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Best Atlases

National Geographic Atlas of the World, Tenth Edition
Marking the 100th anniversary of National Geographic cartography, this prestigious reference is the essential guide to understanding today's interconnected world. A portion of all National Geographic proceeds is used to fund exploration, conservation, and education through ongoing contributions to the work of the National Geographic Society.
Reviews
"I previously bought the National Geographic "Family Reference Atlas of the World", which was big enough to impress people that you have a big atlas on the coffee table, but not big enough to actually FIND any historical locations you are interested in."
"This was a gift, and I am thrilled how fabulous this NG Atlas actually is."
"I have compared, the map for Suriname is even less detailed than my micro pocket atlas which costs only 0.8 USD."
"I could not be more pleased!"
"Absolutely stunning book!"
"I bought this book for my mom and she loves it."
"An essential for anyone with any interest in geography."
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Atlas of the World
The only world atlas updated annually, guaranteeing that users will find the most current geographic information, Oxford's Atlas of the World is the most authoritative atlas on the market.
Reviews
"Very nice, my dad loved it."
"much better than national geographic and much cheaper."
"My friend love her gift."
"Son loved it."
"Awesome."
"Well illustrated and easy to read."
"Very heavy book, can be called a coffee table book in my opinion."
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National Geographic Visual Atlas of the World, 2nd Edition: Fully Revised and Updated
Updated for the first time since 2008, National Geographic's visual atlas of the world will delight and inspire history lovers, current event buffs, and cartography fans alike. NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC cartographers bring a century of mapmaking experience and cutting-edge technology to bear on every atlas product.
Reviews
"It is stunningly beautiful and thorough,but it must be noted that that it is 17 inches long (12"wide.)."
"Pro's: I love how in the beginning of every section they provide succinct description of the region, including most common natural disasters and other details."
"Perfect family reference atlas."
"This World Atlas is absolutely and extraordinarily beautiful and graphic."
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Best Historical Atlases & Maps

National Geographic Atlas of the World, Tenth Edition
Marking the 100th anniversary of National Geographic cartography, this prestigious reference is the essential guide to understanding today's interconnected world. A portion of all National Geographic proceeds is used to fund exploration, conservation, and education through ongoing contributions to the work of the National Geographic Society.
Reviews
"I previously bought the National Geographic "Family Reference Atlas of the World", which was big enough to impress people that you have a big atlas on the coffee table, but not big enough to actually FIND any historical locations you are interested in."
"This was a gift, and I am thrilled how fabulous this NG Atlas actually is."
"I have compared, the map for Suriname is even less detailed than my micro pocket atlas which costs only 0.8 USD."
"I picked this as a Christmas gift for my nieces and nephews."
"I could not be more pleased!"
"Absolutely stunning book!"
"I bought this book for my mom and she loves it."
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Best Atlases

Atlas Obscura: An Explorer's Guide to the World's Hidden Wonders
Talk about a bucket list: here are natural wonders—the dazzling glowworm caves in New Zealand, or a baobob tree in South Africa that's so large it has a pub inside where 15 people can drink comfortably. Not to mention the Great Stalacpipe Organ in Virginia, Turkmenistan's 40-year hole of fire called the Gates of Hell, a graveyard for decommissioned ships on the coast of Bangladesh, eccentric bone museums in Italy, or a weather-forecasting invention that was powered by leeches, still on display in Devon, England. “Fair warning: It's addictive.” — NPR, “Cosmos & Culture” “In this gorgeous collection, the celebrated Atlas Obscura website is condensed into 480 pages of awe-inspiring destinations. “Odds are you won’t get past three pages without being amazed at something truly strange that you didn’t know existed.” — San Francisco Chronicle. “Richly illustrated, delightfully strange, this compendium of off-beat destinations should spark many adventures, both terrestrial and imaginary.” — Boston Globe. “Whether describing a Canadian museum that showcases world history through shoes, a pet-casket company that will also sell you a unit for your severed limb, a Greek snake festival, or a place in the Canary Islands where inhabitants communicate through whistling, the authors have compiled an enthralling range of oddities. Featuring full-color illustrations, this hefty and gorgeously produced tome will be eagerly pored over by readers of many ages and fans of the original website.”— Booklist (Starred Review). a wonderful browse [for] armchair travelers who enjoyed Brandon Stanton’s Humans of New York and Frank Warren’s PostSecret .” — Library Journal. It's the kind of book that makes you want to pack in your workaday life and head out to places you'd never have dreamed of going, to see things you could not even have imagined. “ Atlas Obscura is a joyful antidote to the creeping suspicion that travel these days is little more than a homogenized corporate shopping opportunity. Here are hundreds of surprising, perplexing, mind-blowing, inspiring reasons to travel a day longer and farther off the path. Never start a trip without knowing where a haunted hotel or a mouth of hell is!”. —GUILLERMO DEL TORO, filmmaker, Pan’s Labyrinth “ What a strange and wonderful book! Each page reveals some hidden realm—a realm that is frightening, or funny, or magical, or simply mad, but that always leaves the reader in wonder.”. —DAVID GRANN, author of The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon. Be grateful when visiting the Karni Mata Rat Temple if one of the 20,000 venerated rodents runs across your bare foot—it is considered good luck.
Reviews
"Revel in the places that you've seen!"
"I read a short description of the book in the travel section of the SF Chronicle a few weeks ago, and made the purchase based on that. That said, there are items about things I have no interest in seeing, e.g., “Lake Monsters of the USA,” but there don’t seem to be many of that sort of thing included. As with "Lake Monsters," even if you (or a recipient) aren't likely to visit many of the places described, I think for many curious people this would make for an interesting read even without the travel element. It's not a perfect book, and I don't think any one book can be perfect for all readers, but I do think it's very good and I can easily recommend it for anyone who might be potentially interested."
"This book exceeded my already higher-than-average expectations."
"We purchased it for our 19 year old grandson."
"Such a fascinating book!"
"Super fun and entertaini g read if the off beat and curious is your thing."
"Purchased as a gift and spent much of one night pouring through it before giving it away."
"This book is great to have around to pick up while you're waiting for your son to put his socks on, when your eyes need a screen break, during a boring conference call, when you just want to escape your little world for a few minutes."
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Best World Atlases & Maps

National Geographic Atlas of the World, Tenth Edition
Marking the 100th anniversary of National Geographic cartography, this prestigious reference is the essential guide to understanding today's interconnected world. A portion of all National Geographic proceeds is used to fund exploration, conservation, and education through ongoing contributions to the work of the National Geographic Society.
Reviews
"I previously bought the National Geographic "Family Reference Atlas of the World", which was big enough to impress people that you have a big atlas on the coffee table, but not big enough to actually FIND any historical locations you are interested in."
"This was a gift, and I am thrilled how fabulous this NG Atlas actually is."
"I have compared, the map for Suriname is even less detailed than my micro pocket atlas which costs only 0.8 USD."
"I picked this as a Christmas gift for my nieces and nephews."
"I could not be more pleased!"
"Absolutely stunning book!"
"I bought this book for my mom and she loves it."
Find Best Price at Amazon

Best Research Reference Books

National Geographic Atlas of the World, Tenth Edition
Marking the 100th anniversary of National Geographic cartography, this prestigious reference is the essential guide to understanding today's interconnected world. A portion of all National Geographic proceeds is used to fund exploration, conservation, and education through ongoing contributions to the work of the National Geographic Society.
Reviews
"I previously bought the National Geographic "Family Reference Atlas of the World", which was big enough to impress people that you have a big atlas on the coffee table, but not big enough to actually FIND any historical locations you are interested in."
"This was a gift, and I am thrilled how fabulous this NG Atlas actually is."
"I have compared, the map for Suriname is even less detailed than my micro pocket atlas which costs only 0.8 USD."
"I picked this as a Christmas gift for my nieces and nephews."
"I could not be more pleased!"
"Absolutely stunning book!"
"I bought this book for my mom and she loves it."
Find Best Price at Amazon

Best General Massachusetts Travel Guides

Metro Worcester Central Massachusetts (Official Arrow Street Atlas)
Metro Worcester, Central Massachusetts Street Atlas.
Reviews
"Quality publication that's disappearing with the spread of GPS on so many devices."
"just what i wanted.wish they would tell you when they print new editions.i use it every day.. helps to laminate each page and use a highliter to mark your stops as a deliv ery driver then wipe clean and start over for next day."
"In this era of google maps, mapquest and GPSs it is getting harder to find the old books of maps."
"In this day of GPS devices and Google map, it is still very useful to an overview when you are in the car."
"I'm a truck driver and this is the atlas that everyone I work with uses...simply the best."
"Excellent map, wish they'd come out with an updated edition."
"very expensive for what it is."
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Best Dictionaries

Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary
Special sections include: A Handbook of Style, Foreign Words & Phrases, Biographical Names and Geographical Names. The Merriam brothers desired a continuity of editorship that would link Noah Webster's efforts with their own editions, so they selected Chauncey A. Goodrich, Webster's son-in-law and literary heir, who had been trained in lexicography by Webster himself, to be their editor in chief. Assuming that a lower price would increase sales, the Merriams introduced the 1847 edition at $6, and although Webster's heirs initially questioned this move, extraordinary sales that brought them $250,000 in royalties over the ensuing 25 years convinced them that the Merriams' decision had been abundantly sound.
Reviews
"When using it as a writer (I know the word, but not its spelling, nor if I completely understand the word I seek to use) and not as a reader, I would have been more pleased if those who had added electronic usability had also made it more intuitive to those of us with poorer ability to spell by more simply allowing the browsing for a word as is done with a paper dictionary."
"Received what I ordered and needed."
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Best Encyclopedias

5 lb. Book of GRE Practice Problems (Manhattan Prep GRE Strategy Guides)
Book of GRE Practice Problems is an essentialresource for students of any level who are preparing for the GRE revisedGeneral Exam. In 2000, Teach for America alumnus and Yale graduate Zeke Vanderhoek had a radical idea: students learn better from better teachers.
Reviews
"However, I've glossed through other Kaplan/Princeton/Etc GRE books and have to say that this book is one of the best study materials you can get. I scored a 325, and the questions I mostly got wrong were in the vocabulary section and because of timing, because I didn't feel like studying vocab, and because I only timed myself on a practice test once. I would go through at least 1 of each section in this book - READ THROUGH THE EXPLANATIONS OF WHAT YOU GOT WRONG. If you have the time and means, what I suggest to do is to read news editorials and opinionated articles and look up the words you don't know."
"The practice material from PR and Kaplan isn't the same level of rigor as the ETS exam, and ETS's book has a limited number of practice problems. I wish I had known about this book with more time before taking the GRE again, I probably would have also invested in some of Manhattan Prep's other study material for the quantitative section. 500+ pages of just math practice and explanations (nevermind all of the reading and essay practice in this beast of a book). -- 30-50 practice questions for EACH topic. I agree with other reviewers that ETS is still the best practice material, but this is definitely the second best book you can buy to prepare yourself."
"Got my scores back yesterday: 96th percentile for verbal...which is better than I did five years ago while still in college and with months to study."
"This book is great!"
"It will show you all the standard problems of the GRE alongside with its standard solutions; however, if you are looking for a book with challenging problems that will take above the 90th percentile, this is not the book."
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Best Bibliographies & Indexes

The First Folio of Shakespeare: The Norton Facsimile
These improvements, the meticulous work of the great Folio scholar Charlton Hinman made possible by the extensive Folger Library Collection, established The Norton Facsimile as an indispensable volume for book collectors and serious readers of Shakespeare. Looking for a way to provide scholars with a reliable version of Shakespeare's text, Hinman invented a device that sped up the collation process, allowing him to compare 82 of the surviving copies of the Folio and bring to light features of Shakespeare's work that have been--and continue to be--edited out of most modern editions. These traces of the composition process survive only because the printers, working directly from Shakespeare's handwritten copy, were not given a chance to thoroughly proofread their work. The many errors the printers introduced into the text of Shakespeare's work still provide fertile ground for theatrical and academic debate.
Reviews
"This beautiful and HUGE volume will not disappoint those looking. for a First Folio facsimile, or just a beautiful version of Shakespeare."
"Beautiful collection."
"If you are not familiar with what the First Folio is, the First Folio is considered to be the very first published collection of Shakespeare's plays. (If you want to see what it looks like inside, while this edition of the First Folio doesn't have the "Look Inside" option, this newer edition does: The First Folio of Shakespeare: The Norton Facsimile.)."
"I researched this book and a few others like it before purchasing the Norton Facsimile."
"I was an Equity actor (now an instructor of communications and theatre), and before each role I consulted four books: this facsimile, the Norton Oxford edition, Schmidt's Lexicon, and Harold Bloom's Shakespeare, the Invention of the Human."
"Compiled from the best extant leaves of Shakespeare's First Folio, this edition is a labor of love."
"Simply put, it is a First Folio made up of facsimile copies of the best pages of all First Folios available, and there are numerous pages dealing with the detective work involved in the assembling of the work. Yes, it is large,maybe somewhat unwieldy,and the style of type is unusual to read by today's standards, but in the presentation it is a work of art."
"It is essential for any true actor to get the most genuine interpretation of Shakespeare's work."
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Best Writing Skills Reference

The Chicago Manual of Style, 17th Edition
This seventeenth edition of The Chicago Manual of Style has been prepared with an eye toward how we find, create, and cite information that readers are as likely to access from their pockets as from a bookshelf. It offers updated guidelines on electronic workflows and publication formats, tools for PDF annotation and citation management, web accessibility standards, and effective use of metadata, abstracts, and keywords. The citation chapters reflect the ever-expanding universe of electronic sources—including social media posts and comments, private messages, and app content—and also offer updated guidelines on such issues as DOIs, time stamps, and e-book locators. ( Washington Post ). “This manual stands as an indispensable and thoughtfully constructed English language and style resource for those compelled, by enthusiasm or responsibility, to attend to the minutiae of written expression.”. ( Publishers Weekly ). “As it incorporates contemporary examples (e.g., NOOK, Lady Gaga), CMS, as expected, offers sensible, clear advice on matters great and small for authors’ guidance—such as the treatment of names of ships and spaceships, use of the en dash, how to edit electronic manuscripts, and the ins and outs of documenting and citing works of many kinds.
Reviews
"I bought CMOS 17 primarily for two reasons: (1) my CMOS 16 was battered and torn, beaten down by years of abuse and page-cornering; (2) I like to keep up with the changes, even if Bowie is dead. The biggest changes in content in CMOS 17, compared with CMOS 16, are an added subsection on syntax and expansion of the discussions of copyright and permissions. Another change one may not notice without CMOS 16 in hand, unless one happens to be a publisher/typographer, is with fonts. If so, I recommend GARNER'S MODERN ENGLISH USAGE by Bryan Garner (still weighty and not quite as comprehensive, but a bit more entertaining—and Garner is the contributor of the Usage chapter in CMOS, so the information in his book is consistent with that provided in CMOS) and EDITOR-PROOF YOUR WRITING by Don McNair (nice and short but absolutely loaded with information that can make a subpar writer an above-average one—maybe). Given the number of discordant reviews of his book by obviously failed writers (and because I've read it cover to cover and can attest to its quality), I'd say McNair has a live one."
"Even so, this is a very good resource to clarify some rules of usage that we can forget or we never learned in school. It would be lovely if folks who bought a copy of this pricey tome also got access to more examples at the CMOS site and ongoing notifications of revisions of rules before the next edition released. Some changes to hyphenation-- head hunting becomes head-hunting; e-mail is now email--and some differences in certain uses of commas are also included in the new edition."
"Briefly, I like the organization and I love the index--a real old-fashioned index done by a professional indexer that means if it's in the book you can find it However, I simply haven't used it was much as I though I would."
"What's to like or not like: it's a guide that one needs for one's professional life."
"The Chicago Manual of Style is the gold standard."
"The best style manual in print."
"The gold standard of English usage."
"Sure, Turabian distills this book (and the sin of the latest Turabian is that in a misguided attempt to appeal to more people, they've added a parenthetical reference system to the footnote system she popularized), but sometimes you must turn to the Chicago for more information."
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