Customer Reviews

The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable

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4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
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This volume contains a useful variety of words, phrases, and biography information that you won't find in any other dictionary. While reading newspapers, magazines, and other current media, I often encounter cultural references, phrases, proverbial sayings, and more, that aren't listed in any dictionary that defines single words.

For example, The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable contains entries for a wide variety of subjects such as John Lennon, Pop goes the weasel, and "It's the economy, stupid." Great stuff!

At well over a thousand pages, this volume has all the heft of any good dictionary.

I purchased this title because my Brewer's has gotten lost. I thought I'd replace it with a similar title that would be just as much fun to get lost in. The Oxford is just as seductive. In time I will get used to its odd indexing (the article's subject may not be the first printed word in the phrase so that the eye is often confused about just where in the alphabet one happens to be). However the first time I actually looked up something I was disapppointed: Beer and skittles> Life is not beer and skittles> 19th century proverbial saying> Yes, but what exactly is a skittle? And what does the saying mean? I think I will purchase another Brewer's. I don't know that it will do any better with this query but I believe the Oxford does not completely replace it.

This is really just a modernized version of 'Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable', and like Brewer's (which I also own) it is an absolute treasure-trove of (basically) useless information that will delight anyone with a love of words or phrase, and a good background in literature and history. This is truly a dictionary - words and phrases are alphabetized, and followed by a paragraph (or a few paragraphs) of explanation, discussion, and information.

Oxford's Phrase and Fable is helpful to writers. Some of the phrases are familiar from my childhood; my mother was full of phrases and anecdotes. This book sprouts memories that are still alive.