What does "skanky mean? Where did "okay come from? Can I end a sentence with a preposition? Why do Americans say "zee and the British say "zed? Here is the book that Mavens fans have been asking for: answers to hundreds of questions on word and phrase origins, slang, grammar, and usage, all from Random House Reference's Word Mavens. This Collection is the first original book based on the hugely popular Mavens' Word of the Day feature. The best of the site's postings are gathered here, so that language buffs can browse the old-fashioned way without having to find an Internet connection. Many of the essays incorporate responses from readers to the postings, including follow-up research. Also included is an appendix of favorite electronic and print resources for word sleuths.

1970- issued in 2 vols.: v. 1, General reference, social sciences, history, economics, business; v. 2, Fine arts, humanities, science and engineering.

This updated and expanded edition of the essential guide for small and one-person libraries (OPLs) covers virtually every key management topic of interest to OPLs. In addition to offering a wealth of practical tips, strategies, and case studies, author Judith Siess takes an international perspective that reflects the growing number of OPL's worldwide. The book's in-depth directory section lists important organizations, publications, vendors and suppliers, discussion lists, and Web sites.

The Jazz Age of the 1920s is an era remembered for illegal liquor, innovative music and dance styles, and burgeoning ideas of social equality. It was also the period during which second-generation Jews began to emerge as a significant demographic in New York City. In TheirOwn Image examines thegrowing cultural visibility of Jewish life amid this vibrant scene. From the vaudeville routines of Fanny Brice, Eddie Cantor, George Jessel, and Sophie Tucker, to the slew of Broadway comedies about Jewish life and the silent films that showed immigrant families struggling to leave the ghetto, images and representations of Jews became staples of interwar popular culture. Through the performing arts, Jews expressed highly ambivalent feelings about their identification with Jewish and American cultures. Ted Merwin shows how they became American by producing and consuming not images of another group, but images of themselves. As a result, they humanized Jewish stereotypes, softened anti-Semitic attitudes, and laid the groundwork for today's Jewish comedians. An entertaining look at the role popular culture plays in promoting the acculturation of an ethnic group, In Their Own Image enhances our understanding of American Jewish history and provides a model for the study of other groups and their integration into mainstream society.

"Fascinating questions from the Internet's hottest language site."--Cover.

“If the spirit of a loving wife can’t nudge her husband in the right direction, who can?” So thinks thirty-something Judith McBride, a Jewish control freak with an unlikely last name. When Judith dies in a medical mishap, she calls on her supernatural status to “rescue” her widowed husband from the sexy clutches of their gold-digging, thrill-seeking blonde accountant. But interfering with earthly events is strictly verboten and the repercussions ripple outward, deeply affecting not only Judith but the lives of her husband and best friend. Judith’s journey from the physical to the spiritual world is peppered with adjustments, choices, and self-discovery ultimately leading her to the realization that loving sometimes means learning how to let go.

The Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist discusses contemporary figures of speech, from witty stories about expressions such as "kiss and tell" and "stab in the back" to the evolution of "read my lips." NOTE: This edition does not include illustrations.

This collection of academic essays have been written in tribute to Professor Zev Garber, and are divided to reflect the areas in which Professor Garber has devoted his teaching and writing energies: the Holocaust, Jewish-Christian relations, philosophy and theology, history and biblical interpretation.

According to author Ken Leebow the Internet should be fun, but for many it is a frustrating place that often disappoints them. This guide to the Internet offers useful tips on making the whole thing work faster and in a more satisfying manner. Using the Internet should be fun, not frustrating. With over 168 million Americans going online, millions of Web sites have sprung up on a mind-numbing amount of topics. Weeding through them all can be a time-consuming hassle. With 1001 INCREDIBLE THINGS TO DO ON THE INTERNET, beginners and experienced users alike can learn to “surf without the search” and bypass those search engines that take forever to download and too often don’t provide the right information anyway. In this complete compendium, conveniently organized from A to Z, author Ken Leebow lists the very best sites on everything from car shopping to personal credit ratings to playing games with people online. If there’s an important site on a particular subject, readers can be sure that Ken Leebow has included it here.