Chambers Books

Everything you ever wanted to know about crossword puzzles in a single handbook. Don Manley covers the history of the puzzle and gives a detailed explanation of the different sorts of cryptic clue. Advice for the solver with examples and explanations is followed by suggestions for the budding composer. Not only this, but the book contains over a hundred puzzles, ranging from the fairly easy to the virtually impossible. This book is ideal for the crossword lover, whether a beginner or a master.

There are hundreds, perhaps thousands of quotation books. But not many offer over 20,000 quotations. This one falls into the group of massive quotation books that are categorized by author, rather than by subject. it makes it easier to familiarize yourself with the thoughts of a specific writer or speaker, but harder to find quotes based on topic or subject.

You have to compare this with the grand old book of author categorized quotations-- Bartletts. And this book comes out looking pretty good, with more than 50% more sources of quotations, including some very unique contemporary ones.

While I tend to prefer subject categorized book, I've found this one to be fun to browse. It's still too much effort to dig through these author categorized ones while doing an in depth subject search, but it is an excellent book, in the same general class as Bartlett's and Oxford.

The cover looks a bit stodgy, but inside, there are a wealth of new faces with new ideas. The publisher reports that a team of 40 researchers worked on this. This is particularly reflected in the great job they do of putting a decent bio of each speaker right there where the quotes are-- no need to dig the info up from the back of the book.

I purchased this purely and simply to help with that inevitable last crossword clue that stares back at you off the page, as much as to say you can think till the cows come home but you are not going to get the answer.

This book is the ideal solution for that situation. No, it does not have everything you may need to know in it, that would be impossible, unless the book was too heavy to lift. But funnily enough, it does have most things. It is well laid out in a style that makes finding what you want relatively easy. Once you have it you realise it is useful for far more things than crosswords. The answers to question posed in other books or on television or radio. Questions asked by children or grandchildren, it uses are endless and I find that once you have read something, as opposed to hearing it on the radio or television you tend to remember it better. I don't know why this should be, but it seems to work for me.

I have been using a Chambers Twentieth Century dictionary since the 1970s and I have not yet found a more comprehensive dictionary to meet my needs. I have seldom ever come across a word that I fail to find in this excellent book that is my companion whenever I meet some unfamiliar English word.

The 1972 edition of the dictionary has kept pace with the rapid changes and diverse influences on the English language. The book also takes into account the reducing barriers in English usage in various parts of the world such as the USA. Such a catholic and broadminded dictionary makes it useable by people from all over the world.

The other useful features of the dictionary include the detailed etymologies, the pronunciation guide, idiomatic turns of speech and the literary words from around 300 to 400 years ago. It also has quotations from Latin, Greek and other modern languages; musical terms, signs and symbols; the Greek and Russian alphabets; Roman numerals; conversion tables and mathematical symbols, among other useful features.

The comprehensive nature of dictionary makes it weighty and this makes it not very portable especially if you are travelling. The authors also need to come up with a new edition to take into account the diverse changes that have taken place about three and half decades since this edition. However, for me, the dictionary continues to serve a very important purpose.

If you want to know who are on the top of the field when it comes to all of the different business lawyers and law firms this book is a no brainer. Has all the information as well as information in a short paragraph about each lawyer as well as contact information. Definately a classy book from a reputable company.

Chambers Words lists every single word in the extensive Chambers dictionary; but without definitions, according to the length of the word. So if you are stuck for a 6 letter word beginning J-P, within seconds you will have found Japuti: of course, the well-known palm tree! This handbook is an essential aid for both solving and setting crossword puzzles or for judging Scrabble games. Chambers is the usual standard source for English words.

Accomplished gardener Louisa Pringle Cameron and free lance photographer Lauren Preller Chambers collaborate in The Charleston Gardener to explore the lush and varied private gardens that have made the city of Charleston horticulturally famous, -- along with its numerous instances of Georgian and antebellum architecture. Brief yet thoughtful commentaries on the individual gardens showcased, along with the wonderful full-color photography, work in perfect tandem. Also very highly recommended is the previous and companion volume: The Private Gardens Of Charleston.

The China Human Resources Paradox must be highly recommended to anyone doing business in China - it discusses all the key elements of China's labor market and describes the differences across specific industries. Especially the case studies of successful Swiss companies in China are helpful and interesting!

This is the book that convinced me that Candelaria is the lyric poet laureate of Canada. His poetry is deceptively simple, hauntingly musical, and speaks with a voice that transcends the personal.

Consider these three "simple" lines from "Past Postscripts" (p. 47)

her hourglass / too exquisite to keep time / with his broken clock

Simple? No - exceedingly complex. Personal? Yes - but not the confessional personal - the universal personal that all poets should strive for.

Candelaria is, and shall remain, the master of the universal personal amongst Canadian poets.

Nothing spectacular to write home about. When I bought this book, I was hoping for the old radio dramas that I used to listen to when I was a kid on Sunday nights. I will say that there were some very good stories. But a few left you rather wanting.