at a superficial level: Imaging Workstation Technologies, Image Compression, Voice Recognition, Teleradiology, Legal Issues, and Utilization Management.

Excellent Read and Reference
I too, as the above customer, bought this book to plan the installation of a PACS in our 150 bed hospital. The experiences of the authors and the depth of coverage was excellent for myself (RT/PACS administrator) and the chief of our department (radiologist) as we planned our PACS system. I learned everything I needed to have an intelligent conversation with the vendors we chose to deal with. Our next task will be voice recognition which the book discusses in detail. Thanks!

A PACS Planner's dream!
We are in the process of installing a system wide PACS system at our 350 bed hospital and this book was a god-sent. Explanations are clear and concise, pertinent for all levels of users. I am a radiologist, but our administrator and PACS (to be) administrator also gained much valuable information from this publication. ... Read more

Book Description

Widely recognized as the gold standard of positioning texts, this highly-regarded, comprehensive resource features more than 400 projections and excellent full-color illustrations augmented by MRI images for added detail to enhance the anatomy and positioning presentations. In three volumes, it covers preliminary steps in radiography, radiation protection, and terminology, as well as anatomy and positioning information in separate chapters for each bone group or organ system. High-quality images of commonly requested projections, as well as those less commonly requested, show the reader how to properly position the patient so the resulting radiograph provides information needed to correctly diagnose the problem. Information is also provided on a variety of special imaging modalities and situations, including mobile radiography, operating room radiography, computed tomography, cardiac catheterization, magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasound, nuclear medicine technology, bone densitometry, positron emission tomography, and radiation therapy. ... Read more

Book Description

This beginning-level program prepares health care professionals to better communicate with Spanish-speaking patients. Technical material, medical terminology, and grammatical terms are integrated into realistic, situational dialogues and accompanying exercises. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Excellent textbook for courses in medical Spanish
This is the best textbook that I have found for a course in Spanish for the Medical Professions. It's also an excellent book for anyone in the medical professions who already knows the basics of Spanish and wants to learn the kind of Spanish necessary to interact with his or her patients. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Merck Manual
This is a comprehensive book, detailing nearly every type of ailment known to mankind. Those who judge just one small portion of it (who may or may not have medical degrees to support their opinions) do the work an injustice by focusing on the narrow instead of the entire range of the book.

This book is full of detail that the average person can comprehend. At times the book does seem a bit rigid in that certain ailments can only occur in specific parts of the body. Case in point, my wife was diagnosed with a ganglion cyst on her ankle, an uncommon location, but according to the book, such cysts are limited to the wrist.

But this does not detract from the overall usefullness of this book as a standard reference. Of course, no book should be the sole source of medical evaluation and doctors must be consulted as the needs arise.

Every home needs this!
This book should be in the library of every home. Are you worried that you have something that is serious? Do you need a self-diagnosis to comfort you or to push you to seek further medical advice? Do you want to know what the treatments are for the ailment you are suffering under? The Merck Manual has all the info you need in easy language to help you better your health. Many people go to a doctor unnecessarily wasting time and money when they feel "sick". However, this manual will give you enough info on practically every health problem/issue out there so that you can decide whether to just heal at home or need medical attention. If you're someone who always "fears the worst" this book will help you ease your fears; while at the same time it tells you the straight facts about a certain condition. In each section, the manual gives you a brief description of the condition/illness, then it gives you the symptoms and diagnosis, and then the prognosis and treatment. There are also VERY helpful appendices where there are lists of medical terms, drug names (generic and trade), and an address directory for all major conditions (in case you need to call a particular organization for more info on a certain condition). This book must be in every home library out there. It is an indispensable tool for a healthy and long life.

The Merck Manual of Medical Information
Fantastic book for in depth but easy to understand reference book. It give you information in plain English, it's almost like a novel but very educational. For an example: It might say "take acetaminophen (Tylenol)" It gives you the meaning to words that are uncommon to everyday usage. Another great aspect is the the book uses a lot of examples after the explanation so that you can fully understand and apply that information if not understood. I have a learning disability (LD and ADD) and I find it very easy to read and understand with out mind boggling confusion.

Article on circumcision
Having recently assisted at the birth of my son and well informed in the most up-to-date research into the anatomy of the penis and the history and practice of circumcision in the U.S., I read with some surprise and no little chagrin the tendentious and rather uninformed presentation on the subject of circumcision. It is surprising that so little account is taken of penile anatomy or the rights of the subject (most often an infant) of this surgery. In the case of baby boys, no notice at all is taken of circumcision as the surgical removal of significant healthy genital tissue from healthy baby boys. A significant surgical procedure with no medical necessity...seems a bit odd to me. In any event, it certainly casts much doubt for me on the authority of the rest of the manual, which I surely hope stands on firmer scientific footing.

A must
This manual is a must for any house. It covers every medical problem out there. It'll inform you and help you. Not recommended for hyperchondriacs...just kidding. ... Read more

Book Description

This book provides practical advice for primary care providers (PCPs) about major trends that have emerged over the past five years, such as growing patient enrollment in managed care health plans, performance evaluation of PCPs by outside agencies, and the dramatic increase in billing being audited. This book links quality and reimbursement issues, using a systems approach that clinicians may incorporate into their practices. Customizable forms on disk include checklist progress note forms for the 20 most common primary care diagnoses and checklists of 20 primary care tasks for HEDIS measurements. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Essential Reference for Practice
Buppert's new book is truly exceptional.She weaves together the changing worlds of health care, business, law, research, and academia in a very practical way.She has created an irreplaceable resource for any and allof you nurse practitioners, physicians, and physician's assistants whodesire to strengthen your primary care practice, or to develop a practicefrom scratch.

Buppert, an active attorney and primary care nursepractitioner, states in the preface that her book explains: · How to getpaid the maximum appropriate reimbursement while complying with new federalcoding and billing guidelines · How to negotiate managed care contracts ·How to shine on managed care quality audits · How to monitor and improvemedical outcomes at the practice level · How to avoid malpractice · How tosave time while accomplishing all of the above.

Her book lives up to itspromise by compiling many essential guidelines and references in onelocation. It includes both the private managed care HEDIS measures,benchmarks, and national track record and the public U.S. Bureau of PublicHealth's "Put Prevention Into Practice" health guides.Itprovides sample forms for following patients with chronic diseases; systemsand measures to track patient satisfaction and functional status; andsystems to aid compliance with Medicare and other payer's billing codes. In addition, it gives proactive legal advice on self-monitoring ofdocumentation in order to avoid both malpractice and billing fraudliability.And, beyond this valuable information, is a chapter full ofpractical advice on setting up contracts with managed care organizations.

For those of us with an academic bent, additional references on qualityassessment and improvement ("performance measurement") will addto the solid foundation this book provides.Clinicians attentive tomeasuring outcomes of care will be well-served by the clear instructionsand easy-to-use templates in the book.

Buppert, in her legal practice,has for many years promoted fair contracts between primary care providersand managed care organizations.Her advice in this book is based onreal-life experience and negotiation on behalf of nurse practitioners,physicians, and physician's assistants.You would pay more for one hour ofan attorney's time than you will for this exceedingly helpfulbook!

Melinda Jenkins, PhD, RN,CS;Director, Family Nurse PractitionerProgram;School of Nursing,University of Pennsylvania;Philadelphia, PA 19104-6096 mjenkins@nursing.upenn.edu ... Read more

Reviews (2)

great book
I bought this book with not experience at all. By page 5 I was cutting in to people and having a ball. I removed a kidney by my self. This book is tops! Just kidding, bought this book for my wife who is an OR RN. Thought I would have a little fun...

A very helpful guide at work
I have never written a review on a textbook. However, I borrowed this book from a co-worker numerous times and found it to be incredibly helpful. I am a Registered Nurse whom is in a training program in the Operating Room. This book gives me a basic understanding of the proceedure to be performed and much anticipatory guidance. When dealing with a trauma or emergency surgery, I don't have time to go to the psuedo-classroom to research the operation. This book fits right into my scrub's pocket. It is brief, concise and to the point. Sure Gray's Anatomy is the most detailed and reliable source for any nurse, but who has the time and patience when you are in a hurry? I not only reccomend this book for Nurses in training, but also to seasoned Nurses who may be thrown a curve ball in the middle of the night. ... Read more

Book Description

This compact handbook features dosage, side effect, and drug interaction information for all psychiatric drugs. It includes information that is useful to the psychiatrist, internist, and student ... Read more

Book Description

One-stop reference to more than 5,000 of the most frequently used terms, phrases and abbreviations associated with the eye and vision, and 1,000 abbreviations and acronyms. The definitions are in "plain English" so everyone can understand them, with phonetic pronounciations..

Special Features: Common misspellings are listed alphabetically, so you don't need to spell a word to find it; mini-definitions are within definitions, so you don't waste time looking up cross-references. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

The Tech Bowl Reference
If you want to compete - and win! - at the ATPO Tech Bowl at AAO (and local ophthalmology society Tech Bowl-style quiz competitions) this is among the best references to study, along with Stein/Slat/Stein.

A must for all eye-care professionals
This dictionary is perfect for the person who either can't spell perfectly 100% of the time, or wants to increase his/her eye terminology with more professional vocabulary. A must for all eye-care professionals!

Excellent book for Medical Transcriptionist
I am a Medical Transcriptionist who obtained an opthalmologist as one of the clients we transcribe for. I had no training in opthalmology, but with the use of this book I was able to transcribe each report as if I were doing it for years. This a great book. I hope they come out with more dictionaries that are geared towards other types of specialities (i.e. orthopedics, radiology, ob/gyn, etc... ... Read more

Book Description

Exploring Medical Language provides students in health care educational programs with the basic knowledge of medical language they need to communicate clearly and understand communication from other health care team members. LaFleur's strength has always been its clear presentation of not only medical terms built from word parts, but also those not built from word parts, which are sometimes omitted from other texts. The text also reviews anatomic terminology. Another popular feature of the book is its wealth of exercises that help the student memorize the word parts and their meanings, so that they can combine the parts to form medical terms. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

THANKS FOR THE "A" MYRNA!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Before I bought "Exploring Medical Language" I knew absolutely nothing, and I mean nothing about Medical Terminology.
And to tell you the truth, when I first opened this huge, intimidating, monster of a book, It scared... me... I mean, wouldn't "rhabdomyosarcoma" or "esophagogastroduodenoscopy"
frighten you (just a bit) I thought, nooooo way.

But I opened it, read it, did the cool excersises, listen the the audio tapes, played a bit with the CD-R.

She begins at the beginning.....Little baby steps.

All of a sudden... I was like, I get it! I really get it!
Not only that, but I was beginning to enjoy it.

The prefix, suffix, and word roots suddenely become beautiful, flowing words that make sense.
Myrna LaFleur Brooks made this book come alive, interesting, and allowed medical language to become a little bit like music.
Well, a little!!!! Thanx for the "A" Myrna! ... Read more

Book Description

Stress is generally defined as a strain upon a bodily organ or mental power. Depending on its duration and intensity, stress can have short- or long-lasting effects: it has been linked to heart disease, immune deficiency, memory loss, behavioral disorders, and much more. These effects on the individual also have a major impact on health care costs and services, employee productivity, and even violent crime.
The Encyclopedia of Stress is the first comprehensive reference source on stressors, the biological mechanisms involved in the stress response, the effects of activating the stress response mechanisms, and the disorders that may arise as a consequence of acute or chronic stress. While other books focus on specific aspects of stress, this three-volume set covers the entire spectrum of topics, with nearly 400 articles in all.
In addition to the subjects traditionally associated with the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (whereby the brain sends a message to the body to react), the Encyclopedia includes a wide range of related topics such as neuroimmune interactions, cytokines, enzymatic disorders, effects on the cardiovascular system, immunity and inflammation, and physical illnesses. It also goes beyond the biological aspects of stress to cover topics such as stress and behavior, psychiatric and psychosomatic disorders, workplace stress, post-traumatic stress, stress-reduction techniques, and current therapies. The Encyclopedia of Stress makes information easy to find and understand for a broad audience of researchers, clinicians, professionals, and students.

Key Features
* Presenting the first-ever encyclopedia on stress
* Brings together the latest information on stressors, stress responses, and the disorders that can result
* Covers stress from molecules to man to societies
* Contains nearly 400 articles, covering a wide range of stress-related topics
* Arranges topics in easily found alphabetical order
* Supplements each article with a glossary and further reading list
* Provides the most comprehensive coverage of stress available
* Includes extensive cross-referencing between articles and a complete subject index
* Covers hot topics, ranging from stress in the workplace and post-traumatic stress disorder to stress-related diseases
* Edited by one of the world's leading authorities on stress
* Written by more than 560 experts from 20 different countries
* Appeals to a wide audience seeking information on topics within and outside their areas of expertise ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Must Have!
This is a must have for any psychiatrist's office or any student. It's BIG and costs a lot but it worth it. Even non-professionals can use and understand it. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The 1998 10th edition of Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary marks the 100th anniversary of this distinguished and popular reference standard, and this is more than just an interesting statistic--it means that Merriam-Webster brings years of experience and reams of citation files to the creation of this latest edition. Improving on their last dictionary, they've added more than 100 pictorial illustrations and supplemented the synonym paragraphs with examples. Along with the English dictionary, which forms the heart of the reference, the editors at Merriam-Webster have included a brief introduction to the English language and a history of the English dictionary, a guide to pronunciation, and a series of appendices that include chemical element abbreviations and symbols, foreign words and phrases, extensive sections with biographical and geographical names, signs and symbols, and a handbook of style.

But getting back to the book itself--it's impressively comprehensive for a collegiate dictionary, with more than 215,000 definitions. Each item includes a pithy wealth of information, with first usage date, etymology, and pronunciation, and clear, precise definitions. In addition, there are often usage notes, synonym cross-references, illustrative quotations, variant spellings and pronunciations, regional labels, and information on capitalization, function, and inflections. Then there are the extra touches. Under bible, for example, there's a chart detailing books of the Old Testament, Jewish Scripture, Protestant apocrypha, and books of the New Testament. Under months is a table listing the months of the principal calendars--Gregorian, Jewish, and Islamic. And wonderful line drawings illustrate terms such as mackerel, lyrebird, hedgehog, and the ancient Celtic stringed instrument known as a crowd. All this makes it a valuable reference--detailed enough for editors and writers, accessible enough for students and casual definition seekers, updated with the new vocabulary of technology, and rigorous enough for the linguistic perfectionists. --Stephanie Gold ... Read more

Reviews (77)

A thorough guide for almost all dictionary users
The MW Tenth is the latest in my nearly complete collection of this company's series of dictionaries. I began with the Fifth and bought each as they were published This current edition (Tenth) has increased the size and scope of desk dictionaries -- it is much larger than many previous editions (the Eighth and Ninth are of similar size) and contains such a wealth of information that almost no one would outgrow it. I find the Tenth useful not only in itself, but in the context of its predecessors. Words change their meaning over time and a new dictionary is essential to knowing exactly where a word is at this time -- as well as using previous editions to see where it came from. I am proud to have contributed a word to the Ninth edition, still listed in the Tenth: "hizzoner." It took years of research, but how many people get their own entry in a major dictionary? The MW Tenth is a great book for just browsing and (not incidentally)learning just when a word entered the language. More "family reading" of dictionaries such as this might help young children enjoy their language.

Always the first reference I reach for
By updating Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary every
10-12 years, its publishers continue to provide wordsmiths, copy editors, students, teachers, and folks who simply love learning about the English language (American style) a great service and indispensable reference.

Though at heart, this certainly is a robust, up-to-date dictionary, the additional reference information proves valuable for a host of purposes. The histories, guides, and lists that span the opening section should not be regarded merely as the arcane turf of lexicographers and linguists. For the most part, these are great resources worth your attention. Likewise, there are appendices that delve into such varied subject matter as foreign words and phrases, chemical element, geographical names, and a style guide.

Do not be misled by the fact this volume is called a collegiate dictionary. It is also the dictionary favored by legions of copy editors charged with maintaining consistency and correctness in myriad publications of all sorts, from newspapers to newsletters. This dictionary has always been the most responsive to changes in the language, and each new edition swells by thousands of new entries. The standard features are all here of course: bold-face entries, pronunciation, economical but precise definitions and usage examples, and all the other details you need. In addition to the small, inset line drawings that grace every few pages, there are occasional half-page illustrations that expand certain terms.

Sure there are going to be some errors that pundits and nitpickers will gleefully cite, but it you consider the how much information is packed into this hardback edition (I would never buy a paperback dictionary)...you can do no better.

Very good for everyday use
An important issue with choosing a dictionary is finding a balance that meets your needs.

My first choice of dictionaries is the 20 volume OED for depth and breadth of coverage. Some disadvantages of the OED are the price and the size. My second choice of dictionaries is the Shorter OED, which is smaller (2 volumes) and cheaper, but has about 1/3 of the entries (roughly 500,000).

My third choice of dictionaries is the "New Oxford American Dictionary," which is easy to carry and use - it has roughly 250,000 words. The NOAD is handy because it has definitions arranged in order of most common usage - "core meanings" followed by related senses. It does not have the extensive literary citations that the OED and shorter OED have.

My fourth choice of dictionaries is probably the Webster's Third New International Dictionary, Unabridged, which has about 450,000 words. The disadvantages of this dictionary are that the main text has not been updated since 1961 (although an 89 page addenda is added at the beginning), the layout is hard to follow, and it's a bit unwieldy.

Which brings me to my fifth choice of dictionaries, which is the Merriam-Webster's Collegiate dictionary. This dictionary has roughly 200,000 words, so it loses some breadth and depth of coverage. However, it's very useful for everyday use, and a nice balance between portability and breadth and depth of coverage.

does this really need a review?
somethings are just great and need no reviews. This is one of them. If you read, you need this.

Good Practical Dictionary
This Dictioanry is a real bargain for the price you pay. Pretty much all the words, esoteric or otherwise that you come across in the course of your reading is covered by this very useful tome. The newer edition with the CD-ROM functionality should be the real clincher. Of course comparison the the unabridged OED is unfair for this book, but that would be something else to look at if you have a lot of cash to spare :)
The only problem I have with it is rather minor; External looks if you will; The red cloth bound binding is jarring on the eye; The edges of the book are splashed with fine red droplets of ink (perhaps interntionally?) - But that's a minor hiccup for a book that packs in so much for so little! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Extremely Small Print
Even people with good eye sight will struggle with this...had I known that I would have got the large print version. As for the thesaurus itself.. it is pretty good. There are a few little code symbols you have to remember and you may have to bounce around the book a bit to get that "perfect" word. It is full of words though and probably a good buy for kids grades 8-12. If it would have had just a little bit larger print I would have rated it 4 stars but being able to read it is an important thing...especially if you have to work on something a little later in the evening when your eyes are slightly strained all ready. ... Read more