本书原定价49.95美元,净重2690克。[图书分类:英国百科全书]This is a terrific one-volume, one-stop reference, handy when you need that particular fact right now and don\'t want to go any farther than the stack of books you keep by your desk. From Queen Boadicea whipping the Romans\' butts before taking poison to a list of world-champion orienteers (1970? Why, Stig Berge, of course) to an atlas section with maps on earthquake zones and global warming and acid rain patterns, this uber-tome has it all. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. This new entry into the desktop encyclopedia field represents a collaborative effort between Cambridge University Press and W. & R. Chambers, publishers of the Chambers Biographical Dictionary and Chambers World Gazetteer. It is the first comprehensive, alphabetically arranged one-volume encyclopedia to be published since the fourth edition of the New Columbia Encyclopedia in 1975. With 25,000 entries, it is about 50 percent smaller than the New Columbia and its entries are much shorter, averaging about 125 words without bibliographies. Entries include 15,000 topical, 5500 biographical, and 4000 gazetteer. They are crisply written with 75,000 cross references and more than 800 illustrations and maps, some in color. The maps are often superior in detail to those in the New Columbia . English spellings predominate, although U.S. equivalents are usually given. The computer revolution and contemporary international issues are well covered. Statistical data is reasonably current, although extensive use of the 1980 United States census gives some entries an aged appearance. While entries are generally well chosen, there are some surprising omissions; for example, there is no entry for Charles III of Spain or for any Canadian political parties. Unlike the New Columbia, the Cam bridge adds a lengthy ready-reference section (128p.) with 7000 additional entries including helpful charts on space, distances, measurement, rulers, and sports. Overall this is an authoritative, thoroughly modern, attractively printed compendium, bargain priced, which will make a timely addition to any library\'s shelf, and a useful home companion as well.- Brian E. Coutts, Western Ken tucky Univ. Libs., Bowling GreenCopyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.
以下为对购买帮助不大的评价