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September 2008 Update
New Content
This huge update to Oxford Reference Online: Premium Collection contains four superb, long-entry and in-depth titles, ranging from molecular biology, to opera, to natural history, and eleven new editions, packed with up-to-date facts and information, including a new edition of the world-famous Concise Oxford English Dictionary. Several of these titles now contain entry-level links to other editorially vetted websites, offering starting points for further research. In total, this update includes over 6,300 updated entries, over 24,000 new entries, and over 1,600 illustrations and photos!
Operaphiles have much to celebrate, with the addition of the scholarly and accessible Grove Book of Operas and The Grove Book of Opera Singers. More excellent core science content has been added with the Oxford Dictionary of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology – over 21,000 entries, in fact! A new addition to the Natural History subject area is The New Encyclopedia of Reptiles and Amphibians, the authoritative overview of reptiles and amphibians, including over 200 colour illustrations and photographs.
The new editions are:
Premium Collection
NEW TITLE
The New Encyclopedia of Reptiles and Amphibians, edited by Tim halliday and Kraig Adler
Over 200 colour illustrations and photos
There has been a huge surge of interest in reptiles and amphibians over the past few years in both scientific research and common interest. This superbly designed and illustrated encyclopedia has brought together a wealth of new and fascinating information on amphibians and reptiles in one volume. Written by a stream of distinguished zoologists and brought together by internationally renowned experts, Tim Halliday and Kraig Adler, the encyclopedia gives an excellent and authoritative overview of reptiles and amphibians. Vividly illustrated, it manages to combine scientific research with easy to read essays thus appealing simultaneously to a general audience interested in natural history and to specialists requiring an accurate up to date reference work.
The Grove Book of Operas, edited by Stanley Sadie and Laura Macy
Synopses and descriptions of over 250 operas
First published in 1996 to great critical and popular acclaim, the Grove Book of Operas is a collection of synopses and descriptions of over 250 operas. Each succinct yet insightful entry is written by a leading authority on the opera and includes a full synopsis of the plot, a cast list, a note on the singers in the original production, and information on the origins of the work and its literary and social background. Contributions conclude with a brief comment on the particular work's place in operatic history.
The second edition brings the book up to date with several recently composed operas. Recent additions to the operatic repertory included for the first time in this edition include Nicholas Maw, Sophie's Choice; Poul Ruders, A Handmaid's Tale; John Adams, Death of Klinghoffer; and Mark Adamo, Little Women. Covering all operas in the current repertory along with some less-well-known early and very modern ones, this is an ideal volume for the general opera lover.
The Grove Book of Opera Singers, by Laura Macy
Over 1,500 singers
Covering over 1,500 singers from the birth of opera to the present day, this marvellous volume will be an essential resource for all serious opera lovers and an indispensable companion to the enormously successful Grove Book of Operas.
The most comprehensive guide to opera singers ever produced, this volume offers an alphabetically arranged collection of authoritative biographies that range from Marion Anderson (the first African American to perform at the Met) to Benedict Zak (the classical tenor and close friend and colleague of Mozart). Readers will find fascinating articles on such opera stars as Maria Callas and Enrico Caruso, Ezio Pinza and Fyodor Chaliapin, Lotte Lehmann and Jenny Lind, Lily Pons and Luciano Pavarotti. The profiles offer basic information such as birth date, vocal style, first debut, most memorable roles, and much more. But these articles often go well beyond basic biographical information to offer colourful portraits of the singer's personality and vocal style, plus astute evaluations of their place in operatic history and many other intriguing observations. Many entries also include suggestions for further reading, so that anyone interested in a particular performer can explore their life and career in more depth. The articles are mostly drawn from the acclaimed Grove Music Online and have been fully revised, and the book is further supplemented by more than 40 specially commissioned articles on contemporary singers.
A superb new guide from the first name in opera reference, The Grove Book of Opera Singers is a lively and authoritative work. It is an essential volume for opera lovers everywhere.
Oxford Dictionary of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, edited by Richard Cammack, Teresa Atwood, Peter Campbell, Howard Parish, Anthony Smith, Frank Vella, and John Stirling
Over 21,000 entries and 870 illustrations
The Oxford Dictionary of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology provides a comprehensive survey of modern biochemistry and molecular biology. Fully revised and updated, this new edition includes definitions of terms from the fields of Bioinformatics, Biophysics, Cell Biology, Chemistry, Genetics, Immunology, Mathematics, Microbiology, Pharmacology, Systems Biology, and Toxicology. Entries are short and informative, covering details of biochemical substances and the processes in which they are involved, methods and concepts in molecular biology, and definitions of biochemical symbols and abbreviations. Each entry is accessibly written, pointing out the pitfalls where terms are often confused and providing recommended nomenclature and alternative names.
NEW EDITIONS
A Dictionary of Computing, edited by John Daintith and Edmund Wright
Over 6,500 entries
This best-selling dictionary has been fully revised by a team of computer specialists, making it the most up-to-date and authoritative guide to computing available. With expanded coverage of networking and databases, feature entries on key topics, e.g. XML, and the addition of biographical entries, it is a comprehensive reference work encompassing all aspects of the subject. Containing over 6,500 entries – many new to this edition – it is as valuable for home and office users as it is indispensible for students of computing. Recommended web links for many entries provide valuable further information. It also contains coverage of computer terms in industry, school, work, education, and the home, including the Internet, multimedia, networks and databases, and security. Terms are defined in a jargon-free and concise manner with helpful examples where relevant. This dictionary is suitable for anyone who uses computers, and is ideal for students of computing and the related fields of IT, maths, physics, media communications, electronic engineering, and natural sciences.
A Dictionary of Human Resource Management, Edmund Heery and Mike Noon
Over 1,400 entries
The authoritative source of precise and easy to understand definitions of words, terms, and phrases that are used in the fields of Human Resource Management, Personnel, and Industrial Relations, this new edition of the Dictionary of Human Resource Management has been thoroughly revised and updated to reflect changes in vocabulary and usage. All the previous editions' entries have been reviewed, around 300 new entries have been added, and the existing entries thoroughly edited to reflect changes in the usage of terms, changes in institutions and official bodies, and keeps pace with the evolving HRM vocabulary.
This new edition of the Dictionary features the latest terms and management buzzwords, key theoretical terms and concepts from academics and consultants, technical terms used by practising personnel/HR managers and trade unionists, major policies, practices, and institutions, jargon from the present and the past, and legal terms. This is a vital companion for students and practitioners in HRM, Personnel, and Industrial Relations.
A Dictionary of Finance and Banking, edited by Jonathan Law and John Smullen
Over 5,100 entries
This accessible guide is a perfect source of reference for all those with an interest in finance. Invaluable for students and professionals in the fields of finance and banking, it is also ideal for private investors and readers of the financial pages.
This is the most comprehensive and up-to-date dictionary of finance available. The entries in the new edition cover the vocabulary used in banking, money markets, foreign exchanges, public and government finance, and private investment and borrowing, and much more. The coverage in all areas is wide and international.
Over 200 new entries have been added to this edition and it has been fully updated to reflect recent developments in the industry, such as structured finance and the subprime lending crisis.
Feature entries have been included in this edition for the fuller explanation of topical and complex areas, e.g. Financial Times Share Indexes, and Bankruptcy Law. Recommended up-to-date web links for many entries provide valuable extra information. With clear and accessible definitions, this jargon-free dictionary is a companion volume to the other financial titles in this best-selling series, A Dictionary of Business and Management, A Dictionary of Accounting, and A Dictionary of Economics, and provides accurate and valuable information for students, practitioners, private investors, and readers of the financial pages alike.
A Dictionary of Statistics, by Graham Upton and Ian Cook
Over 2,000 entries
This wide-ranging, jargon-free dictionary contains over 2,000 entries on all aspects of statistics including terms used in computing, mathematics, operational research, and probability, as well as biographical information on over 200 key figures in the field, and coverage of statistical journals and societies. It embraces the whole multi-disciplinary spectrum of this complex subject, and will be invaluable for students and professionals from a wide range of disciplines, including politics, market research, medicine, psychology, pharmaceuticals, and mathematics.
The entries are generously illustrated with useful figures and diagrams, and include worked examples where applicable, which place them in a practical context.
Fully updated for the second edition, the dictionary now boasts over 200 new entries including over 30 new biographies, as well as internet links which point to useful sites for further information, and many additional illustrative examples that clarify terms by showing them in use.
The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Archaeology, Timothy Darvill
Over 4,000 entries
With over 4,000 entries covering the essential vocabulary for everyday archaeological work in the English language, this up-to-date dictionary is the most wide-ranging and comprehensive of its kind. There is coverage of principles, theories, techniques, artefacts, materials, people, places, monuments, equipment, and descriptive terms – from amphora to ziggurat, and Beaker Culture to molluscan analysis.
The dictionary focuses especially on Europe, the Old World, and the Americas, and covers legislation relating to the United Kingdom and the USA. The archaeology of a selection of key sites from around the world is also described.
Written by a leading authority, the dictionary's detailed but clear entries provide an essential reference source for students, teachers, professionals, and enthusiasts alike.
New to this edition are recommended web links for over 100 entries.
A Dictionary of Weather, Storm Dunlop
Over 2,000 entries
A new, authoritative and comprehensive dictionary of weather, forecasting, and climate terms with illustrative examples of specific events and extremes. Weather records and climate data from around the world are given and key terms from the related fields of oceanography, hydrology, and climatology are also covered.
Revised and fully updated, this edition includes 300 new and revised entries, such as A-Train, Pineapple Express, and Watermelon snow, and added feature entries highlighting actual occurrences of extreme weather, including the Indian Ocean Tsunami and Hurricane Katrina. Generously illustrated, and containing recommended websites for further reading, this reference work is thoroughly comprehensive. Find out where and when the world's largest hailstone fell or where the highest temperature was recorded using the list of weather records, and check climate data for different weather types from around the world.
This is a unique dictionary and an essential reference source for meteorology and geography students, whether at school or university, as well as for amateur meteorologists and the general reader.
The Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy, Simon Blackburn
Over 3,000 entries
This best-selling dictionary covers all areas of philosophy and contains terms from the related fields of religion, science, and logic. Clear and authoritative definitions and make it an essential resource for students and teachers and an ideal introduction for anyone with an interest in philosophy.
This edition includes 500 biographies of famous and influential philosophers and covers the most recent terms and concepts from Western philosophical traditions, as well as Chinese, Indian, Islamic, and Jewish philosophy, and includes many entries with recommended web links.
Pocket Fowler's Modern English Usage, edited by Robert Allen
Over 4,000 entries
This invaluable reference work offers the best advice on English usage, drawing on the unrivalled resources of Oxford's English Dictionaries programme and language monitoring. This second edition of the Pocket Fowler harks back to the original 1926 edition of A Dictionary of Modern English Usage by Henry Fowler, born 150 years ago in 1858. Updated with the use of the Oxford English Corpus, a database of over two billion words of 21st century English, the new edition answers your most frequently asked questions about language use. Should you use a split infinitive or a preposition at the end of a sentence? Is it infer or imply? Who or whom? What are the main differences between British and American English? Over 4,000 entries offer clear recommendations on issues of grammar, pronunciation, spelling, confusable words, and written style. Real examples are drawn from classic and contemporary literary sources, newspapers and magazines, and the internet. Pocket Fowler's Modern English Usage is an indispensable companion for anyone who wants to use the English language effectively.
The Concise Oxford English Dictionary, edited by Catherine Soanes and Angus Stevenson
Over 240,000 words, phrases, and definitions
The Concise Oxford English Dictionary is a world-famous bestseller, chosen by thousands of users for its up-to-date and authoritative coverage of the English language. It contains over 240,000 words, phrases, and definitions, providing meanings for everyday words including scientific and technical vocabulary, as well as English from around the world. This revised edition of the dictionary has been updated with hundreds of new words and phrases, including sub-prime, social networking, and carbon footprint.
The Oxford Dictionary of Modern Quotations, edited by Elizabeth Knowles
Over 5,000 entries
This up-to-date collection offers a vivid picture both of the world today, and of the landmark events and key voices leading to it. From Scott's Antarctic Expedition in 1912 to the attack on the World Trade Centre in 2001, it charts watersheds such as two World Wars as well as the ebbs and flows of popular culture.
Containing over 5,000 quotations from authors as diverse as Elizabeth Arden, Billy Connolly, Bertolt Brecht, Linda Evangelista, Eddie Izzard, Alison Lurie, Carl Sagan, William Shatner, and Desmond Tutu, the dictionary is author-organized with generous cross-referencing. Special categories for film taglines and cartoon captions have been added to accompany misquotations, official advice, newspaper headlines, and many more. Informative and entertaining, this book is a vital part of the modern reference shelf, perfectly designed to answer the questions, ‘Who said that … and when … and why?’
A Dictionary of Opera Characters, Joyce Bourne
Over 2,500 entries
A unique and authoritative A-Z reference work that will answer all your questions on who's who in opera. Contains over 2,500 lively entries on operatic characters, with information on the creator of the role and notable performances. From Aeneas to Zaida, A Dictionary of Opera Characters provides extensive coverage of all the characters in operas from around the world and gives synopses for over 200 operas and operettas. It includes feature articles written by well-known personalities from the world of opera, such as Placido Domingo and Dame Janet Baker, plus, new to this edition, articles contributed by Christine Brewer and Joyce DiDonato.
Recommended opera-related web links are listed for relevant and up-to-date extra information. This book is an invaluable source of reference for professionals and amateurs alike, and a fascinating read for anyone curious about opera.
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