Author Description

From the Inside Flap For over half a century The Columbia Encyclopedia has occupied an unparalleled place among the great books of the world as the preeminent one-volume encyclopedia. Hailed for its unmatchable scope and its reputation for accuracy and authority, The Columbia Encyclopedia is also lauded as a miracle of condensation, offering a perfect balance of scholarship and brevity that makes it ideal for home or office use. The new sixth edition continues a tradition of excellence& mdash;encompassing discoveries, crises, and other events--into the twenty-first century, while maintaining comprehensive coverage of centuries past. Whether your questions focus on the physical, historical, geographical, political, scientific, religious, or cultural dimensions of previous centuries or on today's headlines in areas such as technology, health, and alternative medicine, The Columbia Encyclopedia should be the first work you consult. The largest one-volume encyclopedia available, this desk reference includes more than 50,000 articles that marshal more than 6.5 million words. Nearly 1,300 new entries are presented, and almost 40% of the existing entries are revised for this edition. In addition, there are more than 40,000 bibliographical citations, 80,000 cross references, and 700 line drawings. But sheer volume is not what makes The Columbia Encyclopedia so popular. More than just a compendium of facts, it delivers knowledge, enlightenment, and yes, even entertainment. Perceptive, concise, and at times even witty, it remains the best one-volume encyclopedia in any language.