Newest Reference Reviews

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Great Britain Concise Catalogue 2016 by Hugh Jefferies

Reference

It's difficult to believe that it's the 30th anniversary of the first publication of Great Britain Concise, but this is the thirty-first edition, with just under 500 pages and over three and a half thousand illustrations. It feels almost painful to look back to the days when the choice was between the Collect British Stamps series which never pretended (or pretends) to be more than a checklist (but got many people off to a sound start - myself included) and the specialised series, which is beyond the purse of many amateur collectors. Great Britain Concise sits comfortably between the two extremes with an affordable cover price. Full review...

24 Hours at the Somme by Robert Kershaw

Reference

They came past one by one...walking lumps of clay, with torn clothing, hollow cheeks and sunken eyes...There was a dreadful weariness, but a wildness burning in their fevered eyes, showing what this appalling hand to hand fighting had cost them. Utterly unforgivable for me...

So goes the description of the men, the ghosts, at the end of the first day of the Somme. July 1 2016 will mark 100 years since this most bloody of battles took place. It was supposed to be the optimistic 'Big Push' that would end the Great War, but by sunset of the first day the British casualties numbered 57,470. The battle would rage until November that year, with the total number of casualties on all sides exceeding one million. Full review...

The Oxford Dictionary of Original Shakespearean Pronunciation by David Crystal

Reference

Language changes, not only in the way that it's written, but also in the way that it's pronounced. I've seen changes over my lifetime and even more substantial changes have occurred in the four hundred years since Shakespeare died. For someone watching or reading a play the differences are not usually material: we can generally understand what is being said, but occasionally we're going to miss jokes which rely on a certain pronunciation, or the fine nuances of what is being said. What's required is a dictionary of the original pronunciation and that's exactly what David Crystal has provided. I'm only surprised that it's taken so long for such a book to appear. Full review...

Worlds Elsewhere by Andrew Dickson

Reference

From the sixteenth-century Baltic to the American Revolution, from colonial India to the skyscrapers of modern-day Shanghai, Shakespeare's plays appear at the most fascinating of times in the most unexpected of places. But what is it about Shakespeare – a man who never once left England, which has made him an icon across the globe? Travelling across four continents, six countries and 400 years, Worlds Elsewhere attempts to understand Shakespeare in his role as an international phenomenon. Full review...

Words of a Feather by Graeme Donald

Reference

Words of a Feather. The title alone suggests an engaging read about language, and the book certainly delivers. It pairs seemingly unrelated words, digs up their etymological roots and reveals their common ancestry. The English language, of course, provides rich pickings indeed for a book of this type and it is fascinating to see the hidden meaning behind common and not-so-common words. Some connections are fairly obvious once you read them. For example, the link between grotto and grotesque is easy to grasp: the word grotesque derives from unpleasant figures depicted in murals in Ancient Roman grottoes. Other connections are just extraordinary, like the so-crazy-you-couldn't-make-it-up connection between furnace and fornicate. These two words date back to Ancient Rome when prostitutes took over the city's abandoned baking domes. And some connections are more than a little tenuous, seemingly just a collection of words banded together, as is the case with the insult and salmon pairing. One of my personal favourites: the Italian word schiavo for slave was used to summon or dismiss a slave; this word became corrupted to ciao, a word the more well-heeled among us use instead of goodbye. Full review...

The Art of Stephen Hickman by Stephen Hickman

Fantasy

Stephen Hickman has been a well known artist in the Fantasy and Science Fiction worlds for a number of years now, having created covers for authors such as Harlan Ellison, Robert Heinlein, Anne McCaffrey, and Larry Niven. His paintings are vibrant, kinetic, sometimes scary, often sensual, traditional, and yet modern. The Art of Stephen Hickman collects hundreds of these paintings, and the artist himself provides an intriguing commentary alongside which offers a fascinating glimpse into the artistic process. Full review...

How Good is Your Grammar? by John Sutherland

Reference

In the preface of How Good is Your Grammar?, John Sutherland suggests that the abolition of grammar schools in the 1960s coincided with a general decline in grammatical standards in the decades that followed. In our modern age of 'text-speak' and emoticons, the need for grammatical correctness seems to be rather low on our agenda, maybe even regarded as irrelevant by some. Is this gradual erosion an inevitable part of the evolution of communication, or will certain rules always remain an intrinsic part of the fabric of language? Only time will tell, but for those wishing to brush up on their grammar skills, Sutherland has compiled 100 quiz questions that he claims are the ultimate test for his readers. Full review...

Stitches in Time: The Story of the Clothes We Wear by Lucy Adlington

History

Stitches in Time is a lively history of clothing. Riffling through the wardrobes of years gone by, costume historian Lucy Adlington reveals the stories underneath the clothes we wear in this tour of the history of fashion, ranging from ancient times to the present day. With beautiful illustrations and full colour photographs, Stitches in Time is a reminder of how the way we dress is inextricably bound up with considerations of aesthetics, sex, gender, class and lifestyle – and offers the reader the chance to appreciate the extraordinary qualities of the clothing we wear, and the rich history it has led. Full review...

Harry Potter: The Character Vault by Jody Revenson

Entertainment

Unlock new information about your favourite characters from the Harry Potter film series. This coffeetable book profiles the good, bad, and everything in between – from Harry and Ron to Voldemort and Umbridge. Hugely detailed and filled with beautiful illustrations, images, and never before seen glimpses into the design process – this book will answer your questions about character design in the Harry Potter series. Full review...

Neurotribes: The Legacy of Autism and How to Think Smarter about People Who Think Differently by Steve Silberman

Reference

Neurotribes is is an ambitious book. It aims to challenge the widely-held perception that autism is a disability, or a developmental delay. One of my favourite quotes from the book is this:

One way to understand neurodiversity is to think in terms of 'human operating systems' instead of diagnostic labels... Just because a computer is not running Windows doesn't mean that it's broken.

This refreshing approach underpins the whole of this ground-breaking work, which is essentially a potted-history of autism from the distant past to the present day. It will fascinate and enlighten anyone with an interest in the subject, or who is affected, directly or indirectly, by the condition. For autistic people, this book represents their roots; their cultural history, and illustrates how far the autistic community have come over the past few decades. Full review...

Scout, Atticus and Boo by Mary McDonagh Murphy

Reference

First published in 1960, ‘’To Kill a Mockingbird’’ is not only a beloved classic, but a touchstone in literary and social history. ‘’Scout, Atticus & Boo’’ commorates the fifty years plus since ‘’To Kill a Mockingbird’’ was published, and discusses its impact with contributions from Oprah Winfrey, James Patterson, Adriana Trigiani and Wally Lamb amongst others – particularly Alice Finch Lee, Harper Lee’s older sister who passed away last year. Full review...

Great Britain Concise Stamp Catalogue 2015 by Stanley Gibbons

Reference

The thirtieth edition of the Stanley Gibbons Concise Stamp catalogue lives up to expectations once again. It's been extensively updated and prices have been revised in line with the current market, leading to thousands of price increases (particularly in varieties, errors, Machins, Post & Go stamps and booklets), which will please you - or not - depending on whether you're a seller or a buyer. It's pitched at that sector of the market which has outgrown Collect British Stamps, but not yet graduated to the Stamps of the World series. The cover price of £34.95 is reasonable when you see the amount of work - and technology - which has gone into the creation of the book. Full review...

National Geographic Kids Infopedia 2016

Annuals. They are not what they used to be. As a child, I remember snuggling into a chair with my 1983 “Crackerjack” annual and being completely immersed by the facts, stories, jokes and activities inside. Maybe I'm getting old, but many of today's annuals seem to be little more than a few flimsy sheets of colouring paper and posters sandwiched inside a hard cover. If, as a parent, you are aching to buy your children something with a little more substance and quality, then the National Geographic Infopedia 2016 may be just what you are looking for. Full review...

Oxford Illustrated Shakespeare Dictionary by David and Ben Crystal

Reference

David Crystal, renowned linguist, writer, editor, lecturer and broadcaster has collaborated with his son Ben, Shakespearean actor, author, director and producer to create an eye catching, exquisitely detailed, carefully colour coded and incisive reference guide. It is extensive and meticulously researched- a fusion of the Crystals’ Shakespearean knowledge, linguistic skill and theatrical enthusiasm. Lavishly illustrated by Kate Bellamy, who favours a bright, attractive primary colour palette, this dictionary is a treasure trove for any student of Shakespeare. This would be a five star review but for a minor quibble- it is missing an index of characters which would have been useful for pupils assigned character studies as they could have cross referenced the explanatory entries with quotes or themes. It also only concentrates on Shakespeare’s twelve most performed plays so it is not an exhaustive treatment of his work. Full review...

The Economist Style Guide: 11th Edition

If you don't write what you mean, how will people know what you mean? Full review...

Oceans in 30 Seconds by Jen Green and Wesley Robins

Popular Science

Oceans in 30 Seconds is the latest book in the innovative series from Ivy Press, which aims to give an informative and entertaining overview of a given subject in bite-sized chunks. Each given subject has its own two-page spread, with a concise description on the left, covering all of the main points, and a colourful illustration on the right hand page, complete with extra snippets of information. Each chapter also has a handy 3-second sum up, which further condenses the main idea of the chapter into a single sentence. Full review...

The Oxford Companion to Children's Literature by Daniel Hahn

Reference

When I was a child, some sixty and more years ago, there were not many books for children or, indeed, much money to buy what was available. Forty years ago, when my daughter was a child there were more and the libraries were relatively well stocked. But in the last thirty years children's books have flourished. I'm no great fan of Harry Potter but even the most hardened cynic would have to admit that the wizard has brought a lot of children to reading - and to enjoying it too. In the same period we've seen books tackling difficult subjects become mainstream and the rise of young adult fiction. From near-famine we've moved to feast, but what we need now is guidance. Full review...

J.K. Rowling: A Bibliography 1997 - 2013 by Philip W Errington

Reference

Just occasionally it's necessary to begin by saying what a book isn't: J.K. Rowling: A Bibliography 1997 - 2013 isn't the latest book by J K Rowling - she had no part in the writing of the book and doesn't profit from it financially. It isn't, actually, about J K Rowling other than indirectly. It is a book about her writings, bibliographic details of each edition of ALL her books, pamphlets, and contributions to published works. It is not a book for the reader who loved the Harry Potter books and wishes that Rowling had written many more, but rather the definitive text about the books which will be consulted by scholars, book dealers and collectors, auction houses and researchers. The most obvious comparison for me is Stamps of the World by Stanley Gibbons. It is of that class. Full review...

Everyday Maths for Grown-Ups: Getting to Grips with the Basics by Kjartan Poskitt

Reference

We all need maths - or so it says on the back of Everyday Maths for Grown Ups and whilst you could exist without a basic knowledge, life is going to be so much easier if you can check receipts, do the calculations for that spot of DIY or work out if the 'bargain' you've been offered really is one. Kjartan Poskitt reckons that very few people are really confident with figures, but hopes that he can offer some help. Full review...

Everyday English for Grown-Ups: Getting to Grips with the Basics by Michelle Finlay

Reference

It can seem a long time since we learned the nuts and bolts of the English language when we were at school. At the time the niceties of colons and intricacies of apostrophes weren't really that relevant to our lives and it's only when we miss out on a good job because our English isn't up to scratch or someone makes a scathing remark about our abuse of the language that we realise that we could do with an urgent and discreet brushup. Step forward Everyday English for Grown-ups - and it's aimed at native and non-native English speakers. Full review...

Dementia: The One-Stop Guide: Practical advice for families, professionals, and people living with dementia and Alzheimer's Disease by June Andrews

Reference

Worldwide there are probably as many as 44.4 million people who suffer from dementia and many times that number of family, friends, carers and relatives who are affected by what is happening to the sufferer. There's no cure, but it's not terminal and the symptoms (memory loss would seem to be the most common, but in some cases there are hallucinations, sexual or verbal disinhibition, not being able to work things out, difficulty in learning something new, finding your way about, or coping with the normal symptoms of aging) affect everyone involved. If you talk to people who are aging then it's not uncommon for them to say that they'd rather have cancer than dementia as you're unlikely to be an endless burden on other people. Full review...

The Ultimate Guide to Writing and Marketing a Bestselling Book - on a Shoestring Budget by Dee Blick

Reference

I've always thought that NANOWRIMO is a brilliant idea. The nights are longer, the weather uninspiring: what better time to get the first draft of your novel written with support from a lot of other people who are all trying to do the same thing? There is a downside for reviewers though: far too many people think that this is the end of their labours and the fledgling manuscript is uploaded onto Kindle and there's disappointment when the book is either not well received or doesn't sell - or sometimes both. Knowing which book it is that you have in you is a great start - but after that you need a structured plan of action and sound advice as to what you need to do to turn your work into a bestseller. Full review...

Little Oxford Dictionary of Word Origins by Julia Cresswell (Editor)

Reference

Derived from the Oxford Dictionary of Word Origins, the Little Oxford Dictionary of Word Origins tells the stories behind a thousand words, divided into a hundred themes from Adventure through to Writing by way of the rest of the alphabet. For each word within a theme we're told in which language the it originated and its original meaning - thus for Infant we find that it comes from the Latin in meaning not and fari for speaking. The two parts put together tell of someone who has not yet reached legal majority rather than a child who has not yet learned the value of the word 'Why?' In Italian infante means youth as well as foot soldier. From this came infanteria, which English adopted as infantry in the sixteenth century. Full review...

Oxford Dictionary of Quotations by Elizabeth Knowles (Editor)

Reference

I have known people to be just a little snooty about the fact that I have had a copy of the current edition of the Oxford Dictionary of Quotations on my bookshelf for over forty years, suggesting that it was a book for people who hadn't read the original books. I long ago accepted that I would never have the time to read all the books I (might) want - or feel I ought - to read and I've found the dictionary an invaluable work of reference and source of inspiration for half a century. Where else would you find over 20,000 quotations, covering centuries, every subject, with wit, wisdom and food for thought? Yes - I know they're probably all there on the internet - somewhere, but I've got them in one volume on the shelf in front of me. Full review...

I Used to Know That: English by Patrick Scrivenor

Reference

I doubt that there can be anything more unnerving than reviewing a book written by someone who is an expert in written English. I've even worried about that first sentence. But at school I loved English Grammar and a good deal of it has stuck. I'm conscious of being pedantic about mistakes other people make - but increasingly aware that there are gaps in my own knowledge which should be plugged. This book seemed like the ideal opportunity, but I'll confess that the subtitle 'Stuff You Forgot From School' made me nervous I was going to be back to reading a school textbook. Full review...

I Used to Know That: Maths by Chris Waring

Reference

Maths teacher Chris Waring starts this book with the basics and gradually works his (and our) way through to about the level of GCSE. It's only 192 pages, so you can't expect it to be exhaustive but the great thing is that it isn't exhausting. Waring explains concepts clearly and with humour but most importantly he shows why the subject is important and how it can be applied to life, covering such subjects as winning - or failing to win - the lottery and the chances of being dealt a royal flush at poker. It's not just the examples which are new - it's a major improvement on the 'you will learn this because I'm telling you that you have to' approach which blighted the subject for so many of us. Full review...

It's Been Said Before: A Guide to the Use and Abuse of Cliches by Orin Hargraves

Reference

I don't usually start a review by telling you what a book isn't, but in this case it's important. This isn't a light-hearted look at the subject, such as we found in Cliches: Avoid Them Like the Plague by Nigel Fountain and which - laughing and blushing in equal measure - we shelved under 'trivia'. This book will be shelved under 'reference': it's a rigorous look at the problem with the clichés divided not by subject matter, but grammatically and with an introduction to each section which gives all the information you need to help in making judgements about your own writing. This isn't a book to amuse you, but to help you to improve your use of words. Full review...