The American Heritage Dictionary: Fourth Edition (21st Century Reference)

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Customer Reviews:

Quality has decreased over the years [Posted on 2007-08-21]
I own the 2nd paperback edition of this dictionary that I've had since around 1989. It was getting quite worn out on the covers, but pages are fine but simply yellowed. Since I've liked this dictionry for so many years, I thought it's about time to get a new edition. When I got this new 4th edition, it looked about the same size but bit thicker, of course they better have added some new words over the last 20 years. So I put the old one away and started using the new one. After a couple of months of using it, the binding have almost splitted in half and some pages are starting to fall out just from normal flipping and looking up words. I'm quite careful with books, and the old 2nd edition still has it's binding and all pages intact. In terms of the number of words, it was really not necessary, at least for me, to have this new edition, because I've learned these so called "new" words from TV, newspapers, magazines, friends, co-workers, colleagues, and Internet increasingly for the last two decades. I think it would be strange for someone today in the 21st century needing to know a supposed "new" word like email(e-mail), unless he or she has been living in a cave or a coma all these years.

The Gold Standard for Writers [Posted on 2007-08-23]
I am a budding writer. As part of my research for developing a freelance commercial writer practice, I read "The Well Fed Writer" by Peter Bowerman. In his discussion of writer tools, Bowerman recommended The American Heritage Dictionary above all others. He called it "THE happening dictionary out there."

How do you measure a dictionary? I looked up current usage of words not in common use when I bought my Webster's Collegiate twenty-odd years ago. I found a definition of "hip-hop" [n. 1. A popular urban youth culture, closely associated with rap music and the style of innre-city African-Americans.] There is a brief discussion of the distinction in use of the words "Hispanic" and "Latino." Though not an encyclepedia, American Heritage lists prominent historic figures with the source of their fame and life years.

I bought the paperback version for the price. Next time, I will buy the trade edition [larger paperback] or hard cover version to take advantage of the larger type. The paperback is pratical for carrying around. I use my dictionary in my office.

Frustrating and disappointing [Posted on 2008-02-09]
The fourth edition hardcover version of The American Heritage Dictionary is my favorite desk dictionary by far. But the paperback -- which I bought for reading in bed -- does not measure up. At least three quarters of the words I look up are not in the paperback. I've almost given up trying. Too bad the hardcover is so heavy and my bedside table is so small. Otherwise, I would have two hardcovers and happily dump the paperback.

A Fine Little Dictionary [Posted on 2008-03-10]
The dictionary is very compact, yet has many entries and is a good value. The only way to improve it would be to add a visual alphabetical index.

Appears to be comprehensive.... [Posted on 2008-05-04]
The print is way WAY too small! There are a lot of entries. However, they are sparce on information. Some very nice extras - pictures, tables, etc. if you need that kind of information.

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