The Nuttall encyclopædia

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

12342

Title

The Nuttall encyclopædia

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

The Nuttall Encyclopædia offers a concise, comprehensive dictionary of general knowledge, covering history, biography, geography, literature, philosophy, religion, science, and art. Edited by the Rev. James Wood, this volume provides succinct information on over 16,000 articles, serving as an indispensable, ready-to-hand reference for the ordinary reader seeking instant answers without the cost or bulk of larger encyclopedias.

Summary up to 500 words

Compiled to meet the ordinary requirements of the general public, The Nuttall Encyclopædia serves as a concise epitome of information found in larger works, addressing subjects under categories like history, biography, geography, literature, philosophy, religion, science, and art. Edited by the Rev. James Wood, the volume aims to provide succinct information sufficient for instant reference, acknowledging that detailed knowledge requires specialized study. The book classifies its content into rubrics including noted people, historical epochs, countries, heavenly bodies, races, mythologies, religions, schools of philosophy, sects, books, legends, fictional characters, fraternities, families, institutions, holidays, and science, literature, and art. It is designed for newspaper readers, heads of families, schoolmasters, students, and busy men. The text includes entries on diverse topics such as geographical locations with population figures, biographical sketches with birth and death dates, definitions of scientific terms, historical events, and cultural concepts. The work emphasizes that a little knowledge is not dangerous if recognized as such, enabling intelligent understanding of modern life's complexities. It positions itself as more valuable for instant reference than bulky multi-volume sets, lying ready on a desk for immediate consultation. The preface notes that while great encyclopedias are indispensable, they often contain too much for the general reader or too little for the specialist. Consequently, The Nuttall Encyclopædia seeks to offer a wide range of subjects within a single volume, providing succinct information that leaves further inquiry to specific authorities. The editor hopes the volume will prove a solid help to the careful newspaper reader, the head of a family with children at school, the schoolmaster, the student with a shallow purse, and the busy man of business. The subjects are various, covering everything from noted people and their nationalities to epochs and events in history, countries and their populations, heavenly bodies, races and tribes, mythologies, religions, schools of philosophy, sects, books, legends, fictional characters, fraternities, families, institutions, holidays, and distinguished figures in science, literature, and art. The work includes brief definitions for subjects that could not be fully classified, ensuring a comprehensive yet accessible resource for the general reader.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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Categories

• Encyclopedias and dictionaries