The Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English (5th ed.)

I long put off reviewing this dictionary: it is a complex work. Not that it is particularly difficult to use – the use of colour headings, boxed asides and variant typefaces are well done and the whole work is well thought out. I prevaricated, partly because of the sheer bulk of the work – a heavy paperback of over 2,000 pages, and partly because in addition to the now customary DVD and online alternative formats there is a mobile phone download option. Two thousand pages of dictionary on your mobile phone! Are mobile phones replacing books? Will libraries be installing...