Customer Reviews

Random House Webster's Word Menu (Random House Newer Words Faster)

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I do not write without it. Together with J.I. Rodale's The Synonym Finder and DK's Ultimate Visual Dictionary it completes the Trinity of word desk references. If you are trying to decide between this book, Facts on File's Descriptionary, and Writer's Digest's Flip Dictionary, go with this book. I have all three and I use Word Menu 40 times to every one time I use either Flip Dictionary or Descriptionary, both of which are trying to do the same thing. Flip Dictionary comes close, and tries to do things a little differently, but Word Menu is my preference.

There are many different books that categorize words in a similar fashion as this book, but none do it as efficiently. This is simply the best of its kind, and I find myself using this regularly in my own writing.

It's impossible to be an expert on everything, or to remember every word that you've ever heard in your life. With this book, you'll be able to find and identify the words that are germane to the topic you're writing on, even if you won't know how to use them. For example, under Technology|Computers|Hardware and Peripherals, the acronym IRQ is listed. It's defined as an "Interrupt Request Line, a setting that controls communication of peripheral devices with the CPU". Now, that's one of the clearest definitions of an IRQ that I've ever come across in such few words, but seeing it there doesn't tell you how to use it. You'll still have some homework to do.

HOWEVER, if you need something like a title of rank, and are wondering what the proper term for the prime minister of an East Indian state is, you'll not only find it here, but be able to use it immediately. (The word, by the way, is Dewan.)

There are so many categories and subcategories that the scope of the book is daunting. I personally can't imagine putting it together, but am grateful that it was.

Has anyone heard of Eschatology? I hadn't until my writing instructor used that word in a letter he sent to me. Baffled, I looked it up in the Webster's Dictionary, but didn't find it. I checked with The Synonym Finder, but it wasn't listed there either. Finally, I turned to this book and found it in the table of contents. Eschatology is the study of afterlife.This book has been a godsend for me as a creative writer. There were times when I was writing a scene and couldn't think of a word to describe something or a term I couldn't remember. Most of the time, I found what I was looking for in these pages.Word Menu is broken down into four parts. Part One deals with Nature­­The human body, living things, and the earth. Chapter One (The Human Body) is then divided into five subcategories­­Anatomy, Medical Problems, Health/Fitness/Enhancement, Hair and Grooming, Phsyical Appearance. Under these, you will find hundreds of definitions, terms, and cross-references.This dictionary covers everything from everyday items, customs, religions, etc. to the obscure and strange. For example, Eschatology. Word Menu is an indespensible tool for any type of writer, student, or anyone who wants to learn something.

This Ballantine Books edition of Glazier's useful book is printed in a font that is *very* hard to read. There have been/are other larger editions of this book that use larger fonts and are more readable. I suggest you try to obtain one of them.

While searching for larger editions, I also discovered--but did not examine-software versions of this volume as well for both Microsoft-based and Macintosh computers.

After the OED, this is my all-time favorite reference work. Nothing else comes close to this grand work. Words are associated according to predominant use (yes, a tricky proposition at best), but amazingly, for the most part, it works. Words are categorized like Linnaean taxonomy, such as "science, arts, economics," etc. Systematic thinkers will have no difficulty finding associated words and concepts, while those who prefer a more direct route can simply consult the "index" at the end, which leads to the place it has been categorized in the front. Either way, everyone wins.

But the associations are magisterial, not just "related" or similar, but the whole constellation of likely associated words, acronyms, synonyms, and hierarchies of genus, species, and sub-species. There are more "linked" words than anyone can possibly imagine, or if one can imagine them, Word Menu has too. Short of an unabridged edition of the English language, nothing compares to this compilation.

Two observations. (1) Don't waste money on the "pocket-book" edition, it's too tiny and too microscopic to be as useful as this reference will be. (2) The only "oddity" is that all biological terms and concepts are under "Living Things," not under "Science," much less "Biology." No matter how many times I tell myself of this odd feature, I always default to "Science > Biology" and then find nothing. All those biological concepts and words are under "Living Things" apart from the section "Sciences." Odd. Very odd. Who conceived "Living Things" as a category of Human Thought along a Linnean taxonomy distinct from "Science?" Even so, why not just move "Living Things" to Science, and then to "Biology," rather than leaving "Biology" an empty (indeed, an "unmentioned" set)? Well, there's always the index for these situations.

Unfortunately, at time of review, no hardbound copy is in print (shame on Random House). And aside from the "Living Things" oddity, I find this reference so intuitive, so helpful, associating associations I would have to think long and hard to recall, that are here in an instant, plus a treasury un-thought or unconsidered too. Thesauruses are great references (assuming one finds a good one), but this reference has riches that even the best Thesaurus cannot match. And best of all, both systematic and direct thinkers can access the same work from different directions and both achieve their desired ends. A "must" reference for all of us who seek associations we weren't even sure were associated, and then some!

As a writer, there are times you have a picture of a thing in your head: you know what it does...you can feel it...you can touch it...and you can taste it, but no matter how clearly you see it in your mind's eye, you still have no clue as to what that thing is. This is when Word Menu becomes indespensible. Even if that situation occurs only once a year, the time saved is well worth the cost. My only criticism -- I wish it was longer.

The "Random House Word Menu" defines words, but it is not a dictionary. It is arranged by subject, not alphabetically, and lacks word etymology and pronunciation. Unlike a thesaurus, it doesn't provide synonyms or antonyms, but words related by subject. The "Word Menu" is the product of 20 years of research by writer Stephen Glazier, whose diverse career with words includes writing novels, screenplays, copywriting, and editing. It started as lists of words organized by subject for use in writing novels, and it ended up a widely useful reference book featuring 75,000 words. The words are divided into 7 major categories: The Human Body, Living Things, Science and Technology, Domestic Life, Institutions, Arts and Leisure, Language, and The Human Condition. Each category in turn has 3 or 4 subcategories, and there are two more levels of categorization within those, constituting 800 divisions in all. Once you find the subcategory that you want, you are presented with a literal "menu" of words pertaining to the subject along with their definitions. You can find the subcategory you seek by looking at the table of contents, by using the Guide Words that tell you what category and subcategory you are in at the top of each page, or by using the index. All of the words are indexed alphabetically, so if you can think of a word related to what you need, you can locate the appropriate category easily. The "Word Menu" is most useful for finding the correct word when describing a topic in detail and for gaining familiarity with the vocabulary of a particular subject. Because the words have been selected by subject, the "Word Menu" contains far more nouns than adjectives or verbs. I found that the book's organization took a bit of getting used to before I could locate words efficiently. But the "Word Menu" is a unique and helpful writer's tool that has a place alongside my dictionary and thesaurus.

Were it not for the small typeface (perhaps between 4 and 6 points)in the paperback version, this would be a useful reference.

It is unique in that it is a hybrid of dictionary and thesaurus.

Words are contained in 25 chapters, with headings such as Cognition, Performing Arts, Clothing, Human Body an so on.

Look up Abe Lincoln under Beards and Mustaches in the Human Body chapter and you learn the term refers to a "thin beard along jaw with mustache shaved". Now that's something I didn't know. The approach is valuable: you know you want to describe some form of mustache, but you don't know the name of the style. Look it up in "Human Body, Beards and Mustaches" and you have several descriptions to choose from, one of which hopefully describes what you were looking for.

Some entries resemble a thesaurus. For example, under "Leisure and Recreation,Card Games",the word "cards" is accompanied by many names of card games.

It's a fun reference - but the small type in the paperback version is crippling.

Jerry

This is the book to use if you don't know the name for an object but know the general category to which it belongs.

The idea behind this book is to group words into menus just like computer commands are grouped into menus. Glazier implemented this basic idea fairly well when he arranged this book.

The book is split into seven parts (Nature, Science and Technology, Domestic Life, Institutions, Arts and Leisure, Language, and The Human Condition). Each of the parts, in turn, is split into three or four chapters (a total of 25 chapters in all). Each chapter contains one or two levels of subject categories. The words contained in each subject category are listed in alphabetical order.

For example, you need to know the name for a phobia. Look up Part 3 - Institutions, Chapter 13 - Social Sciences, Psychology, Phobias. You can then skim the alphabetical list of phobias for the phobia you're looking for.

While this book is useful, I found it to be very entertaining as well. Flipping through its pages is like going through a linguistic museum of curiousities. (Just reflect on what words you may find under the subject category "Insults, Slurs, and Epithets", and you may get an idea of what I mean.) It is perfect for people who think that vocabulary study is boring.

Two things to consider, though.

1. To get full use out of the book, you must have a feel for how the book is organized. The learning curve is slight, but it is there.

2. Because you are required by the book's format to scan through lists of words, this book was formatted to make it easy to scan. This means that the definitions are sketchy and and there is no pronunciation guide. This is OK so long as you have an excellent dictionary to fill in the gaps left by the Word Menu.

This book belongs on the reference shelf of every serious author. It is extremely easy to navigate through and can help you come up with the appropriate word or phrase that you are searching your brain for. I forgot who suggested this book to me but I am overjoyed that they did. I actually have two copies (one for each one of my offices).