Book excerpt: "A researcher's dream and a browser's delight, this brand-new edition of the national bestseller puts at your fingertips the best resources of one of the world's finest libraries. More permanent than an almanac, handier than an encyclopedia, The New York Public Library Desk Reference is the first place to look for quick answers to all your reference questions." "In this completely updated and revised edition, you will find an incredible variety of people, events, facts, dates, terms, and much more. Organized into twenty-six subject categories for ease of use, this unique volume also features dozens of side bars, illustrations, an atlas, charts, graphs, tables, and lists, as well as sources for additional reading. No other one-volume work offers such a wide range of commonly needed information." "Open to "The Arts" for a list of musical terms or major playwrights and their best-known works. Or to "Personal Finances" for interest tables and tips on making a household budget. Settle arguments with your friends with "Sports and Games," which provides the winner of every World Series, Super Bowl, Masters Championship, and Wimbledon, to name only a few." "Brush up your "Grammar and Punctuation," polish your "Etiquette," and refer to the "Useful Addresses," including those of senators and representatives, major newspapers, and hot lines. Every page of The New York Public Library Desk Reference is chock-full of useful, hard-to-find, and entertaining information." "For writers, students, businesspeople, and everyone who needs quick information on our multifaceted world, The New York Public Library Desk Reference takes its place beside the dictionary and thesaurus as a standard reference work that no home or office should be without."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved