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The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know

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Authors: E. D. Hirsch, Joseph F. Kett, James Trefil
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
Category: Book

List Price: ~~$29.95~~
Buy Used: $10.71
You Save: $19.24 (64%)

New (35) Used (46) from $10.71

Media: Hardcover
Edition: 1
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 672
Shipping Weight (lbs): 3.6
Dimensions (in): 9.3 x 8.2 x 1.9

ISBN: 0618226478
Dewey Decimal Number: 973.03
UPC: 046442226479
EAN: 9780618226474
ASIN: 0618226478

Publication Date: October 3, 2002
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days

Customer Reviews:

Showing reviews 6-10 of 34

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4 1/2 stars. March 12, 2007
15 out of 18 found this review helpful

i am not the sharpest knife in the drawer, if you know what i mean. this book is just the ticket for a palooka like me. i've been dipping into the thing here and there for a couple of months now, and it's been a tremendous amount of fun. i was amazed by how much i had forgetten from my school days (i am 45). this compendium of learning covers a lot of ground, with a text that is clear and concise and enjoyable to read. the bible, mythology and folklore, literature, philosophy, religion, the english language, the fine arts, american history and world history, geography, psychology, sociolgy, business and economics, science, medicine, health, and technology, all get a going over. the format is easy and perfect for dipping into anywhere whenever you have the time to do so. a perfect coffee table book. a great bedside book. i highly recommend this to anyone who wishes to expand their knowledge or bone up on their facts in a wide variety of human endeavor.

5 out of 5 stars

Something for Everyone January 20, 2007
5 out of 5 found this review helpful

This is one book eveybody who wishes to be a well rounded, educated reader should own. It gives you a general knowledge of most subjects from art culture, to science, social issues, history, famous names and a whole lot more. It is an excellent source book.

4 out of 5 stars

Comprehensive but necessary? January 9, 2007
10 out of 14 found this review helpful

I have strongly mixed feelings about Hirsch's idea of cultural literacy. Regardless, this text is exactly what Hirsch promises it to be: a dictionary of cultural references. The one thing that Hirsch fails to state (and perhaps it's implicit within his tome) is that the cultural dictionary is developed from a fairly WASP-like perspective. He disclaims that it is what "every American" needs to know, but fails to recognize his operating stance. There is a heavy American, Judeo-Christian, masculine influence in his book. This is by no means an unbiased cultural dictionary.

5 out of 5 stars

A great way to understand the history of our country August 21, 2006
8 out of 8 found this review helpful

This book will help you to comprehend the background of our country a little more as well as give a high-level overview of where the foundations of our nation came from. Covering literature to common everyday sayings as well as the scientific side of things from an origin perspective, you will begin to have an appreciation for what our forefathers went through as they strove to build a society in the grand ol' USA.

5 out of 5 stars

Down-and-Dirty Info August 19, 2006
2 out of 3 found this review helpful

This book is excellent if you want to know concise bits of info about a particular topic (and it covers A LOT of topics, grouped nicely into categories in the Table of Contents). Then, if you want to delve further into an item, you can always hop on the Web. I gave the book to my 21-year-old son to help him start his own book collection, so I recently purchased another for myself.

Copyright 2007 White Hat Communications.
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