Amazon.com: The New York Times Guide to Essential Knowledge, Second Edition: A Desk Reference for the Curious Mind: The New York Times: Books

Review

"This widely expanded update to the original 2004 edition defines nearly every facet of contemporary life—from arts, grammar, mythology and culture to science, economics, and geopolitical issues. Though bearing an authority and informational wealth that might rival the voluminous Oxford Dictionary of English, this surprisingly manageable volume is organized alphabetically by subject and contains thousands of highly accessible essays, tables, and lists, all composed by New York Times field experts. It also includes an introduction by longtime "On Language" columnist and Pultizer Prize winner William Safire. An essential background referenec for almost every subject: highly recommended for all public libraries."—Library Journal

"I wish I'd had this book 25 years ago. It is certain to become an indispensable tool for fact fanatics."—Bill Bryson, author of A Short History of Nearly Everything

"In short, this is the largest, most up-to-date and affordable one volume desk reference available today and is an absolute must for every home, dorm room and library."—Tucson Citizen

Product Description

A Complete Revision and Thorough Updating of the Ultimate Reference from the Newspaper of Record

Whether you are researching the history of Western art, investigating an obscure medical test, following current environmental trends, studying Shakespeare, brushing up on your crossword and Sudoku skills, or simply looking for a deeper understanding of the world, this book is for you. An indispensable resource for every home, office, dorm room, and library, this new edition of The New York Times Guide to Essential Knowledge offers in-depth explorations of art, astronomy, biology, business, economics, the environment, film, geography, history, the Internet, literature, mathematics, music, mythology, philosophy, photography, sports, theater, film, and many other subjects.

This one volume is designed to offer more information than any other book on the most important subjects, as well as provide easy-to-access data critical to everyday life. It is the only universal reference book to include authoritative and engaging essays from New York Times experts in almost every field of endeavor.

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Product Details

Hardcover: 1328 pages
Publisher: St. Martin's Press; 2nd edition (October 30, 2007)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0312376596
ISBN-13: 978-0312376598
Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 7.5 x 2.7 inches
Shipping Weight: 4.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)

Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (11 customer reviews)

Amazon.com Sales Rank: #9,002 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)
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#4 in Books > Reference > Fun Facts > Trivia
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other world religions, ice hockey, galactic disk, open era, metrical feet, historical geology, cheese types, film school generation, estimates for this country explicitly, director actor actress actor actress, transfermium element, tour victories, corresponding major scale, leading money winner

Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
United States, New York, World War, People Population, Government Government, Independence Day, Roman Catholic, Biographical Dictionary, Supreme Court, North America, World History, Soviet Union, Hispanic Origin, Nobel Prize, Land Total, Middle East, South Africa, World Series, Civil War, Great Britain, South America, Indian Ocean, Los Angeles, United Nations, Nations of the World

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	74% buy the item featured on this page: The New York Times Guide to Essential Knowledge, Second Edition: A Desk Reference for the Curious Mind 3.0 out of 5 stars (11) $20.37
	12% buy An Incomplete Education: 3,684 Things You Should Have Learned but Probably Didn't 4.0 out of 5 stars (103) $23.10
	6% buy The Intellectual Devotional: Revive Your Mind, Complete Your Education, and Roam Confidently with the Cultured Class 4.3 out of 5 stars (143) $16.32
	5% buy The New York Times Practical Guide to Practically Everything: The Essential Companion for Everyday Life 4.0 out of 5 stars (10) $8.72

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Customer Reviews

11 Reviews

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(4)

Average Customer Review

3.0 out of 5 stars (11 customer reviews)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good collection of information, yet nothing unique, November 24, 2007

By	Self Helper "Sam" (New York) - See all my reviews

In response to the previous post: Please don't feel alarmed about the missing information. I am certain hundreds of people were contributing to this vast publishing. If there was "an omission" in the history department, science material was not affected. One book will never be able to capture everything considered "essential". Essential for a European is not essential for, say, an American. No one book will make you "essentially informed".

I found the depth of this knowledge to be just right, though. I don't care to shine on Jeopardy. My goal is to become aware without getting too deeply into it unless I am really passionate about a particular subject.

Instead of noticing what's not there, I've noticed what IS there, and what's there is PLENTY. For example: we all heard about Sunni and Shiites Islaam, but I doubt many, including, and especially, George Bush know the difference. How many of Seven Wonders of the World can you name? Do you know who Pygmalion was? Did you know television was invented in 1927? Did you know that America has the highest rate of STD's of all industrial nations? Do you know why? Do you care? If the examples did not evoke some sort of curiosity, this book, in all likelihood, will seem useless to you. But if you found that your brain lit up with tingly wonder, this book would probably be a good place to start.

On the negative side, truthfully, there is nothing unique or incredible about this book that sets it apart from others. It's just like any other almanacs published every year by New York Times. It's just another information-filled book, not better or worse....

This book has over 1300 pages without a single illustration, and of course, is basic, but don't let it fool you, you can still find something new that can send you to the library or the web to satisfy your curiosity. If you are an average American, (not a geek, who probably already knows all this stuff anyway), if you are curious about the world you live in, and would like not to appear dumb when others discuss world's events at a party, you will surely find something fascinating about this "everyday" stuff. Something you probably had heard mentioned as recently as today without really realizing how little you knew about the subject in point. Each category contains 10-15 pages. Topics: philosophy, psychology, Broadway, geology, geography, eath science, history, world wars, music, political science, pop culture, world events and so on...

My New Year's resolution: one section a week.

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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fun and even useful book, December 28, 2007

By	magellan (Santa Clara, CA) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER) (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)

The problem with a book like this is the difficult tradeoff between completeness and brevity, and accessibility. Obviously in a one volume format, no matter how weighty (and this one is 1300 pages), something has to be left out. But it's a problem that this book handles quite well.

Rather than carp on what's missing in a book like this, like some of the reviews here, look at what's included instead, and there's plenty to keep you occupied there, no matter what your interests are. If you're interested in more complete coverage, my advice there is to buy one of the one or two volume encyclopedias, such as the Oxford Concise Encyclopedia from Oxford University Press or the Britannica Ready Reference. These are even more ponderous and complete but are less approachable and readable since the technical level is higher.

So don't be too critical of a volume like this, which attempts to steer a middle ground. It's still an enjoyable read, and worth your time and money. Also, I say this as someone who regularly reads both the short and long versions of several 'pedias and knows their pros and cons. For me this is something I would use as enjoyable bedtime reading when I don't have the stamina or attention span to brave another formidable Britannica article, or even The World Book, which traditionally was somewhat more readable, although the Britannica has resolved that issue now with the three levels of writing difficulty in the new electronic DVD version.

But getting back to the present volume, overall, a nice job and informative and enjoyable to read.

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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Source For Information, March 9, 2008

By	Joseph A. Guarise "Joe Guarise" (St. John, USVI USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The essential book of knowlege is an easy reference book and jam backed with useful information. It can answer those quirky questions that you forgot the answers to quickly and easily. When was the last time you read the Declaration of Independence? What are those wine regions in France? How do I correctly punctuate this sentence? Faster than the internet.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

1.0 out of 5 stars misinformation
just glancing through the book--i see glaring errors. i focused on the section dealing with psychiatric drugs--saw dangerous misclassification in the listing of MAOI drugs. Read more

Published 25 days ago by rxtrekker

1.0 out of 5 stars A great book... if you don't have internet access.
Others have called this a "vast reference". It is definitely vast... and utterly useless. Perhaps it just wasn't what I was expecting but if you have internet access and you know... Read more

Published 3 months ago by Steven J. Wilson

1.0 out of 5 stars The New York Times Guide to Essential Knowledge
Readers interested in or curious about Latin American literature should get their money back from the editors and a letter of apology. Read more

Published 9 months ago by R. G. Mouat

4.0 out of 5 stars a taste of everything
This book has been a lot of fun and has me reading about things that I wouldn't normally pick up a whole book on. Read more

Published 13 months ago by BookKid

4.0 out of 5 stars A big boost toward being informed
This book doesn't cover everything, but it's a great start toward in-depth study of the world around us. Read more

Published 16 months ago by Justin B. Dossey

1.0 out of 5 stars if this is knowledge, I prefer ignorance
A masterpiece of Orwellian titling, this book contains over 1000 pages of trivia wrapped in a pretty dust jacket that promises a thorough review of "essential" knowledge. Read more

Published 17 months ago by daveklein222

5.0 out of 5 stars Essential Knowledge!
Maybe not all essential, but interesting things throughout! A nice gift and coffee table occupant.

Published 18 months ago by JL JMK

3.0 out of 5 stars Great information, but glaring omissions
I am a high school history teacher and I found this book to be a great source of all kinds of information, but was stunned to find no chart of all the U.S. Read more

Published 20 months ago by Gregory D. Linsz

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