Concise Oxford English Dictionary

This book has been a revelation, I don’t think any other text offers such diverse subject matter. The flow is unorthodox and that can be quite jarring for new readers, but once familiarised you won’t look back! I was too intimidated by this dense hardback to read it cover to cover and decided to dip in and out instead, this was less time consuming and more focused, so I gained a lot from it!

What most impressed me with this book was the rich vocabulary used consistently throughout. It had never dawned on me that there were so many words beginning with “P”! Every word is used with a precision that highlights the meticulous nature of the writer. It’s no wonder this rich text has gained such popularity and I foresee a trend of books being written in alphabetical order. With the plot taking a back seat there is more time to explore the meaning conveyed by specific words.

My main criticism is that sometimes the meaning of words is not clear enough. For instance, “Bamboo shoot” is defined as “a young shoot of bamboo”, which I think is totally inadequate and offers no description of what the words actually mean. The definition of “Definition” is “an exact description of the nature, scope or meaning of something”. I don’t think all the words in the dictionary truly offer this but considering the book is 1682 page long I will cut it some slack.

I felt moved throughout the dictionary and it spoke to me on a personal level, using words I have used as well as teaching me new ones. This unique book is a valuable companion to any reader or writer and I recommend indulging in the knowledge it offers.