Schott's Original Miscellany
Trivia buffs and other collectors of esoteric knowledge will enjoy perusing the pages of Schott's Original Miscellany (Bloomsbury, $14.95, 160 pages, ISBN 1582343497). Already a hit in England, this tiny book contains lists of information in a host of categories, from the mundane to the decidedly wacky. Author Ben Schott, a 28-year-old photographer/designer, describes his book as "the most addictive thing since nicotine," and we would have to agree after flipping through the pages for way longer than we should have. If you're looking for a list of multiple Nobel Prize winners, the dimensions of the Statue of Liberty, or the order of service for Princess Diana's funeral, it's all here. Our personal favorite is the "Curious Deaths of Some Burmese Kings," including the fate of poor Minrekyawswa, who was crushed to death by his own elephant. |
Look it up: books with all the answers
REVIEWS BY TRISHA PING Not all questions can be put to rest with a Google search. While Internet advances have led many reference publishers to put parts of their guides on the web, there's a certainty to looking something up in a nice, heavy book—the answer just seems to have more weight. This fall brings important updates to some of the reference industry's biggest contenders. A matter of style
University of Chicago Press, $55 964 pages, ISBN 0226104036
Documentation counts
By Joseph Gibaldi and Phyllis Franklin Modern Language Association of America, $17 351 pages, ISBN 0873529863
For dictionary devotees
Merriam-Webster, $25.95 1,664 pages, ISBN 0877798095
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The University of Chicago Press has just released a new edition of The Chicago Manual of Style, the book that sets style
guidelines for writers across America. For the first time, the editors of the manual consulted a panel of advisors, including
editors at other university presses, launching detailed debates over even the most minute formatting questions. The result is
the most extensive revision of the Chicago Manual in 20 years, and only the 15th in the guide's 97-year history. The new edition
includes complete information on how to format journals, press releases and electronic publications (previous editions focused mainly
on the traditional book), as well as a comprehensive chapter on English grammar. Other shocking developments: the preferred
abbreviation for state names is now the two-letter postal code (e.g., AL) instead of the longer traditional abbreviations (e.g., Ala.),
and the date format has changed from day-month-year to the much more prevalent month-day-year.
Support your 
Joseph Gibaldi and Phyllis Franklin's MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers is a time-tested resource for documenting
sources. This year, the publication aimed at high school and college students releases its sixth edition. In addition to the usual updates of citation examples, the new edition offers a chapter
on plagiarism, including advice on how to avoid unwittingly committing this offense (a section some of today's top authors may need to
consult). There's also expanded information on the ever-changing field of electronic publications and a revised punctuation section.
Those with a thirst for words will drink up Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary. This 11th edition of America's best-selling
dictionary has been 10 years in the making. Paired with a CD-ROM for easy use while working on a computer, the 11th
edition contains 10,000 new entries, including "phat," "Botox," "psyops," "comb-over" and other words culled from our
modern vernacular. Need additional proof that this isn't your grandma's dictionary? Each Collegiate Dictionary purchased
includes a user code granting a one-year subscription to the online version of the dictionary. The thoughtfully designed
site allows users to look up words, bookmark them for future reference and e-mail definitions to friends. It even includes
pronunciation for more difficult entries. At last—the ease of the Internet combined with the authority of a trusted name
in reference.