The Macmillan Visual Dictionary (Unabridged Compact Edition): 3,500 Color Illustrations <> 25,000 Terms <> 600 Subjects

MacMillan Publishing Company, 1995. Soft Cover. Very Good +. 8.9 x 5.9 x 1.5 inches; 2.2 pounds; 864 p. One of the most extraordinary reference titles ever produced is now available in paperback!Since its publication in 1992, The Macmillan Visual Dictionary has been heralded as the most innovative and graphically stunning reference work of its kind. And this remarkable volume certainly merits the praise: it provides full-color visual definitions of nearly everything. Want to know the difference between curly endive and curled kale? Curious about the distinguishing features of various judo holds and throws? Wondering what each and every feature of a Gothic cathedral is called? The answers to these and thousands of other questions are at your fingertips. Ranging from Astronomy and Geography to Combat Sports and Communications, from the Vegetable and Animal Kingdoms to Human Beings and Symbols, and from Architecture and House Furniture to Maritime Transport and Energy, the book's 28 chapters provide truly exhaustive coverage of the world as we know it.  A usage guide, detailed table of contents, and extensive index allow for easy referencing.  As ideal for the family reference library as for the casual browser trying to identify that 'whatchamacallit.'   "Grade 8 Up. Clear, explicit drawings and diagrams provide either exterior views or labeled cutaways of a variety of objects. The entries are arranged in broad subject categories with a color-coded bar on the page to facilitate browsing, but some of the colors are very similar. Many subject areas are covered: geography, architecture, anatomy, plants, animals, satellites, etc. The last section, symbols, provides easy access for some of those hard to find reference questions. The table of contents lists the 28 categories and the types of items illustrated. The index provides access when one knows the term and wants to identify its use. Browsing is addictive: students will eagerly seek out sections on weapons, transportation, and sports. An important source that helps to fill a gap in most collections--there are many word dictionaries, but very few pictorial ones." -- Claudia Moore, W. T. Woodson High School, School Library Journal.    "This past summer, I worked as a private tutor of English as a Second Language for students from Burma. While their English was rapidly improving, there still remained items which were virtually indescribable--it was difficult to match exactly their Burmese language with its English equivalents. We worked extensively on all aspects of the English language--from grammar, to comprehension, to writing and reading--yet a gap between our understandings of each other was still unfilled. I searched, desperately, for some educational tool or text which could facilitate our mutual learning; and to my relief, I discovered The MacMillan Visual Dictionary. I purchased it for my students as a gift, yet I found myself--a speaker of English for all my life--entirely fascinated and curious to discover the vast array of terms and items of which I had previously been ignorant! From all of the minute parts of an oceanliner, to styles of clothing, to biological terms of plants and animals, this book contained huge quantities of information which I had once known but had forgotten--or of which I was previously unaware. My students were thrilled with their present--to see their smiles when they discovered how easily this reference tool facilitated their acquisition of English vocabulary was extremely rewarding. I must emphasize, though, that this text is not simply--in the least--for those to whom English is a second language; there is something here for everyone. All those little nuances and intricacies of life, which we would always like to describe or identify but are unable--here they are named; here they are defined. This book is an invaluable tool for everyone to use; whether it be to learn more about the complex parts of the automobile, to identify weather systems, to describe a style of scarf or name the coating of a crayfish's body--for anyone who is a lover of language, words, and naming, this book provides endless amounts of knowledge." -- review by kim103@psu.edu.  "Excellent Tool For Fiction Writers. This book has over 800 pages of visual items and then arrows that point to them and tell you what they're called. For example, on one two page spread an entire passenger liner ship is drawn with all the names of all the rooms and terraces and parts and compenents. just looking at the drawing inspires a mystery set aboard a cruise ship! Chapter Headings include "Astronomy" "Geography" "Farming" "Architecture" "House" "House Furniture" "Gardening" "Clothing" "Communications" "Road Transport" "Rail Transport" "Air Transport" "Weapons", and many, many more. This an excellent tool and I'd recommend it for anyone who wants to know their way around places you might not already know your way around!" -- review by Stacey Cochran. Book is in very good condition with minor edge wear. The lower front corner has a soft crease and is lightly curved up. Several of the first pages had their tips curled as well.