Reference - Encyclopedias

Science is vital for every inhabitant of today's world, and being scientifically informed and literate is a crucial part of any child's education. Science can seem daunting especially as scientific knowledge advances so quickly and this volume is the perfect purchase for any family. It will bear repeated use by all the family from 9+ through teenage years.

This book provides whatever you want to know in 2008. It includes general information from Gordon Brown to the Gordian Knot Science - Darwinism to dark matter, the Big Bang to bird flu. It is a complete sporting almanac and literary companion "Who's who" and has been who throughout history Prize winners: Olympics to Oscars, Nobel to Grand National Colour World Atlas and Gazetteer Medical matters, the Environment and Economics Ideas and beliefs - acupuncture to Zoroastrianism - elucidated Dictionaries of Art, Music and Cinema Practi... read more

The hugely popular penguin book of facts is back! this handy b-format paperback is the most comprehensive, authoritative and up-to-date general fact book available. organised in thematic sections that cover topics as diverse as science and technology, sport and culture, religion and mythology, it is easy to navigate and great value for money. the first edition has sold almost 15, 000 copies and has proved a huge hit, especially among crossword solvers, students and editors. an essential desk reference. Second edition.

Praise for the ninth edition: 'Still one of the best concise encyclopedias for the sciences' - "Library Journal Reviews". 'For two-year and undergraduate institutions, Van Nostrand's is essential' - "Choice". "The Scientific Encyclopedia" has long enjoyed a reputation as one of the most important and comprehensive general scientific references available, suitable for both academic and professional environments. This outstanding reference remains the definitive scientific resource with topics ranging across all scientific discipline... read more

The newly revised and updated Chambers Mini Book of Facts is handy and easy to use -- crammed full of information on everything from Nobel Prize winners to national holidays, sporting achievements and election results. Small enough to fit into a pocket, yet comprehensive enough to keep readers absorbed for hours, it is an essential title for all information junkies.

The definitive, fully illustrated single-volume companion to
the world's greatest playwright.

This authoritative reference book brings world history to life, from early humans to the current war on terror. Along the way, it reveals riveting facts on the founding of the great Roman Empire, the revolution that changed France forever, the war between the North and South that unified America, the start of World War I and the Great Depression that followed, the first moon landing, and the end of apartheid in South Africa. The encyclopedia is organized chronologically and then thematically within each time period. A timeline ru... read more

Integrative medicine is a holistic, patient-centred approach to health care that is revolutionizing medicine for the 21st century. It is the future of medicine, and "The Encyclopedia of New Medicine" is the quintessential resource on integrated conventional, complementary and alternative ways of treating and preventing disease. Part 1 of this 640-page encyclopedia guides readers through Duke University's approach to state-of-the-art integrative treatment programmes for more than 200 diseases and conditions. Each is linked to the re... read more

Whether for homework, school projects, or just for fun, you'll find everything you ever wanted to know about anything and more in Dorling Kindersley's Children's Illustrated Encyclopedia. From computers to music, space exploration to the natural world all the essential subjects are here, plus hundreds of fascinating little-known facts you'll want to learn and share. It is newly updated to cover advances in technology, new scientific theories and political, social and ecological changes across the world. This work includes: 500 A-... read more

The ultimate guided tour of our universe From the fiery mass of the Sun's core to the black hole at the center of the Milky Way, take off into the farthest limits of space and discover our universe. Explore the latest discoveries in astronomy, spectacular star charts and stunning images from space probes and telescopes. A dazzling visual exploration of all the astonishing features and phenomena of space. Out-of-this-world reference for all the family.

Explore the world's great myths and legends, brought to life in this enthralling retelling of age-old stories passed down from generation to generation. From the heroes of Ancient Greece to The Dreaming of Australian aborigines, here are the myths that, thousands of years after they were first told, are still relevant today. Unravel the meaning and context behind the myths, understand their cultural significance and discover the characters and themes. Famous artworks and artefacts exploring scenes from myths are explored and annota... read more

This is an updated edition of an outstanding science resource which can be enhanced by visiting any of over 1,000 recommended, regularly reviewed web sites, or which stands alone as a complete, self-contained reference tool. It covers the whole field of science, including physics, chemistry, biology, information technology, earth sciences and astronomy, with up-to-date information on new fields such as genetic engineering, nanotechnology and the safeguarding of the environment. Each recommended web site is accompanied by a brief de... read more

This title is a brand new edition of this comprehensive encyclopedia, tracing the extraordinary history of our world, from the Big Bang to the 21st Century. It includes all the major civilizations, rulers and events in world history, and paints a vivid picture of everyday life over thousands of years. Readers can immerse themselves in history via the over 200 recommended web sites, fighting the Battle of Waterloo or strolling the Great Wall of China. A selection of useful maps and pictures from the book are available to download fr... read more

This new encyclopaedia of the life of the great British explorer James Cook is both a meticulous piece of scholarship and an attractive and accessible reference book for the general reader.Cook - the ultimate sailor, surveyor, cartographer and explorer - has had much written about him but, inevitably, many of the published works explore only aspects of his career: In The Captain Cook Encyclopaedia the author - with the help of some twenty distinguished scholars and writers - sets out to answer any question about Cook likely to be r... read more

Though our 'information age' is drowning us in words - most notably through the rapid rise in popularity of the blog - our collective vocabulary seems to be growing ever more impoverished. So here is a collection of rare and neglected words that, if reintroduced, will help breathe much-needed life, savour and vitality back into the English language and will delight anyone keen to enrich their verbal repertoire. Each of these 100 hand-picked words comes with a precise definition, a quotation from literature, a personal note from the... read more

Continuing to inform and intrigue generations of readers with its unique mix of solid facts and fascinating gems, "Pears' Cyclopaedia" offers clear and concise information on such wide-ranging subjects as global events, Norse mythology and modern cinema. This year, in researching Pears, some of the more unexpected facts uncovered in this issue are that penguins have more feathers than any other creature, white rhinos are not in fact white, China produces more potatoes than any other country - and Sudan has more pyramids than Egypt.... read more

Whitaker's Concise Almanack 2012 is the definitive reference guide to the UK. A softback, shorter version of its big sister, Whitaker's Almanack, the Concise edition is a UK-centric goldmine of information with enormous breadth of coverage. The Concise edition doesn't contain any international coverage, but at less than half the price of the standard edition the reader with an interest in UK facts and figures is really getting value for money. Areas of coverage include: government and politics, communications, private and state edu... read more