I remember leafing through an inches-thick dictionary years ago, and wishing there was some kind of extract with just the animal pictures. Lo and behold, here it comes! This book contains not just the animals, of course, but most of the illustrated entries (just picture and caption) of the original Webster's. You can even compare how certain visual concepts changed over the years, as sometimes the illustration for the same entry from different editions are included. Sure to delight all ages, especially those drawn to older graphic arts - try a guessing game where the caption is covered up and the subject of the picture needs to be identified.

The heart of the book is the engrvings, all carefully arranged on each page with scholarly notation of source, type, etc. The range of pictures, the details, make this a truly great book to look through,

However, don't just look at the engravings. Major joys of this book are the preface and the artist's introduction--some of his thoughts about how to enjoy the book. In the Pancreas (others might have called this the appendix) there is a wealth of information about how the wood blocks are made, the history of publication of the various editions of the dictionaary with pictures, the role of G. and C. Merriam, and the author's thoughts about creativity, thought, the brain, and what one can enjoy in looking and thinking about the wonderful pictures in this extraordnary book.

Katharine Waldmann

The reproductions of these fine old illustrations are neither crisp nor sharp. Original drawings in the old dictionaries were both. I would not have ordered this book had I known the reproductions were muddy.

This is an amazing project from an artistic genius. I suggest getting a copy of the letterpress edition in a leather binding for your collection as well!

This is a beautifully put together book, with entertaining and fascinating images. I greatly enjoy it -- even my children are asking for the "curious dictionary" before bed time.

I found this great link that gives a bit of an overview of the project: [...]