The Life and Adventures of Maj. Roger Sherman Potte

Book Description

Whether you swim, run, cycle, cross-country ski, or compete in multievents, SERIOUS Training for Serious Athletes is the tool you need to become the best possible endurance athlete. Use these 7 components of the SERIOUS system to enhance your training:

Speed workouts

Endurance or Easy Distance training

Race/Pace sessions to test your fitness level

Intervals of high-intensity workouts on flat terrain

Overdistance sessions of prolonged, low-level activity for base building

Up/Vertical intervals to enhance mental and physical toughness Strength workouts for overall and sport-specific conditioning

SERIOUS Training for Serious Athletes shows you how to design a personalized year-round training plan by modifying the SERIOUS plan designed for your sport. You'll finally have a sure-fire method to reach peak racing condition safely and predictably.

SERIOUS Training for Serious Athletes provides the coach, trainer and athlete with solid guidelines for designing personalized training programs. Author Rob Sleamaker has analyzed the world's best systems of endurance sport training and devised this program by combining the most effective elements of each. SERIOUS Training for Serious Athletes includes sport-specific training recommendations for cyclists, distance runners, swimmers, canoeists, biathletes, triathletes, and all other endurance athletes.

Customer Reviews:

A Serious Book for Serious Athletes-No Kidding.......2007-04-29

This is the first book a serious athlete should read on endurance and multisport training. It provides a great foundation for everything you will need to know to develop your own effective training program. The writing team of Sleamaker and Browning work well together. Sleamaker gives you the theory and the facts, and Browning puts them into practice.

Okay read.......2007-04-21

It has a lot of good ideas on how to create a training schedule. This isn't the main book I use but I do revert to some of the ideas on occasion.

Very helpful .......2005-11-18

I use this book in order to build my training schedule and I enjoy any minute. The book explains the different components of the periodic training method and presents a practical way to develope a yearly log for different types of endurance events (road races up to the marathon distance, triathlons and duathlons up to ironman/ powerman distances, cross-country race, cross-country skiing). I use this books for over a year now, and I find it very helpul.

The fifth star is missing because I find that the books is lacking a more comprehansive view for the periodization within the training week.

Good book.......2003-06-25

This is a good book for people who have never done a sport at a high level, because it will show you how to do a good training and give you ideas for exercises, it is also for people who plan to do some sport for a special event (for example, training for a 1 week or more mountain hiking)

I would not really recommend this book to people who already do high level taining and who allready are in a training program, because they probably allready know most of the exercises and ideas of this book (or at least something equivalent)

Excellent primer for a successful training program.......2003-06-13

I bought this book on the recommendations of Amazon customers and I must admit that I wasn't disapointed. Sometimes you don't know what you're going to get when everyone gives a book 5 stars. Sometimes it's hard to get an unbiased review.
I was pleased with the book and what others have said is true. I recommend this book to endurance athletes looking for reasons and explanations on why to train a certain way and what it will do for your body in the long run.
However, I am a competetive rower and there were few topics that took rowing into account. Most of the training is geared towards running/cycling/triathetes and not specific to rowing as much as I was hoping. Also, there is way too little emphasis on resistance training. Most of the book is about setting up a mathmatical training plan and says to devote time sparingly to strength training. I'm not an expert on other sports, but I do know that power through strength training is vital for a strong pull on those oars. I suggest devoting more time in the SERIOUS formula to weight training in the gym than the book suggests, especially in the early training weeks.

As for the rest of the book, it's great, but it takes a *LOT* of paperwork. Fortunately my wife is handy with MS Excel and plotted all the charts for me with forulas that makes it all easy. However, without her I know that I would be daunted and discouraged at the task of making all the charts and calculations by hand. In a future updated edition (I hope that they make one) the book should come with a CDROM loaded with all the charts and formulas, or at least a web site link for downloading them. In the 21st century it's good practice to have online content and I hope to see it with this great text book.

Book Description

Nutrition for Foodservice and Culinary Professionals is the must-have reference for the most thorough, up-to-date information on nutrition and diet. New and expanded material in this Sixth Edition addresses important topics such as the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, MyPyramid, balanced menu options and recipe ideas for morning and afternoon breaks, basic principles of food presentation, meeting special dietary needs, weight management, and much more!

Customer Reviews:

Future for nutrition.......2007-04-15

The Food Service is each day an wide open door for nutritionists. This book in particular is very helpfull on understanding the basic and advanced qualities needed for a professional acting in this area.

Great Text for Culinary Nutrition Class.......2004-10-03

I was assigned this text in my nutrition class in culinary school. The book was a joy to read because it was fun and easy to read. I really liked the section on vitamins and food sources of each vitamin. However, if you really want to know the type of questions asked in nutrition class in culinary school get the following. "Nutrtion Study Guide for Food Service and Culinary Professionals: Key Review Questions and Answers by Melissa Heilman. The isbn of this book is 1933023058. This book is right on with the type of questions that I accounted on my tests. With the help of these two books getting an "A" was quite easy.

A great guide for nutrition........2003-09-03

Very knowledgable book on nutrition including information for children and older adults. As a culinary professional I wanted to read up on the latest nutrition especially on soy and to improve my diet. I am also considering taking some courses, one of them is Sanitation. The Study Guide for the National Servsafe Exam by Dr. Leonardi was a book I found also very knowledgable and I am certain that it will help me with my exam once I decide when to take it.

Exactly what I needed........2002-07-19

This book was exactly what I needed. It contains all the information I needed. A great learning tool. The part of the book I am most impressed with is the section of infant nutrition. It explains month by month what you can feed your infant. An example is the 4th month of life, you can start your child on iron enriched cereals.

Nutrition for Foodservice and Culinary Professionals, Student Workbook

Average customer rating:

Nutrition for Foodservice and Culinary Professionals, Student Workbook
Karen Eich Drummond , and Lisa M. Brefere
Manufacturer: Wiley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Hospitality, Travel & Tourism | Industries & Professions | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0471312703

Book Description

Definitive, up-to-date coverage of nutrition

Nutrition for Foodservice and Culinary Professionals is the essential resource for the most complete, up-to-date information on nutrition and diet. New and expanded material in this Fifth Edition addresses such topics as biotechnology, vitamins, minerals, and organic foods. Many new tables and figures present a broader range of facts on the nutritional value of foods, as well as such timely material as "Food Practices of World Religions" and a "Reduced Calorie Menu for Asian-American Cuisine."

This new edition of Nutrition for Foodservice and Culinary Professionals features:

* New Dietary Reference Intakes for calories, carbohydrates, fats, proteins, and selected vitamins and minerals
* More "Chef's Tips" highlighting ways to incorporate nutritional knowledge into cooking and menus
* The Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes (TLC) Diet using the National Cholesterol Education Program 2001 clinical guidelines
* The 2002 American Cancer Society nutrition guidelines
* Up-to-date statistics on overweight and obesity in the United States and the latest information on weight loss, including drugs and surgery
* Updated Hot Topics, which discuss often controversial subjects related to nutrition, and expanded Nutrition Web Explorer activities

Nutrition for Foodservice and Culinary Professionals is used in certificate courses by the American Culinary Federation and the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation, and this Fifth Edition continues to be a bedrock resource for students and professionals in the foodservice industry.

Nutrition for Foodservice and Culinary Professionals, Study Guide

Average customer rating:

Nutrition for Foodservice and Culinary Professionals, Study Guide
Karen Eich Drummond , and Lisa M. Brefere
Manufacturer: Wiley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Professional | Professional Cooking | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

General | Nutrition | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0470099097

Book Description

Culinary Nutrition for Foodservice Professionals

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Culinary Nutrition for Foodservice Professionals
Carol A. Hodges
Manufacturer: Van Nostrand Reinhold Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0442226861

Nutrition for Foodservice & Culinary Professionals Instructors Guide 4e

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Nutrition for Foodservice & Culinary Professionals Instructors Guide 4e
KE Drummond
Manufacturer: John Wiley & Sons Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0471442070

Nutrition for Foodservice and Culinary Professionals, and Nraef Workbook Package

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Nutrition for Foodservice and Culinary Professionals, and Nraef Workbook Package
Karen Eich Drummond , and Lisa M. Brefere
Manufacturer: John Wiley & Sons Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Hospitality, Travel & Tourism | Industries & Professions | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0471442402

Nutrition for Foodservices & Culinary Professionals IM 4e

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Nutrition for Foodservices & Culinary Professionals IM 4e
KE Drummond
Manufacturer: John Wiley & Sons Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0471357359

Culinary nutrition for foodservice professionals: Instructor's manual

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Culinary nutrition for foodservice professionals: Instructor's manual
Roxanne Kapitan
Manufacturer: Van Nostrand Reinhold
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General | Nutrition | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B00072KAQU

Nutrition for Foodservice and Culinary Professionals

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Nutrition for Foodservice and Culinary Professionals
Karen Eich; Brefere, Lisa M. Drummond
Manufacturer: Wiley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000N7GBUI

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Asian Elephants ; Past Present and Future
Debabrata Swain
Manufacturer: International Book Distributors
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 8170893100

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THE DYNASTY OF ABU A HISTORY AND NATURAL HISTORY OF THE ELEPHANTS AND THEIR RELATIVES, PAST AND PRESENT
Ivan T. Sanderson
Manufacturer: Alfred A. Knopf
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000JWFHOI

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THE DYNASTY OF ABU: HISTORY AND NATURAL HISTORY OF THE ELEPHANTS AND THEIR RELATIVES PAST AND PRESENT.
Ivan T. Sanderson
Manufacturer: Cassell
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000HDTX6M

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The dynasty of Abu;: A history and natural history of the elephants and their relatives, past and present
Ivan Terence Sanderson
Manufacturer: Knopf
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Mammals | Zoology | Biological Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B0006AX1U0

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Elephants Past and Present (Johnston, Marianne. Prehistoric Animals and Their Modern-Day Relatives.)
Marianne Johnston
Manufacturer: PowerKids Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0823952029

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In Bed with an Elephant (Journey Through Scotland's Past & Present) - Ludovic Kennedy
Ludovic Kennedy
Manufacturer: Corgi
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Europe | History | Subjects | Books
Scotland | Europe | History | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000M6COAQ

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Events in the relationship of Scotland with England.

In Bed with an Elephant : A Journey Through Scotland's Past and Present
Ludovic Kennedy
Manufacturer: Corgi Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Europe | History | Subjects | Books
Scotland | Europe | History | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0552144746

Customer Reviews:

Events in the relationship of Scotland with England........1999-05-19

In Bed With An Elephant A Journey through Scotland's Past and Present Sir Ludovic Kennedy

Sir Ludovic Kennedy has taken the title from the statement by Pierre Trudeau, former Canadian Prime Minister, who, in a speech in Washington DC in 1969, said, "Living next to you (the USA) is in some ways like sleeping with an elephant: no matter how friendly and even-tempered the beast, one is affected by every twitch and grunt". The title does not immediately attract readers interested in Scotland's story. A pity, because the book is an insightful exploration of the relationship between Scotland and England from the Ice Age to the present day. Sir Ludovic describes himself as an Anglo-Scot. He is of Scots blood but Eton educated, nevertheless nailing his colours to the mast as a Scottish Nationalist.

The Journey through Scotland's Past and Present proceeds in a series of gigantic leaps linked by snatches of personal recollection. "Bonnie Prince Charlie" is treated with even handed objectivity, first with the romantic version, then an evaluation of his role in Scottish history and the part played by Flora Macdonald. The social effects of the Reformation, Calvinism and The Church of Scotland are examined. A commentary on Dr Samuel Johnson's "A Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland" and James Boswell's "The Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides lets us "see oursel's as ithers see us". Graphic accounts of the bloody times of King Edward I ("Hammer of the Scots") and the treatment by Queen Elizabeth I of Mary Queen of Scots explain the Scottish lack of respect for England's royal houses.

As his favourite Scots hero, Sir Ludovic picks the philosopher, David Hume, who he describes as The Great Infidel. He credits Hume with causing the scales (placed there by years of religious education) to fall from his eyes, quoting Hume, "It is an absurdity to believe that the Deity has human passions, and one of the lowest of human passions, a restless appetite for applause". Robert Burns is dealt with in a chapter of eight pages entitled The Fornicator, in which the author delights in the irony of The Church of Scotland commissioning a window for St Giles Cathedral in honour of Scotland's national poet who not only had been forced to do public penance for fornication, but who publicly deplored the sanctimonious hypocrisy of the Unco Guid in poems such as Holy Willie.

The story of Scottish patriots who, in 1950 removed The Stone of Destiny from Westminster Abbey and returned it to Scotland following the dishonouring by England of the promise to do so, is lightly and gleefully told. Detailed consideration is given to the political events leading to and following from the Union of the Crowns in 1603. We follow the trail to the present resurgence of Scottish Nationalism and the moves towards devolution and the re-establishment of a Scottish Parliament. An interlude on the way mercilessly dissects an address delivered (not by invitation) by Margaret Thatcher, then Prime Minister to the General Assembly of The Church of Scotland .

Unusual in its construction, this book is thoroughly researched and is well and interestingly written. It has sixteen pages of superbly printed and highly relevant illustrations. It is unfortunate that they are all placed together in one section in the centre of the book. There is an excellent index.

This book, in the reviewer's opinion, should be required reading for everyone with an interest in Scottish history. For those concerned with devolution, irrespective of their present viewpoint, it should be on their bookshelf.

(593 words)

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How to blend flowers into quilt designs

A Garden Party Of Quilts: 7 Pieced Projects For Flower Lovers
Joen Wolfrom
Manufacturer: C&T Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Quilts & Quilting | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
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Wheel of Mystery Quilts: Surprising Designs from a Classic Block (That Patchwork Place)

ASIN: 157120301X

Book Description

• 7 quilts, great for quilters at all levels

• Pick the perfect flowers!

Let renowned color expert Joen Wolfrom show quilters everywhere how to create seven spectacular flower quilts, blooming with traditional tulips or whimsical modern marigolds. Best of all, these fabulous flowers are all completely machine pieced, with step-by-step instructions that make them breezy as a spring day.

Customer Reviews:

How to blend flowers into quilt designs.......2006-03-19

Joen Wolfrom's A GARDEN PARTY OF QUILTS: 7 PIECED PROJECTS FOR FLOWER LOVERS comes from a color expert who shows how to blend flowers into quilt designs, from tulips to clematis and more. Seven flower quilt projects demonstrate the techniques, using flowers which are completely machine pieced and presenting projects for all skills levels. Step-by-step instructions on piecing, patterns, and color illustrations of everything make it easy to understand how the projects are put together.

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The Pleasure Garden - an Illustrated History of British Gardening
Anne; Lancaster, Osbert Scott-James
Manufacturer: John Murray
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000HHEMRI

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The pleasure garden: An illustrated history of British gardening
Anne Scott-James
Manufacturer: J. Murray
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Landscape | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
General | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
General | England | Europe | History | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0719534380

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What to expect to find in this book

oh yeah

Use in the High School Classroom

Fans of Oliver Sacks will like this

ignorance is bliss or is it?

Maneater: And Other True Stories of a Life in Infectious Disease
Pamela Nagami
Manufacturer: Renaissance Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1580632092

Amazon.com

As a "bugs and drugs doc," Pamela Nagami has seen some of the worst diseases known to humankind--flesh-eating strep, parasitic worms that zigzag through the brain, and AIDS, the biggest infectious disease emergency around. Some of the infections profiled in Maneater can smolder for years before rearing up and killing their unsuspecting human host; others seem innocuous, like chickenpox, which can nevertheless devastate a body. Others, like malaria, travel from other countries, but equally dangerous microbes live in American soil, just waiting to be disturbed by a backhoe or a runner and inhaled in a single breath. These indelible dispatches from the frontlines of infectious disease reveal the danger lurking in everything from salads to the air we breathe, the heroic actions of doctors faced with these bizarre cases on a daily basis, and the limits of medical miracles. Like a detective unraveling a crime scene, Nagami shows us how the most innocuous actions can hurt us, or save our lives. --Lesley Reed

Book Description

Maneater is a personal account by a specialist who approaches her work like a forensic scientist or a case-hardened private eye. Dr. Pamela Nagami is a leading authority on infectious diseases and her stories will shock, amaze, and warn readers. At every level of human existence, a brutal struggle is going on between our world and a microscopic one.

Customer Reviews:

What to expect to find in this book.......2007-06-04

This is certainly a well-written book about rare infectious diseases and rare manifestations of ordinary diseases. The author exhibits great feeling for the critically ill patients she cares for, as well as their problems and social difficulties. But this is not a book remotely like the works of Paul deKruif, Deborah Hayden, Berton Rouche, and others. The author is NOT a journalist or an academic researcher. She is a front-line clinician, which leads her to bring a depth of personal feeling (and tragedy) to these stories that is quite lacking from most tales of medical triumphs and tragedies.

Unfortunately, medical science is moving much more rapidly than such feeling case histories (spanning a lifetime of service) can make it to the public (even the limited audience for this book). This means the cases are true to the historical state of medical technology and present occasional questions to an informed reader. To her credit, Ms. Nagami pulls no punches about the fact that many of her expiring patients die from iatrogenic effects of their treatment, rather than the original disease. Similarly, although she points out where historical errors were made in diagnosis and treatment, the less obvious mistakes which only became apparent in retrospect due to the continuing development of medical technology necessarily go unrecognized in her book. (If it remains in print for a long time it could be updated.) She also tells of a few obvious instances of inadequate or marginally competent medical care, but lets them pass without judgmental comment.

In short, this is a very unusual book. Few clinicians have enough time to write for a popular audience. She achieves her objective of making the reader aware of medical dangers they may not have thought of, but 2/3 or more of these dangers are consequential to medical treatment of the presenting condition, a subject which some might think deserved more inquiry. These moving tales are basically stories of a presenting condition, the horrors it produces, and the problems of treating the condition using methods that (necessarily) may prove as deadly as the original, especially if you contracted it in the ICU.

oh yeah.......2006-11-22

Dr. Nagami is great, and this book is terrific. The stories are so great, and definitely eye opening. I have always been fascinated with parasites and infectious diseases, as well as some other topics and this book was a great addition to my library.

Use in the High School Classroom.......2006-01-30

I used the various chapters in this book to supplement materials in the High School Medical Careers Course I teach. For example, when we studied about the different types of blood cells, students read the story about a patient with a very high eosinophil count who had just returned from Vietnam and had a parasitic worm infection. Eosinophils originally evolved to fight helminth (worm) infections, though in the US, where worms are uncommon, a high count more commonly represents an allergic reaction. Students loved the story and it also exposed them to another culture.

Fans of Oliver Sacks will like this.......2005-01-03

If you like medicine and the human condition but never really wanted to be a doctor, this is a book you will enjoy. Pamela Nagami is an infectious disease expert and brings her full experience to bear as we see in each of the mini cases she writes about in this book.

If you enjoy Oliver Sacks' books such as "Awakenings" or "The Island of the Color Blind", you will enjoy Pamela Nagami. Dr. Nagami also has a newer book out "Bitten: True Medical Stories of Bites and Stings" that is equally as compelling.

ignorance is bliss or is it?.......2004-10-28

I've been listening to the audio version of this book and find it facinating. The narrator does an excellent job. I haven't a medical background and was never drawn to this sort of topic, actually it usually gave me the creeps, but I'm in a college biology class and its peaked my interest of bugs,germs,worms, infectious diseases. This is such a good book! I've learned a great deal with concerns to the environment around me and precautions we all should apply to keep ourselves from illness. Many of these portrayals leave me to question just why our public health hasn't already given us this information. are they so afraid of a panic, we could all benefit if they would. I didn't know about the south west's coyxx (?sp.) season between thanksgiving and xmas when the dust blows these organisms into the air and its potential effects. Or just how important it is to be sure your food is well cooked especially when eating out or with travel. This book does a really good job of explaining,and informing without creating a phobic reaction from its readers. It just brings about a great awareness of things many of us just had no idea of. Looking forward to more of the doctor's publications.

Book Description

From the best-selling author of The Professor and the Madman, The Map That Changed the World, and Krakatoa comes a truly wonderful celebration of the English language and of its unrivaled treasure house, the Oxford English Dictionary. Writing with marvelous brio, Winchester first serves up a lightning history of the English language--"so vast, so sprawling, so wonderfully unwieldy"--and pays homage to the great dictionary makers, from "the irredeemably famous" Samuel Johnson to the "short, pale, smug and boastful" schoolmaster from New Hartford, Noah Webster. He then turns his unmatched talent for story-telling to the making of this most venerable of dictionaries. In this fast-paced narrative, the reader will discover lively portraits of such key figures as the brilliant but tubercular first editor Herbert Coleridge (grandson of the poet), the colorful, boisterous Frederick Furnivall (who left the project in a shambles), and James Augustus Henry Murray, who spent a half-century bringing the project to fruition. Winchester lovingly describes the nuts-and-bolts of dictionary making--how unexpectedly tricky the dictionary entry for marzipan was, or how fraternity turned out so much longer and monkey so much more ancient than anticipated--and how bondmaid was left out completely, its slips found lurking under a pile of books long after the B-volume had gone to press. We visit the ugly corrugated iron structure that Murray grandly dubbed the Scriptorium--the Scrippy or the Shed, as locals called it--and meet some of the legion of volunteers, from Fitzedward Hall, a bitter hermit obsessively devoted to the OED, to W. C. Minor, whose story is one of dangerous madness, ineluctable sadness, and ultimate redemption. The Meaning of Everything is a scintillating account of the creation of the greatest monument ever erected to a living language. Simon Winchester's supple, vigorous prose illuminates this dauntingly ambitious project--a seventy-year odyssey to create the grandfather of all word-books, the world's unrivalled uber-dictionary.

Customer Reviews:

A Winchester Fan.......2007-02-08

Having read Winchester's "The Professor and the Madman", I was primed to read this further account of the development of the Oxford English Dictionary, and I was not disappointed. The book is filled with sidebars about eccentric intellectuals, academic machinations, publishing intrigues and royal dinners, all wonderfully entertaining. The description of the Scriptorium is very interesting. I can also heartily recommend anything else Winchester writes. His book on Krakatoa was also excellent.

This book belongs in any books about books collection.

Gift from afar.......2006-09-19

I received this book from a former student who remembered that I had once aspired to be "the human OED". She correctly thought I would enjoy a book that tells the story of another book-crazy person who actually followed through on such an aspiration. I recommend this to anyone who does not break out in hivesbut rather a big grin, when they hear the word "etymology." Cheers!

A Great Book and an Improvement Over His Prior on the OED,.......2006-07-22

This book describes the story of the original Oxford English Dictionary (OED) and is not to be confused with the small conventional Oxford dictionary found at a modern bookstore. The original OED is a series of volumes that gives many quotes for each and every word to show how the word is used. Starting with the letter "A" it took a remarkable 70 years to complete the final volume that included the letter "Z". It was started from first concept in 1857 and went on until it was completed with the final tenth volume in 1928. It is thought that a modern version would be 40 volumes long. There are similar German and Swedish dictionaries that have taken over 100 years to complete and the Swedish version has yet to be completed.

The present book was written in approximately 2003, and is a bit similar but a vast improvement over the earlier book "The Professor and The Madman" also written by Simon Winchester but published in 1998 - my opinion. So Winchester now has two books on the subject of the writing of Oxford English Dictionary. But this newer book is much better than the older book. The two books approach the OED with different emphasis.

The first book 'Professor and the Madman' is somewhat like the author getting into the saga of the OED and suddenly making a left turn up the winding and unpredictable path of the life of Dr. William Minor, a mental patient that helped work on the dictionary from his cell. The rest of the OED story falls by the wayside.

Here we return to the OED story and all of its colorful characters. The first book was written in approximately 1998. The span of time has given Simon Winchester the opportunity to present a better package of ideas and it all shows. The present book gives a very detailed and balanced description. He presents some information on the English language and more information on the earlier dictionaries. He continues the story right up to the current computerized dictionary. It is a lot better that the earlier book - that reads like a novel - but is limited in scope to mainly Dr. Minor and James Murray.

One of the prime movers of that book (the OED) was a Scotsman James Murray who started at the beginning in 1878. Prior to that date, nothing of practical value was done between 1857 and 1878. He was in essence the first editor (technically the third), and he edited the dictionary up to approximately the volume ending with the letter T - the degree of the progress of the dictionary at his death in 1915. The cast of characters also included Henry Bradley who became a co-editor, Frederick Furnivall an early and very disorganized editor before Murray, and other English luminaries such as Benjamin Jowett of Balliol College. Even Churchill, Queen Victoria, and J.R.R. Tolkien have small roles.

I bought both books by Winchester but in retrospect would have skipped the first book and just bought the newer book. The newer book has one chapter on Dr. Minor and Fitzedward Hall and other people that sent in quotations by mail - which for me is enough.

I would only give the book 4 stars. The reason is that at the end of the book ' which is short just over 250 pages, one has the feeling that large chunks of the story are missing and a proper OED story would be a 500 to 1000 page book. The book seems rushed and starts to skip things towards the end. This seems to be confirmed by the other book about Dr. Minor (the Madman) that by itself is also 250 pages.

An Accessible History.......2006-06-20

Lovers of history and interesting words will adore this book, and even the most casual reader will find it easy to read. I read The Meaning of Everything over the course of three days while on vacation, and although it isn't what I would call "beach reading" it was light and fun.

Winchester seems to have a good sense of when to move on to a new idea, which is part of what makes this so painless to read. There's no belaboring any points.

Also, there's an abundance of interesting side information in the book. For example, J.R.R. Tolkien was once a contributor to the OED, and Winchester discusses his contributions.

A must-have for the budding English major, certainly.

Made me want my own edition. I now am a proud possessor........2006-06-10

After reading this book, I have a great respect for the work that went into this magnificent undertaking, and the men who did it. The book reads like a novel, and I bought Winchester's other book The Madman and the Professor. But my grandest book is the Compact Edition of the Oxford Dictionary. It takes a certain type to like this story. It requires an inquiring mind.

The Meaning of Everything (The Meaning of Everything: The Story of the Oxford English Dictionary)

Average customer rating:

A Slow Read
A well-told account spanning many years

The Meaning of Everything (The Meaning of Everything: The Story of the Oxford English Dictionary)

Manufacturer: Oxford University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

English (All) | Dictionaries & Thesauruses | Reference | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0965499634

Product Description

From the best-selling author of The Professor and the Madman, and Krakatoa comes a truly wonderful celebration of the English language and of its unrivaled treasure house, the Oxford English Dictionary. Writing with marvelous brio, Winchester first serves up a lightning history of the English language--'so vast, so sprawling, so wonderfully unwieldy'--and pays homage to the great dictionary makers, from 'the irredeemably famous' Samuel Johnson to the 'short, pale, smug and boastful' schoolmaster from New Hartford, Noah Webster. He then turns his unmatched talent for story-telling to the making of this most venerable of dictionaries. In this fast-paced narrative, the reader will discover lively portraits of such key figures as the brilliant but tubercular first editor H Coleridgethe colorful, boisterous Frederick Furnivall (who left the project in a shambles), and James Augustus Henry Murray, who spent a half-century bringing the project to fruition. Winchester lovingly describes the nuts-and-bolts of dictionary making--how unexpectedly tricky the dictionary entry for marzipan was, or how fraternity turned out so much longer and monkey so much more ancient that anticipated--and how bondmaid was left out completely, its slips found lurking under a pile of books long after the B-vol had gone to press. We visit the ugly corrugated iron structure that Murray grandly dubbed the Scriptorium--the Scrippy or the Shed, as locals called it--and meet some of the legion of volunteers, from F Hall, a bitter hermit obsessively devoted to the OED, to W. C. Minor, whose story is one of dangerous madness, ineluctable sadness, and ultimate redemption. The Meaning of Everything is a scintillating account of the creation of the greatest monument ever erected to a living language. Simon Winchester's supple, vigorous prose illuminates this dauntingly ambitious project--a seventy-year odyssey to create the grandfather of all word-books, the world's unrivalled uber-dictionary.

Customer Reviews:

A Slow Read.......2007-05-23

What I was expecting was a fascinating back story into the characters and challenges of assembling the most comprehensive dictionary of the most important language in the world. What I got was a detailed account of the letter C, and the letter A, and the letter Q, and . . . well you get the idea.

It wasn't without value, of course. There were tidbits of detail that added to my own compendium of internal trivia - like the manner in which scraps of paper sent in by thousands of readers created a monumental work in an ugly tin shed. There was a good account of the second editor who wasn't up to the task and instead allowed the whole operation to sag, losing or destroying much of the initial investigative work through neglect. And there were vignettes describing a couple of the various readers and how disparate an assortment assembling such an august work.

But those were few and far between. It seems that Winchester was most concerned with bring the reader to share the feeling of what creating a dictionary was about - slow painstaking work that only an actuary or proofreader could appreciate. I finished the volume, but upon the end I was relieved I'd made it as one is relieved of a heavy burden or difficult task not the light airy feeling of reward usually associated with a chronicle.

- CV Rick

A well-told account spanning many years.......2004-08-03

In his usual spirited, informed style, Simon Winchester has written another fascinating page turner. His account of the making of the Oxford English Dictionary, which took place over many decades and was the meaningful life-work of several dedicated men and many interested volunteers around the English-speaking world, will hold your interest and increase your appreciation for this huge endeavor.

Winchester has spoken of how he strives "not to be boring" and to avoid academese. You will find, upon finishing the reading of this or any of his other books, that you have painlessly taken in a great deal of information. Winchester's books are a joy, an extremely satisfying use of your reading time. Highly recommended.

The Meaning of Everything, the Story of the Oxford English Dictionary

Average customer rating:

The Meaning of Everything, the Story of the Oxford English Dictionary
Simon WINCHESTER
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OOGPJC

Average customer rating:

The MEANING Of EVERYTHING. The Story of the Oxford English Dictionary.
Simon. Winchester
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press,
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000NYN4WE

Average customer rating:

The Meaning of Everything: The Story of the Oxford English Dictionary

Manufacturer: Oxford University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

English (All) | Dictionaries & Thesauruses | Reference | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0641715617

Product Description

Average customer rating:

The Meaning of Everything: The Story of the Oxford English Dictionary
Simon Winchester
Manufacturer: Oxford Univ Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000OM5MTS

Customer Reviews:

THIS BOOK IS AMAZING.......2005-12-12

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Wow.......2002-04-22

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