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Best Mythology & Folklore Encyclopedias

Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs (Llewellyn's Sourcebook Series) (Cunningham's Encyclopedia Series)
Expanded and revised, this comprehensive guide features magical uses of over 400 herbs and plants from all parts of the world.
Reviews
"This is an amazing book."
"Another exemplary book from one of the greatest!"
"Scott Cunningham is the best!"
"I recently got back into the hobby of gardening again."
"Love the book but mine came a bit damaged 😕 5stars for the book."
"Very interesting book, learned a lot about herbs and what they can do."
"I used it for research."
"No writing in the book whatsoever!!"
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The Hero with a Thousand Faces (The Collected Works of Joseph Campbell)
Since its release in 1949, The Hero with a Thousand Faces has influenced millions of readers by combining the insights of modern psychology with Joseph Campbell’s revolutionary understanding of comparative mythology. Every generation will find in Hero wisdom for the ages.”. — Bill Moyers. “In the three decades since I discovered The Hero with a Thousand Faces , it has continued to fascinate and inspire me.
Reviews
"Just a great book, worth a read if your looking for a gift for any star wars fan."
"The authority on archetype, Joseph Campbell introspectively examines and analyzes the psychological underpinnings that demonstrate the commonalities among all societies of people."
"Mythology helps us to understand Mankind's journey on earth: either its outer journey or inner psychological journey."
"Wonderful reference, but the writing is at times too academic and dry."
"A great item and hope to enjoy for many years to come."
"A true classic."
"Love getting a perspective on the literary archetypes that exist in all my favorite genres!"
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Encyclopedia Mythologica: Gods and Heroes Pop-Up
In this stunning volume, the incomparable team of Matthew Reinhart and Robert Sabuda take us to Ra-Atum’s land in Ancient Egypt; above the Grecian clouds to Zeus’s Mount Olympus; up to Norse god Odin’s frozen north; to the Far East, where the Jade Emperor sits in the heavens; into the wilds of Oceania, where Pele’s volcanic rage simmers below the earth; and to many more lands and times, all rich with sacred myths and legends. Some of these pop-ups reveal even smaller flaps in a kind of nested-doll-like series of diminishing size.
Reviews
"Storylines are great, however I wish the Abrahamic God of Islam, Judaism, and Christianity was included, as the mythology is very similar, and is a great teaching tool in developing critical thinking skills in young people."
"The paper engineering is fantastic. Seriously, I have never seen paper do the things it can do until I opened this book. The colors and stories that accompany the book are also very fascinating."
"Each spread is a lavish display of technological creativity, while at the same time imparting facts and intriguing information with the text. See other favorites here: Star Wars: A Pop-Up Guide to the GalaxyCinderella: A Pop-Up Fairy Tale The Jungle Book: A Pop-Up Adventure (Classic Collectible Pop-Ups)A Pop-up Book of Nursery Rhymes (Limited Edition): A Classic Collectible Pop-Up."
"We've bought The Little Mermaid and Star Wars in the same style and they are all incredibly well done."
"A rambunctious child could easily bend the paper which could possibly cause some of the pop-ups to fail to fold back in properly, causing even more damage. For example, there’s a mansion pop-up in the Fairies volume that will fail to fold back in if a paper tab is resting on the wrong side of another tab (they are not glued or attached in any way and it’s easy to bump it and move it to the wrong side)."
"A great pop up book."
"It is bigger and more beautiful than I expected, really a work of art."
"I strongly suggest thoroughly inspecting any pop-up book before giving, as they sometimes need "teasing" (unstuck from where they should not be stuck) or re-glued (double-side tape works well too)."
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Best Wicca & Witchcraft

Wicca for Beginners: A Guide to Wiccan Beliefs, Rituals, Magic, and Witchcraft (Wicca Books Book 1)
Wiccans celebrate and share many of the same beliefs our ancestors held, with practices that honor the old ways while being compatible with contemporary life. The divine is worshipped as both masculine and feminine, with a focus on balance and harmony with Nature, and a recognition of the magical power inherent in the Universe as well as in ourselves. Whether you're just looking to learn more about the Wiccan way of life, or you want to start practicing Wicca yourself, you will have a solid understanding of the essence of Wicca after reading this book: The history of Wicca: its modern foundations as well as its ancient inspirations An introduction to the God and Goddess and their multiple aspects The Wiccan holidays of the Wheel of the Year: the Sabbats and the Esbats Core elements of Wiccan ritual, including an overview of ritual tools Principles of magic—both ancient and modern An overview of Wiccan covens, circles, and solitary practice Example ritual and spellwork suitable for beginners Sample tables of correspondence identifying the magical properties of selected colors, crystals, herbs and oils. Lisa is very unbiased, and uses a very practical approach in her books, which I absolutely love! -- Amazon Customer "Lisa's style is easy to read, packed with information that is usable and actionable. My sister and I love Chamberlain's books and recommend them to any beginner searching for knowledge!!" Although I am no longer a beginner, I still learned a great deal from this book and I really love how the author kept reinforcing how personal and flexible this path is." -- Jessica Kruzinski, Good Reads "As a fledgling Wiccan/Witch, I found Lisa's book to be very concise and simple. The author provides straightforward descriptions of the major points of Wicca, while making it absolutely clear that there is no one true way."
Reviews
"A great start for an amazing journey."
"This book was amazing I am the type that hasn’t picked up a book in a very long time."
"As I commented ive always been curious about Wiccan."
"This was a very useful tool to help me understand the basics."
"Great book alot of information."
"Good beginner Wiccan book, but pretty much the same as all other Wicca for beginners books."
"As a true beginner following the Pagan path it was well worth reading this book cover to cover."
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Best New Age Reference

The Modern Guide to Witchcraft: Your Complete Guide to Witches, Covens, and Spells (Modern Witchcraft)
The Modern Guide to Witchcraft helps you harness your own inner power so you can shape your destiny. Skye Alexander is the award-winning author of more than thirty fiction and nonfiction books, including The Modern Guide to Witchcraft , The Modern Witchcraft Spell Book , The Modern Witchcraft Grimoire , The Modern Witchcraft Book of Tarot , and The Modern Witchcraft Book of Love Spells .
Reviews
"And here it is: this book is about Witchcraft, not only Wicca. This book does not have a newcomer running around casting spells (that probably would not work) without a proper introduction."
"I don't know how seriously I take all of the content of this book but the chapters about crystals and essential oil are great."
"It was a very nice well written book."
"Great read very understandable."
"Fantastic book - a must read for the new witch!"
"She made sure the reader knows that it's okay to do things in your own way and there is no one right way to do things."
"Easy read and good for beginners."
"Beautiful."
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Best Children's Ancient History

Encyclopedia Mythologica: Gods and Heroes Pop-Up
In this stunning volume, the incomparable team of Matthew Reinhart and Robert Sabuda take us to Ra-Atum’s land in Ancient Egypt; above the Grecian clouds to Zeus’s Mount Olympus; up to Norse god Odin’s frozen north; to the Far East, where the Jade Emperor sits in the heavens; into the wilds of Oceania, where Pele’s volcanic rage simmers below the earth; and to many more lands and times, all rich with sacred myths and legends. Some of these pop-ups reveal even smaller flaps in a kind of nested-doll-like series of diminishing size.
Reviews
"Storylines are great, however I wish the Abrahamic God of Islam, Judaism, and Christianity was included, as the mythology is very similar, and is a great teaching tool in developing critical thinking skills in young people."
"The paper engineering is fantastic. Seriously, I have never seen paper do the things it can do until I opened this book. The colors and stories that accompany the book are also very fascinating."
"Each spread is a lavish display of technological creativity, while at the same time imparting facts and intriguing information with the text. See other favorites here: Star Wars: A Pop-Up Guide to the GalaxyCinderella: A Pop-Up Fairy Tale The Jungle Book: A Pop-Up Adventure (Classic Collectible Pop-Ups)A Pop-up Book of Nursery Rhymes (Limited Edition): A Classic Collectible Pop-Up."
"We've bought The Little Mermaid and Star Wars in the same style and they are all incredibly well done."
"A rambunctious child could easily bend the paper which could possibly cause some of the pop-ups to fail to fold back in properly, causing even more damage. For example, there’s a mansion pop-up in the Fairies volume that will fail to fold back in if a paper tab is resting on the wrong side of another tab (they are not glued or attached in any way and it’s easy to bump it and move it to the wrong side)."
"A great pop up book."
"It is bigger and more beautiful than I expected, really a work of art."
"I strongly suggest thoroughly inspecting any pop-up book before giving, as they sometimes need "teasing" (unstuck from where they should not be stuck) or re-glued (double-side tape works well too)."
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Best Military Encyclopedias

The Illustrated World Encyclopedia of Knives, Swords, Spears & Daggers: Through History In Over 1500 Photographs
This encyclopedia traces the fascinating history of knives, daggers, bayonets, swords, sabres and lances, from their. decorated daggers of. Persia. and the exquisite knives. field, this beautiful guide is an indispensable resource for. the first flint daggers, the spears of ancient. Greece. , Dr Tobias Capwell. has a PhD in Medieval Studies from.
Reviews
"This book was bought as a gift for my uncle who is an avid collector of "sharp" weapons."
"It's a very big, thick book, full of pictures and interesting facts."
"Ironically, with 1500 illustrations, we have found the two we were looking for were not in the book."
"An amazing compilation, beautifully illustrated, packed with information."
"My Netherlands son loved this."
"Excellent reference material."
"This book made a great gift for a "Forged in Fire" viewer."
"A very informative book on the subject of edged weapons."
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Best Medical Encyclopedias

Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 6th Edition
When you need advice on how to present information, including text, data, and graphics, for publication in any type of format--such as college and university papers, professional journals, presentations for colleagues, and online publication--you will find the advice you're looking for in the "Publication Manual."
Reviews
"Is great to have as a reference for college classes."
"This manual got me through many research papers in undergrad, and it's coming with me to grad school, where it'll be put to the test."
"Recommended getting the physical book instead of the e-book, as I wrote a lot of notes and highlighted key areas in the book."
"I write in APA quite a bit, and this really helps with not just citing sources, but also with formatting your papers."
"It has all the info for writing APA you need."
"There are other online sources, but as I tell my students."
"I actually do not hate APA."
"Amazon...great as usual with delivery, price, and packaging."
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Best Literature Encyclopedias

DC Comics Encyclopedia All-New Edition
Formatted in an easy-to use A-to-Z layout, this guide is packed with information and thrilling comic book art and features more than 1,100 characters including Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, The Joker, and much more. Matthew K. Manning has contributed to over 40 books and comic books, including DK's Batman™: A Visual History , DC Comics: A Visual History , and DC Comics: Year by Year .
Reviews
"My 12 year old son got this book at our local library and then kept renewing it over and over again because he liked it so much."
"Got it as a gift for a friend and he loves it, he says the illustrations are from comics and so far every character is included, he is yet to find any character missing, and the illustrations are really nice."
"So far so good."
"Awesome encyclopedia for newcomers to DC comics or fanatics like me!"
"This book is so awesome!"
"I had no idea the history and detail of the superhero world."
"My brother received a marvel encyclopedia for his bday so I gave him this for Christmas."
"I purchased this book for my son as a birthday present."
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Best Art Encyclopedias

Codex Seraphinianus
An extraordinary and surreal art book, this edition has been redesigned by the author and includes new illustrations. “…the book really does live up to its reputation: The drawings are in turn hilarious, disturbing, bizarre and, sometimes, just flat-out incomprehensible, but all of them are annotated in Serafini’s script.” - Dangerous Minds “It’s not the sort of thing that easily lends itself to classification, but probably the most accurate way to describe it would be as an encyclopedia of an invented alien civilization…the Codex is still a disorienting and provocative vision of inscrutable otherness.” - Slate.com “ Codex Seraphinianus is an art book in the most direct sense—there are big, beautiful drawings accompanied by indecipherable letterforms--and it is impossible to “read” in a literal way. " Codex Seraphinianus : History’s Most Bizarre and Beautiful Encyclopedia, Brought Back to Life...a weird and wonderful masterpiece of art and philosophical provocation on the precipice of the information age....Undoubtedly one of the most intricate and beautiful art books ever created."
Reviews
"My campus library had a copy briefly a decade ago, but foolishly left it open to general circulation."
"A weird and wonderful calendar, and the printing is outstanding."
"Beatifully done calendar based on this amazingly mysterious book."
"Drawn & painted in some alternate n ancient universe where dear reader shall be inthralled in its mystery n excellent paper of that of kings ."
"If you've gotten this far, you know what this book is, but perhaps where I can add value is in describing the Rizzoli (white cover) edition. Though i would prefer a black background over white, it has the red circle ladybug illustration (one of my favorites) on the cover instead of the alligator bestiality illustration that the 1st edition has."
"Transports to a new world."
"You can't help but admire the genius to create a whole civilization, with language, geography, religion, culture and science."
"Most incredible book ever."
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Best Cooking Encyclopedias

The Flavor Bible: The Essential Guide to Culinary Creativity, Based on the Wisdom of America's Most Imaginative Chefs
Readers will learn to work more intuitively and effectively with ingredients; experiment with temperature and texture; excite the nose and palate with herbs, spices, and other seasonings; and balance the sensual, emotional, and spiritual elements of an extraordinary meal. An alphabetical index of flavors and ingredients, the book allows readers to search complimentary combinations for a particular ingredient (over 70 flavors go well with chickpeas; over 100 are listed for oranges), emphasizing the classics (chives with eggs, nutmeg with cream, sardines and olive oil, etc.).
Reviews
"A must have book for anyone who enjoys cooking."
"As a chef and consumer of food this book is perpetually the most amazing resource for flavor profile comparison period."
"The Flavor Bible: The Essential Guide to Culinary Creativity, Based on the Wisdom of America's Most Imaginative Chefs. Amazing book, always fun to experiment with different ingredients."
"It's really the Bible of cooking I like this book."
"I don't know why I didn't buy this book before."
"If you know how to cook, this may be the best cookbook out there."
"Purchased this for my mother for Christmas, if you are looking for a cookbook this does not have a bunch of recipes its more of a guide on how to use specific flavor profiles."
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Best Music Encyclopedias

The Beatles Anthology
What a book The Beatles Anthology is! They talk in turn about those early years and how they came to join the band that would make them known around the world as John, Paul, George and Ringo. At last, here is The Beatles' own story. Those are augmented by excerpts from interviews with John that are integrated effectively and almost seamlessly with the new material, and by occasional comments from the group's closest associates, such as recording producer George Martin. Although the contents are somewhat sanitized--this is, after all, essentially a group autobiography--the four address less-pleasant incidents, such as the sacking of original Beatles drummer Pete Best and the petty squabbles that led to the group's 1970 breakup.
Reviews
"Fantastic book for any true Beatles fan!"
"Love this and all the picture books I have found on The Beatles."
"Beautiful hard back book!."
"Excellent!"
"Anything about the Beatles is more than PERFECT."
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Best Religion Encyclopedias

Rose Book of Bible Charts, Maps, and Time Lines
NEW Anniversary Edition of Rose Book of Bible Charts, Maps and Timelines, Volume 1 covers over 200 Bible topics and features MORE pages, 6 EXTRA topics, updated information, and a bonus 24' fold-out on Jesus' Family Tree. This stunning, easy-to-understand reference book still provides the same full-color, REPRODUCIBLE Bible charts and overviews that made the original a favorite, but in an easier-to-use, updated format! 6 NEW pamphlets on popular Bible topics, including Psalms 23, Lord's Prayer, Twelve Tribes of Israel, and more. Psalm 23 Tabernacle Ark of the Covenant Archaeology & the Bible (50 Proofs of the Old Testament Solomon's Temple Names of God The Ten Commandments and You 100 Well-Known Old Testament Events The Creation The Exodus. Heroes of the Faith: Hebrews 11 The Twelve Disciples 1 Corinthians 13: The Love Chapter The Armor of God The Fruit of the Spirit 100 Well-Known Events from Acts to Revelation. Especially for the visual learner, this book is a real treat. From full-color maps of Bible lands, to summaries of every book in the Bible, to lists of key people and events, including an outline of Jesus' life and information about each of the disciples, to theological beliefs across the religious spectrum, this volume is a treasure of teaching aids.
Reviews
"This was a Christmas gift for a family member, and he has used the book every day since receiving it and can't say enough good things about it!"
"I love this book."
"In fact I bought one for a friend and they love it too."
"Incredible book to use when studying the Bible."
"I love this book."
"So good I purchased several and gave them to some of my friends."
"This is such a good book."
"bought for father in law he says its a great read."
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Best Humor Encyclopedias

The Book of General Ignorance
Misconceptions, misunderstandings, and flawed facts finally get the heave-ho in this humorous, downright humiliating book of reeducation based on the phenomenal British bestseller. Challenging what most of us assume to be verifiable truths in areas like history, literature, science, nature, and more, The Book of General Ignorance is a witty “gotcha” compendium of how little we actually know about anything. It’ll have you scratching your head wondering why we even bother to go to school. Think Magellan was the first man to circumnavigate the globe, baseball was invented in America, Henry VIII had six wives, Mount Everest is the tallest mountain? Check out THE BOOK OF GENERAL IGNORANCE for more fun entries and complete answers to the following: “To impress friends with your cleverness, beg, borrow or buy John Lloyd and John Mitchinson’s The Book of General Ignorance, an extraordinary collection of 230 common misperceptions compiled for the BBC panel game QI (Quite Interesting).”. — Financial Times “This book would make even Edison feel small and silly, for it offers answers to questions you never thought to ask or had no need of asking as you already knew, or thought you knew, the answer.”. — The Economist. moving slightly faster than your brain does, so that you haven’t quite absorbed the full import of one blissful item of trivial information before two or three more come along. “This UK bestseller redefines ‘common knowledge’ with factoids that will inform and entertain (or at least liven up your next cocktail party).”. – OK!
Reviews
"It's quick enough to pick up and read for a few minutes at a time, but also long enough to give a fairly good explanation of the facts it's laying out."
"Very well-documented and factual."
"Fun to read and a great gift for “special” friends who appreciate the title."
"All ages liked this book ."
"Great book for inquisitive minds."
"It's almost like myth busters but for common facts that we "think to be true"."
"This is the kind of book a person can pick up, read for a few minutes, and then go back to work/sleep."
"told me lots of stuff I didn't know."
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Best History Encyclopedias

History: From the Dawn of Civilization to the Present Day
Now in its third edition, this much-loved classic has been revised and updated to bring today's current events into wider context and includes all new material on the global recession, green technologies, and the Internet and social media. This fully revised and updated third edition of History includes: Taking a broad-themed approach, acknowledging varied factors at work, from climate, ecology, disease, and geology and their roles in the human story, this visual celebration makes history accessible and relevant, putting events in their wider context and showing how they have shaped the world we live in.
Reviews
"Beautiful book, quite large."
"Awesome book and can't wait to take it home to the pilippines with me."
"Good educational and ilustrated book."
"This book has something for everyone whether you are a scholar or just mildly interested in history."
"My 12 year old grandson (and his father) are totally loving this book...great info, pics and comments."
"Great book to keep your mind sharp."
"Pix always help one to imagine more what event is being described, great book for history lovers; & it's a good reference to fall back on."
"Just got it and looks kool the picture are perfect."
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Best Sports Encyclopedias

The New Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding : The Bible of Bodybuilding, Fully Updated and Revised
From elite bodybuilding competitors to gymnasts, from golfers to fitness gurus, anyone who works out with weights must own this book—a book that only Arnold Schwarzenegger could write, a book that has earned its reputation as “the bible of bodybuilding.”. Inside, Arnold covers the very latest advances in both weight training and bodybuilding competition, with new sections on diet and nutrition, sports psychology, the treatment and prevention of injuries, and methods of training, each illustrated with detailed photos of some of bodybuilding's newest stars. -Arnold's tried-and-true tips for sculpting, strengthening, and defining each and every muscle to create the ultimate buff physique. From elite bodybuilding competitors to gymnasts, from golfers to fitness gurus, anyone who works out with weights must own this book -- a book that only Arnold Schwarzenegger could write, a book that has earned its reputation as "the bible of bodybuilding".
Reviews
"The book itself has a lot of good info, this is the revised and updated version."
"Seriously amazing resource."
"Whether you're new or not to weightlifting, fitness, bodybuilding, etc, this book is a worthy addition to anyone's arsenal."
"The original encyclopedia and this upgrade are basic tenants of priceless information."
"Just a must have on principle."
"It's a pretty good read... you can devour most of the informational chapters in just a few hours... and then the rest is pictorial displays of exercises by muscle group."
"The New Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding : The Bible of Bodybuilding, Fully Updated and Revised, simply put, is a great book for the average weight-lifter to the serious competitive body-builder."
"A solid reference and tool for the beginner to the experienced bodybuilder."
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Best Veterinary Encyclopedias

Encyclopedia Prehistorica Dinosaurs : The Definitive Pop-Up
With each of six spreads featuring one spectacular, large pop-up as well as booklets of smaller pop-ups and text, ENCYCLOPEDIA PREHISTORICA: DINOSAURS is a magnificent display of paper engineering and creativity — an astonishing book that will be read, admired, and treasured forever.
Reviews
"I am including a video so you can sort of see the depth and involvement this brings. Types of dinos, Carnivores, Herbivores, Feathered, Armored, Biggest etc. He wants it read as a bedtime story but there is so much info you could prob do 1 page per night and extend it out."
"I have to read the book to my four-year-old. It costs more than most 12-page books. We bought the Encyclopedia Prehistorica Dinosaurs because we like to give each of our boys a good book for Christmas each year. We give them the book on Christmas Eve so we can sit quietly as a family and read the evening before Krampus comes to destroy us all. Bucky just turned four, and as a helicopter parent, I feel like I still need to hover over him when he’s reading the book so he closes all the pop-ups and doesn’t smash them. Anyway, I strongly recommend this book if you have a youngster in your life who is interested in dinosaurs, pop-up books, and the inevitable decline of man."
"I'd say that the reading level is fairly advanced - maybe 4th grade, but even at such a young age, my son gets a kick out of the animals and tries to rip their tail off or whatever."
"He went through every page & opened every flap to tell us all about the dinosaurs he was seeing."
"He is so enthralled with the dynamic of this book and encourages him to be inquisitive and learn about things they aren't teaching in daycare."
"Unfortunately he's a weapon of mass destruction so the book stays out of his reach, but I was amazed at the quality and just how many pop-ups there are in this book!"
"It’s very delicate in some places so it’s a great book for adults to read to smaller kids."
"My two year old son is obsessed with dinosaurs so this is his favorite book."
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Best Gardening Encyclopedias

Marijuana Horticulture: The Indoor/Outdoor Medical Grower's Bible
With 512 full color pages and 1120 full color photographs and illustrations, Marijuana Horticulture: The Indoor/Outdoor Medical Grower's Bible is the most complete cultivation book available. --Phil Kilv, Editor in Chief, Weed World Magazine, January 2006.
Reviews
"This is the standard for the amateur/novice grower it has everything you will need and more."
"excellent book for anyone who is looking to get basic knowledge."
"love the dvd, fast speedy service, A+."
"Jorge Cervantes, is the one and only master grower!"
"good book with great pictures."
"Great book but needs to be updated."
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Best Antiques & Collectibles Encyclopedias

38th Edition Blue Book of Gun Values
This edition features a more detailed Price Percentage Grading System (PPGS), and an expanded serialization section, allowing more dates of manufacture to be determined. In the gun business, the Blue Book of Gun Values is considered the authority when it comes to establishing the value of a firearm.
Reviews
"Have owned several editions over the years."
"We tried using the online version, but the book is way easier."
"very thorough guide to all guns."
"Simply by far the best Blue Book to date."
"BIG book, Pretty good coverage."
"Gave it as a gift to a collector friend."
"A necessary book for any gun collector or novice."
"Just what I needed to help me decide on how much insurance to buy."
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Best Business Encyclopedias

The Road to Serfdom: Text and Documents--The Definitive Edition (The Collected Works of F. A. Hayek, Volume 2)
A perennial best seller, the book has sold 400,000 copies in the United States alone and has been translated into more than twenty languages, along the way becoming one of the most important and influential books of the century. Supplemented with an appendix of related materials ranging from prepublication reports on the initial manuscript to forewords to earlier editions by John Chamberlain, Milton Friedman, and Hayek himself, this new edition of The Road to Serfdom will be the definitive version of Hayek's enduring masterwork. F. A. Hayek (1899–1992), recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1991 and co-winner of the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics in 1974, was a pioneer in monetary theory and a leading proponent of classical liberalism in the twentieth century.
Reviews
"Like many young, intelligent, concerned people, Hayek started his adult life as a democratic socialist, the trendy thing for young people then and now. Keynes won these debates in the short run and held sway over mid-century world economic policy, but lost to history with the supply-side revolution of Freedman, Reagan and Thatcher who all acknowledged their great debt to Fredrick Hayek. This book is not Hayek’s crowning achievement in academic economics (for that work he won a Nobel Prize) nevertheless, it is his most famous and influential work. All of these politicians believed they could organize the world into a scientifically created Eden sans deity through extensive economic planning by a central governing authority vested in academic experts. This authority would have the power to distribute goods and services in such a way that people would be freed from want and from mundane economic decisions. So the Road to Serfdom is analysis of this intense human desire to organize the world around us through planning in order to achieve some always ill-defined optimum for all. That the complex system of interrelated activities, if it is to be consciously directed at all, must be directed by a single staff of experts, and that ultimate responsibility and power must rest in the hands of a commander-in-chief whose actions must not be fettered by democratic procedure .........[planners believe that] by giving up freedom in what are, or ought to be, the less important aspects of our lives, we shall obtain greater freedom in the pursuit of higher values.”. But by giving up economic control do we attain that greater freedom? For a planned society to work, people eventually must surrender complete control of their lives, even their leisure, to the planners for the sake of the whole. He argues for consistency and democracy where the playing field is level for everyone and we are all free economic entities making our own economic decisions based on our own desires, our own resources and our own conscience. Unfortunately, over 70 years after its completion, Hayek’s description of planners and his warning about their cynical attitude toward personal competence and responsibility can be seen hard at work within our own supposedly free democratic government. William F. Buckley Jr. said it best, following Hayek, “I am obliged to confess I should sooner live in a society governed by the first two thousand names in the Boston telephone directory than in a society governed by the two thousand faculty members of Harvard University.” Or MIT. After the implosion of the former Soviet mega-dictatorship, numerous influential people threw off that yoke and immerged from the economic morass of Socialism to lead the Eastern bloc back toward prosperity on the model of the modern Western democracies and Capitalism based on knowledge they had gained from smuggled copies of this book and those of Hayek’s successor, Milton Friedman. Hayek showed these oppressed people as he has shown the ages that to allow people who strive through Plato’s supreme creation of societal hubris to plan and design and control our society for our own good is “The Road to Serfdom.”."
"More people should read this because there's way too much economic coming from the media."
"A fantastic book!"
"Very good book."
"very cheap price and very interesting information."
"I know understand why invoking Hayek brings scorn from the progressive Left."
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Best Science Fiction & Fantasy Encyclopedias

Codex Seraphinianus
An extraordinary and surreal art book, this edition has been redesigned by the author and includes new illustrations. “…the book really does live up to its reputation: The drawings are in turn hilarious, disturbing, bizarre and, sometimes, just flat-out incomprehensible, but all of them are annotated in Serafini’s script.” - Dangerous Minds “It’s not the sort of thing that easily lends itself to classification, but probably the most accurate way to describe it would be as an encyclopedia of an invented alien civilization…the Codex is still a disorienting and provocative vision of inscrutable otherness.” - Slate.com “ Codex Seraphinianus is an art book in the most direct sense—there are big, beautiful drawings accompanied by indecipherable letterforms--and it is impossible to “read” in a literal way. " Codex Seraphinianus : History’s Most Bizarre and Beautiful Encyclopedia, Brought Back to Life...a weird and wonderful masterpiece of art and philosophical provocation on the precipice of the information age....Undoubtedly one of the most intricate and beautiful art books ever created."
Reviews
"My campus library had a copy briefly a decade ago, but foolishly left it open to general circulation."
"A weird and wonderful calendar, and the printing is outstanding."
"Beatifully done calendar based on this amazingly mysterious book."
"Drawn & painted in some alternate n ancient universe where dear reader shall be inthralled in its mystery n excellent paper of that of kings ."
"If you've gotten this far, you know what this book is, but perhaps where I can add value is in describing the Rizzoli (white cover) edition. Though i would prefer a black background over white, it has the red circle ladybug illustration (one of my favorites) on the cover instead of the alligator bestiality illustration that the 1st edition has."
"Transports to a new world."
"You can't help but admire the genius to create a whole civilization, with language, geography, religion, culture and science."
"Most incredible book ever."
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Best Encyclopedias for Children

National Geographic Animal Encyclopedia: 2,500 Animals with Photos, Maps, and More! (Encyclopaedia)
Featuring 2,500 species and packed with stunning color photographs, amazing animal facts, maps, and more, the new National Geographic Kids Animal Encyclopedia is the most comprehensive on the market today, amazing and entertaining readers, while providing them with authoritative information about the animal kingdom. Special features in each section include ANIMAL PROFILES spreads that focus in-depth on a particular animal and ANIMAL RECORDS spreads that highlight superlatives such as fastest, tallest, smallest, etc. No less than 2,500 animals are included in this oversize encyclopedic reference.
Reviews
"My daughter absolutely loves this book as with most other animal books she brings it with her in the car and will read it for hours."
"A lot of beautiful pictures."
"Birthday gift for my niece and she LOVED it."
"Great detailed pictures!"
"father of the year for this one."
"AMAZING photography and very educational!"
"My daughter loves this book."
"Nice but could have made it more children use."
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