The Dictionary of Cultural Literacy 2nd Edition

This is a book that gives a little information about almost anything you want to know. It’s like a small encyclopedia in your hands. Interesting just to browse or to find an answer to your question.

The Dictionary Of Cultural Literacy is the most important book to have on yourself alongside Black's Law Dictionary and Ballentine's Law Dictionary. This 1993 second edition of the DOCL is sentimental to me because it's the exact same one Tupac had in his possession of books he's read in his life. I personally read and learned much from this book. This book will be important to you for political awareness and cultural consciousness. There are politicians who've been to universities and have never read this book. Probably because they rather lean on their formal education. This book will gradually aid you in understanding many terms used today. It definitely brought more clarity and expanded my vocabulary as well. In this country, you better have some knowledge otherwise your opinion will fall on deaf ears. I urge everyone to have this book in their library, schools and homes. To not have this book as an American, is blasphemous and you would neglect your entire consciousness as a person. You'll need it to understand the entire basic structure of our society in America.

Worth reading, although perhaps a losing battle as so many Americans are losing touch with their own culture while embracing those of others. James Michener wrote that a country's culture only really lasts twenty years, referring perhaps to the fact that each generation arises and imposes its own culture on the one that preceded it, changing it forever. This book identifies many of those things which, if forgotten, will truly mean that the American culture has undergone a sea-change. Who knows? Perhaps this book can slow that down. It is certainly an interesting effort.

I thought the book was brand new but it looked used. Just glad I found the book so my son can do his home..

I first saw this book when a fellow educator suggested I take a look, having briefly flicked through his copy I instantly decided to order a copy for myself.This book is an excellent reference for anyone interested in common turns of phrase, and brief descriptors of mythologies. It is by no means a research book, there are no lengthy descriptions or in depth perspectives, so if that is what you are looking for then this is not the book for you.

I have had this book since it was 1st published. It is the one perfect gift to give to a graduate from hi school cause they will never learn about most of this stuff there and if they are going out into the world at large they will be at a disadvantage. Cultural literacy is one factor that divides the haves from the have nots.

The Dictionary of Cultural Literacy is an essential guide for any advanced middle school, high school, and even college student. The dictionary provides detailed explanations of various cultural events as well as e plantations of analogies typically used in literature. For any English literature class, this will definitely come in handy!

Loads of information

A mine of information, the kind of reference book which you can find yourself reading straight through, like Brewer's Phrase and Fable or John Sutherland's Companion to Victorian Literature. But - why this strange reluctance to give the exact dates for people and things? Robert Browning (1812-1889) is "a poet of the nineteenth century" Why? Even more ridiculously, Louis XIV (who lived from 1638 to 1715) is "a king of France in the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries". In opening my copy to find an example to illustrate my gripe I noticed that Julian rather than Thomas Huxley is given as the (yes, "nineteenth century") champion of Darwin. Though I'm sure this has been corrected in a later edition than mine - hasn't it?