Books by Tom McArthur

Worlds of Reference is a history of dictionaries, encyclopedias and reference materials, but it is also far more than that, because it is concerned with the growth of civilisation, education and culture - and particularly how the human race learned to store information beyond the brain.

With ever expanding networks of communication, and the increasing globalization of 'English', this timely and broad-ranging book looks at just what this complex of language is, and the variety, implications and options of this vast, pluralistic system that incorporates dialects, creoles, and local variations.