Random House Word Menu: Revised and Updated

After the OED, this is my all-time favorite reference work. Nothing else comes close to this grand work. Words are associated according to predominant use (yes, a tricky proposition at best), but amazingly, for the most part, it works. Words are categorized like Linnaean taxonomy, such as "science, arts, economics," etc. Systematic thinkers will have no difficulty finding associated words and concepts, while those who prefer a more direct route can simply consult the "index" at the end, which leads to the place it has been categorized in the front. Either way, everyone wins. But the associations are magisterial, not just "related" or similar, but the whole constellation of likely associated words, acronyms, synonyms, and hierarchies of genus, species, and sub-species. There are more "linked" words than anyone can possibly imagine, or if one can imagine them, Word Menu has too. Short of an unabridged edition of the English language, nothing compares to this compilation. Two observations. (1) Don't waste money on the "pocket-book" edition, it's too tiny and too microscopic to be as useful as this reference will be. (2) The only "oddity" is that all biological terms and concepts are under "Living Things," not under "Science," much less "Biology." No matter how many times I tell myself of this odd feature, I always default to "Science > Biology" and then find nothing. All those biological concepts and words are under "Living Things" apart from the section "Sciences." Odd. Very odd. Who conceived "Living Things" as a category of Human Thought along a Linnean taxonomy distinct from "Science?" Even so, why not just move "Living Things" to Science, and then to "Biology," rather than leaving "Biology" an empty (indeed, an "unmentioned" set)? Well, there's always the index for these situations. <br /> <br />Unfortunately, at time of review, no hardbound copy is in print (shame on Random House). And aside from the "Living Things" oddity, I find this reference so intuitive, so helpful, associating associations I would have to think long and hard to recall, that are here in an instant, plus a treasury un-thought or unconsidered too. Thesauruses are great references (assuming one finds a good one), but this reference has riches that even the best Thesaurus cannot match. And best of all, both systematic and direct thinkers can access the same work from different directions and both achieve their desired ends. A "must" reference for all of us who seek associations we weren't even sure were associated, and then some!

There are many different books that categorize words in a similar fashion as this book, but none do it as efficiently. This is simply the best of its kind, and I find myself using this regularly in my own writing. It's impossible to be an expert on everything, or to remember every word that you've ever heard in your life. With this book, you'll be able to find and identify the words that are germane to the topic you're writing on, even if you won't know how to use them. For example, under Technology|Computers|Hardware and Peripherals, the acronym IRQ is listed. It's defined as an "Interrupt Request Line, a setting that controls communication of peripheral devices with the CPU". Now, that's one of the clearest definitions of an IRQ that I've ever come across in such few words, but seeing it there doesn't tell you how to use it. You'll still have some homework to do. HOWEVER, if you need something like a title of rank, and are wondering what the proper term for the prime minister of an East Indian state is, you'll not only find it here, but be able to use it immediately. (The word, by the way, is Dewan.) There are so many categories and subcategories that the scope of the book is daunting. I personally can't imagine putting it together, but am grateful that it was.

I do not write without it. Together with J.I. Rodale's The Synonym Finder and DK's Ultimate Visual Dictionary it completes the Trinity of word desk references. If you are trying to decide between this book, Facts on File's Descriptionary, and Writer's Digest's Flip Dictionary, go with this book. I have all three and I use Word Menu 40 times to every one time I use either Flip Dictionary or Descriptionary, both of which are trying to do the same thing. Flip Dictionary comes close, and tries to do things a little differently, but Word Menu is my preference.

Has anyone heard of Eschatology? I hadn't until my writing instructor used that word in a letter he sent to me. Baffled, I looked it up in the Webster's Dictionary, but didn't find it. I checked with The Synonym Finder, but it wasn't listed there either. Finally, I turned to this book and found it in the table of contents. Eschatology is the study of afterlife.This book has been a godsend for me as a creative writer. There were times when I was writing a scene and couldn't think of a word to describe something or a term I couldn't remember. Most of the time, I found what I was looking for in these pages.Word Menu is broken down into four parts. Part One deals with Nature­­The human body, living things, and the earth. Chapter One (The Human Body) is then divided into five subcategories­­Anatomy, Medical Problems, Health/Fitness/Enhancement, Hair and Grooming, Phsyical Appearance. Under these, you will find hundreds of definitions, terms, and cross-references.This dictionary covers everything from everyday items, customs, religions, etc. to the obscure and strange. For example, Eschatology. Word Menu is an indespensible tool for any type of writer, student, or anyone who wants to learn something.

I've never found thesauri useful for anything, but the Word Menu is different -- it's sort of an anti-thesaurus. Rather than searching for words via their synonyms, it allows you to browse a group of words pertaining to the same subject, eg. Architecture, Religion, Beers. The breadth of information presented here is impressive. You can also use the Word Menu like a dictionary by searching the index -- it's a bit like a dictionary without all the boring words.