[.ca] The New Oxford American Dictionary: Book and CD-ROM package (ISBN 0195150600)

What a dictionary ought to be!:
The large size of the Oxford American Dictionary, the high-quality paper, illustrations, and font all present an aura that beckons the reader in. The logical arrangement of the senses and sub-senses are so much easier to use that this effort will surely set a new standard in dictionaries. The older format, that of plowing through numerous entries that are seemingly unconnected, is doomed to fall by the wayside, and not a moment too soon. Older dictionaries lack the intuitive usefulness developed by the team that assembled this most excellent dictionary. Having the Oxford English Dictionary, a Merriam-Webster, and an older Webster, there is no question for us that for day-to-day use, and for the times when one needs to more fully develop very specific idea, this work will become the one that most will rely on. Those who desire exactitude will be pleased, and those who are "looking" will be drawn in, perhaps farther than they intended to be. A superior product that is long, long overdue.

Very Handy:
This is my third favorite dictionary - behind the 20 volume OED and the Shorter OED. There are several things I like about this dictionary - first, it is a convenient size, not too unwieldy to carry from room to room. Second, the innovative way of defining the words (using core meanings and distinctions of these meanings) makes the dictionary very readable and accessible. The layout is clean and organized, with occasional drawings or photos. The emphasis of this dictionary appears to be contemporary usage. There is a brief origin listing after many words, which is useful; however, the historical quotations that are descriptive of the OED or shorter OED are mostly absent.

NOAD vs. NODE:
I would be very interested to see a comparison review of the New Oxford Dictionary of English (NODE) and the New Oxford American Dictionary (NOAD). I'm having a hard time deciding which dictionary to buy. I live in the USA, though I grew up relying on Oxford dictionaries with British spellings, so this doesn't bother me. The most important things for me are (1) quality of definitions, (2) number of head words, and (3) number of example sentences. One of the words I use to assess a dictionary is how it defines the word "grok"; if the definition is clear and easy to understand, a reference to Robert Heinlein's book "Stranger in a Strange Land" along with 1st print year is included, and sample usage is given, then that dictionary is pretty darn good in my book. :-) So, given this, which dictionary would you recommend? Right now I'm leaning towards NODE simply because it has more pages (2176 vs. 2064), but obviously I need an opinion from somebody who can get their hands on both dictionaries. Please contact me directly at tom \ounderscore\c xyz \oat\c yahoo \odot\c com. Thanks in advance!

Exceptional Tool for Student or Adult:
I would never have believed I could get this excited about a dictionary! I bought this last year for my fifth grade son when he and I both became dissatisfied with the Merriam-Webster School Dictionary. The M-W was our first attempt at upgrading from his picture dictionary but my son, an average student, struggled with the lack of usage examples. I found that the M-W system of listing the most archaic meanings first was also a hindrance, sometimes maddening. What a joy when the New Oxford American arrived. My son instantly warmed to their profuse usage examples and I was impressed with the more intuitive presentation of words which have multiple meanings. Finally, I found that the font type is very easy on the eyes.

An Excellent Reference Book - One Minor Flaw:
I love the layout of this dictionary! For its price, it can't be beat in my opinion. No - no colored pictures, but this is a dictionary, not an encyclopedia -- you use it to look for words. There is a bonus "reference" section at the end which has several uniquely American things like the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and various other goodies. While this dictionary excels in ever aspect I am concerned with over the American Heritage Dictionary, it has a minor problem in that several of the pages throughout the book have an almost imperceptable bleed of print (almost like they closed the book before the print was dry or something) from one page to the page opposite. Affects about .5% of the pages and is barely noticeable -- but I checked the library's copy and they have the same problem. Barely noticeable, but still a minor nuisance. I installed the CD on my computer. It is fun to punch in a word every once in a while and see what the definition is, but I still will use the book more often simply because my computer is not always on -- and of course with Scrabble at the kitchen table, nothing beats having the authoritative tome at your elbow -- ready for a challenge from your ignorant opponent!