Product Description

WHAT IS PEARS? First published in 1897, Pears Shilling Cyclopaedia contained topics ranging from questions of etiquette to 'curious and useful information everyone ought to know in commerce, history, science, religion and literature'. Now 111 years later, Pears is still informing, intriguing and surprising new generations of readers with its mixture of up-to-the-minute facts and figures and little-known curiosities and it is the only book of its kind to be annually updated by over 30 experts. From Bow Bells to Byzantine art, from Komodo dragons to kamikaze pilots, from literary pseudonyms to a chronicle of global history, Pears condenses a world of information into one concise volume. It is the swiss army knife of reference books, one that should be found on every family bookshelf.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #160424 in Books
• Published on: 2008-08-07
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 1056 pages

Amazon.co.uk Review
Who won the Men's Singles at Wimbledon in 1992? How many times has Tom Hanks won the Oscar for Best Actor? What's a single person's personal tax allowance? How many labours did Hercules have to perform? What is the World Debt?

All of these questions, and more, are answered in the 109th edition of the Pears Cyclopaedia. This useful reference source is updated annually by a team of experts. Each of the 12 sections is arranged alphabetically, chronologically or has a detailed Table of Contents. Short, concise entries inform the reader about major cultural, religious, scientific, political, geographic and religious figures, terms or events. The book includes specialised in-depth entries, Special Topics, on such subjects as Modern Molecular Biology, Renaissance Art and Latin American Music.

Pears Cyclopaedia 2000-2001 includes a plethora of subjects, from the changing political world, current economic and environmental issues and debates, Prominent People and the cinema, to buying a house and tax issues, among many other topics. From the crisis in Zimbabwe, GM Crops and Endangered Species, to Black Writers in Britain and Alzheimer's Disease, Pears Cyclopaedia 2000-2001 provides easily accessible information in an affordable way, making it a recommended addition to any respectable bookshelf. --Aruna Vasudevan

Amazon.co.uk Review
The annual publication of the Pears Cyclopaedia always reveals a wealth of knowledge and information, and the 108th edition is no exception.

Appropriately for the Millennium edition the book focuses on the changing world scene, with articles on the volatile political situations in central Africa, the Balkans and the Middle East. Much is made of the advanced rates of change across the board and particular attention is paid to the changing political and economic situations in the UK, including House of Lords reform and the advent of the Scottish Parliament.

The Computers section takes an in-depth look at the Internet, detailing not only key words and terms but also many issues which have arisen as its popularity has increased--democracy and regulation, business use, and a look to the future with a brief overview of the convergence of broadcast, telephone and computer systems. For those not entirely conversant with the new technology, this detailed examination will provide a good reference for confusing terminology; for others it is a thought-provoking examination of an increasingly important part of our everyday lives.

The literary companion deals with topics as diverse as the enduring appeal of Shakespeare, classic children's literature, post-war British theatre and science fiction, in addition to a comprehensive introduction to the English novel and a glossary of literary terms. Asthma comes under the spotlight in Medical Matters, while popular stage musicals and the world of Rock are topics of conversation in the World of Music.

Covering all strata of culture, Pears Cyclopaedia 1999-2000 is an essential reference work for anyone interested in the complexities of society, both in the UK and throughout the world. --Lucie Naylor

About the Author
Dr Chris Cook has been editing the Pears Cyclopedia since 1977: the year of the Queen's silver jubilee, punk and polyester. Dr Cook is helped in his daunting yearly task of overseeing a team of thirty expert contributors - and condensing their wisdom into one volume - by his love of real ale, steam railways, the compulsive reading of every kind of newspaper and his formidable academic record in creating reference books that have been translated into a dozen languages (including Korean).

Customer Reviews

A wealth of knowledge at an affordable price
If you only have room on your bookshelf for one reference work then this compact 1056 page encyclopaedia is a definite "must have".
Covering comprehensive areas of knowledge in 22 sections, the 110th edition is an essential tool for families, students, crossword and quiz addicts of all ages. For years it has been the first reference book I turn to.
Dependable and authoritative, it covers subjects ranging from the Cinema to Prominent People; Dictionary of Computing to the Sporting Companion; Medical and Money Matters;and the ever useful Gazetteer and Atlas of the World coloured map section.
All in all, a wealth of knowledge at an affordable price!

Great Book
I bought this book partly because I needed it, but also because I had fond memories of 'Pears' Cyclopedia from when my Mum had a copy kept by the chair many years ago, and I was always reading it, and ever since it was one of those books I always meant to get.
It is packed full of very usefull information on a wide range of subjects, and I was not dissappoited and would say to you for the price it is great value and to buy it. !!!

Essential for even the smallest bookshelf
And if your bookshelf is small, this compact book will fit it!

So many subjects are covered in these Cyclopaedias, history, famous people, sports, medical reference, sciences, geography, politics etc. etc....

I've had these books to hand for the last twenty-five years at least, and now at 38, I update the every so often keeping the new one at home and the older one in the office. When I need to find out how big a hectare is, I can. All sorts of 'normal' information is here and although you think you can find it quite quickly using the internet, I still find it reassuring to have this old technology tome to hand.

If you are only going to have one book, this would have to be it - my 'desert island book'.