Australia Books

My Master's thesis was a review and rating of large Spanish-English dictionaries. Though the title says "concise," this work at 1500 pages falls under the category of large. I find it, like all the other Oxford dictionaries, to be a good choice.

Here are a few of the factors which distinguish a good bilingual dictionary from a bad one.

To begin with, ignore certain publishers' marketing ploys such as entry and translation counts. They say nothing about the value of the words chosen.

The first valid factor to consider is lexicographic technique. A bad dictionary simply lists translations. Take, for example, the entry in the Cassell's Spanish Dictionary under the English headword loop: "lazo, gaza, nudo; ojal, presilla, alamar; anillo; recodo, comba, curva, vuelta," etc. For the English reader writing in Spanish, this is hopelessly inadequate, as the dictionary provides no clue as to which translation to use in which situation.

Compare the treatment of the same word in the far superior American Heritage Spanish Dictionary. "(length of line) lazo; (coil) vuelta; (bend) curva; (circular path) vuelta, circuito; (fastener) presilla" etc. Here, the user is given glosses in the native language to assist in identifying the right word for the context. Example sentences are also a tremendous help. Oxford is excellent in this respect, presenting good information to guide users through the semantic and syntactic complexities of translation.

Second, a good dictionary should maintain an up-to-date lexicon, including such cultural and technological additions to the language as "baby sitter," "hostile takeover," "software," "flash drive." Oxford is a leader in this respect; its frequent revisions are more than mere window dressing and do a creditable job of covering the most recent additions to the language.

Third, idioms, slang, and cusswords can present real problems to the language learner, and a dictionary needs to handle them in a clear and frank fashion. This dictionary gets it right, giving stylistic equivalents for translations as well as clear advice to the user.

The Oxford Concise has a practical "language in use" section, which gives sample formats for correspondence as well as functions such as introduction, exposition, agreement, and disagreement.

Be careful when you choose a bilingual dictionary, as some of the choices--Cassell's and Vox, for example--are downright terrible. The field of large dictionaries stays relatively static over time, and the best choices in it by far are Oxford, Collins, and Larousse.

The Australian Dictionary of Biography is not a lightweight and is certainly not bedtime reading material. Not unless, that is, you are a fan of Australian history and the people who made it. In 14 hefty volumes, the lives of the more important figures in Australian history are narrated in around 2000-6000 words. In all, there are 14 volumes which are divided into chronological periods. Volumes 1 and 2 cover prominent personages from the years 1788-1850 (Australia was settled by the British in 1788); volumes3 to 6 cover the years 1851-1890; volumes 7 to 12 cover the years 1891-1939, and volumes 13 through to 16 will cover 1940-1980. I say will, because the publishing schedule is at present up to volume 14 of the intended 16 volumes. So, how does it rate? From this Australian reviewer's perspective, ADB is a truly monumental work which encapsulates the lives of Australian history, and by so doing, encapsulates the history of the largest island continent itself. As a large scale biographical project which began in 1957, this publishing work may be described as nothing less than a treasure trove for the researcher, scholar, or interested layman. As its publishers point out, ADB is not "a pantheon of immortals", but aims to "reflect the rich variety of Australian life by including representatives of almost every occupation - shearers, drovers, governesses, nurses, undertakers, marine engineers, bag-pipers, circus proprietors, axemen, trumpeters, ballroom dancers, murderers, bushrangers and confidence men." The Australian Dictionary of Biography is a truly great work in every sense of the word. If you are a reader who has a passion for Australian history and the people who made it, then this is for you, particularly if you are an academic, a researcher, or a long-term student in this arena. As an investment in Australian biographical history, it is a winner.

an excellent book that integrates the art, culture and ethos of the indigenous cultures of australia with the relevant dreamtime stories, illustrations and photographs.

Very easy to read, well written and informative. A must read for those interested in electoral reform.

Ex DIA agent turned private investigator Penn Gwinn is hired by an unknown client to fly to Sydney, Australia to purchase the legendary Aqualene, an opal known to the Australian Aboriginals as "the Eye of God".

All is not what it seems however, as the seller of the opal is murdered and the Aqualene stolen before Penn can get his hands on it.

What follows is a fast-paced, action-packed journey through Mexico and back to Australia in the chase for the legendary stone.

The Australian File is well written, with an enjoyable plot that flows well. As the author intended, nothing is quite what it seems, and as a result I found The Australian File hard to put down.

This is the bible of Australian finches. It may be dated, but is still top of the league

A wonderful piece of work - but I would have preferred the genus Litoria to be split into the various genera that Wells and Wellington (1985) used, as it is just so much easier to understand the relationships of each from a zoogeographic point of view. Nevertheless, all good things come to those who ask often enough, so here's asking for a revised edition !

Good books on monitors are hard to come by and this is one of them. Up-to-date info and beautiful photo's (the one on the cover is almost worth the price of the book IMO) make it a must for anyone interested in these incredible dragon-like lizards.

From the magnificient and beautiful Perentie to the cute Short-Tailed Pygmy Monitor all the varanids occuring in Australia are described and illustrated. It is also a good reference for those who wish to keep them as pets.

Little scholarship exists on Australia. Even smaller are the books on Australian Politics. Here is a short history of the Liberal party of Australia, created in the 1940s by Mr. Menzies as a conservative party in opposition to Labour this is the party of the current PM Mr. Howard. This fascinating look explains Australia and its issues including its foreign policy, its role in Vietnam and he struggle for morality among other things. From Menzies, the anti-communist, to Holt who disappeared this is an amazing account. A very interesting story and a necessary read where so little exists on modern Australian politics.

Seth J. Frantzman

This is the one book I require students to buy for my graduate seminar on Australian Film and History because it is simply the most thoughtful, ambitious and informed book on the cultural and political significance of the Australian film industry. It is also a valuable work for anyone interested in national cinemas and their relation to Hollywood.