Like any good world almanac,
The Cambridge Factfinder contains a ton of obscure information that you conceivably might need to know, but won't necessarily remember: the population of Iceland (268,000), the 1935 American League Most Valuable Player (Hank Greenberg, Detroit Tigers), and a chart of bones in the human body (there are 208 of them). It even includes a list of world championship trampoliners. The maps and other graphics are exceptional--much better than the ones appearing in similar volumes--and all measurements are helpfully listed in both metric and American units. It is an excellent all-purpose, single-volume reference book.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
This book is similar to
The New York Public Library Desk Reference combined with an almanac. Drawing from the database compiled for
The Cambridge Encyclopedia [N 1 90], the editor has divided the work into such sections as the universe, environment, society, religion and mythology, communications, knowledge, and sports and games. A detailed table of contents leads the user to general overviews of a topic, while an excellent 124-page index refers to specific facts.
One excellent feature of the Factfinder that will be particularly useful in school and public libraries is the country-by-country discussion under "Human Geography." For each country, the editor provides the local name, transliterated into Roman characters where appropriate; the time zone relative to Greenwich Mean Time; area; population; status (democratic republic, republic, kingdom, etc.); languages; ethnic groups; religions; currency; gross domestic product expressed in U.S. dollars; and a list of heads of state and heads of government. An accompanying map shows major cities and rivers, and a small inset map locates the country on its continent.
Many other articles are no less detailed. Under natural history, for example, there is a detailed breakdown of the classification of animals and plants, giving the order and family name (in Latin), common name and examples, number of species, geographic distribution of the order, and its general characteristics. For plants as foodstuffs, including herbs and spices, the editor includes areas of cultivation, edible parts of the plant, as well as common and Latin names. A variety of sketches illustrate the work (e.g., human skeleton and reproductive systems, Christian religious vestments, British and U.S. road signs).
There are caveats for would-be purchasers. First, the orientation is British. For example, all temperatures are given in centigrade. There is, however, information on British organizations and institutions that may not be readily available elsewhere. Second, although maps are clearly drawn, they would benefit by the use of color, particularly those attempting to show physical features such as rainfall and temperature. The gray shading makes some maps difficult to decipher. Finally, unlike the NYPL Desk Reference, the Factfinder does not provide addresses. For example, although it lists the governing bodies in sport, it does not list their addresses. One advantage the Factfinder has over many almanacs is the clear, easy-to-read type.
Despite the shortcomings noted above, the Factfinder is a good reference tool, particularly for public and school libraries.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
