--- product_id: 1699628 title: "The New Dictionary Of Cultural Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know" price: "Β₯12697" currency: JPY in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.jp/products/1699628-the-new-dictionary-of-cultural-literacy-what-every-american-needs store_origin: JP region: Japan --- # 500+ updated new terms Global & cultural scope 6,000+ essential entries The New Dictionary Of Cultural Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know **Price:** Β₯12697 **Availability:** βœ… In Stock ## Summary > πŸ“– Stay in the know, or risk being left out! ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** The New Dictionary Of Cultural Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know - **How much does it cost?** Β₯12697 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.jp](https://www.desertcart.jp/products/1699628-the-new-dictionary-of-cultural-literacy-what-every-american-needs) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Key Features - β€’ **Decode the Digital Age:** Simplify complex modern topics like cryptography, gene therapy, and web browsers. - β€’ **Bridging Past and Present:** Revised historical and literary icons connect you to timeless cultural literacy. - β€’ **Your Lifelong Learning Ally:** Build community and confidence with shared knowledge that powers professional conversations. - β€’ **Comprehensive Cultural Compass:** Navigate 6,000+ key people, places, and ideas shaping American discourse. - β€’ **Always Current, Always Relevant:** 500+ fresh entries keep you ahead on tech, politics, and global trends. ## Overview The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy is a definitive reference with over 6,000 entries, including 500+ new and updated terms, covering essential American cultural knowledge from history and literature to modern science and technology. It’s designed to keep professionals and students alike fluent in the shared language that connects society, making it an indispensable tool for staying culturally and intellectually relevant. ## Description In this fast-paced information age, how can Americans know what's really important and what's just a passing fashion? Now more than ever, we need a source that concisely sums up the essential knowledge that matters to Americans ― the people, places, ideas, and events that shape our cultural conversation. With more than six thousand entries, The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy is that invaluable reference book. Wireless technology. Gene therapy. NAFTA. In addition to the thousands of terms described in the original Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, here are more than five hundred new entries to bring Americans' bank of essential knowledge up to date. The original entries have been fully revised to reflect recent changes in world history and politics, American literature, and, especially, science and technology. Cultural icons that have stood the test of time (Odysseus, Leaves of Grass, Cleopatra, the Taj Mahal, D-Day) appear alongside entries on such varied concerns as cryptography, the digital divide, the European Union, Kwanzaa, pheromones, SPAM, Type A and Type B personalities, Web browsers, and much, much more. As our world becomes more global and interconnected, it grows smaller through the terms and touchstones that unite us. As E. D. Hirsch writes in the preface, "Community is built up of shared knowledge and values―the same shared knowledge that is taken for granted when we read a book or newspaper, and that is also taken for granted as part of the fabric that connects us to one another." A delicious concoction of information for anyone who wants to be in the know, The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy brilliantly confirms once again that it is "an excellent piece of work . . . stimulating and enlightening" ( New York Times )―the most definitive and comprehensive educational resource of its kind. How can you keep up with the essential knowledge that connects us all? A Guide to American Culture: Explore over 6,000 entries covering the influential people, places, ideas, and events that form the bedrock of our national conversation. Up-to-Date on Current Events: With over 500 new entries, stay informed on everything from wireless technology and gene therapy to NAFTA and the European Union. Expansive World History: Understand the historical context that shapes today, with revised entries on iconic figures like Cleopatra and pivotal moments like D-Day. Modern Science and Technology: Demystify complex topics of the digital age, including cryptography, pheromones, and the functions of a Web browser. A Tool for Lifelong Learning: Fulfill the need for shared knowledge that, as E. D. Hirsch writes, builds community and connects us to one another. Review: If you ever spent Rainy Days wandering around in the Encyclopedias, this book is for you - Definitions are slightly longer than regular dictionaries. It differs from dictionaries in that paragraphs are grouped by TOPICS which are listed in the table of contents... examples: history, earth science, medicine and health..... and surprise... idioms and proverbs.It answers questions somewhat like Google does, but a Reader's curiosity will lead them to the next definition. I like this book for students looking for a topic for a report.. you might THINK you want to read about the Iron Curtain, but Ivan the Terrible is next and HOW much fun would he be to research? Google sends you to simolar topics;this book sends you to new ideas Review: Interesting desktop reference for young students - My eighth-grade son told me he had an assignment that he couldn't finish until he got to school the next morning because he had to look something up in the Cultural Literacy dictionary. I thought he was trying to pull one over on me, but I gave him the benefit of the doubt and told him he could only use this excuse once. A few days later he told me he used a special favor with his school librarian and was able to bring this book home. Huh? You mean he wasn't kidding me before? So I flipped through the pages to see what this was. I was shocked that he had assignments where he actually had to look something up in a paper book instead of Googling it. OK son, you have my attention. So he walked me through it and explained to me why he needed this reference book for his assignments. He showed me a few examples of references he had used for projects where the references used cultural terms he was unfamiliar with, like D-Day and the League of Women Voters. He explained that the reference book he was using was just a little mature for him, but that he could look up some of these unfamiliar issues, define them, and cite their definitions in his paper and then continue on with his research. Wow. I would have expected kids his age to just bluff their way through the assignment. So no more calling in favors with the librarian. I bought him his own copy for home. I can't believe any of my kids are using actual physical desktop references anymore, but I really love it. Although the definitions are a little simplistic in some cases, they give him enough of a frame of reference to be able to continue on with work without having to look up every single new item online. This book is great for young students. I imagine it would be useful for foreign students too. I guess it would be great for space aliens and time travelers too. It's really a great way for anyone who is unfamiliar with today's common cultural references to quickly define the term and "get it" like the rest of us. I realize this physical book will become dated before too long, but at least it covers common references from now through the past. ## Features - The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy By Hirsch E D Kett Joseph F Trefil James S ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #88,480 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #53 in English Dictionaries & Thesauruses #75 in Word Lists #98 in Historical Study Reference (Books) | | Customer Reviews | 4.7 out of 5 stars 493 Reviews | ## Images ![The New Dictionary Of Cultural Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/817Y-5GRpXL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ If you ever spent Rainy Days wandering around in the Encyclopedias, this book is for you *by M***. on May 20, 2026* Definitions are slightly longer than regular dictionaries. It differs from dictionaries in that paragraphs are grouped by TOPICS which are listed in the table of contents... examples: history, earth science, medicine and health..... and surprise... idioms and proverbs.It answers questions somewhat like Google does, but a Reader's curiosity will lead them to the next definition. I like this book for students looking for a topic for a report.. you might THINK you want to read about the Iron Curtain, but Ivan the Terrible is next and HOW much fun would he be to research? Google sends you to simolar topics;this book sends you to new ideas ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Interesting desktop reference for young students *by D***N on November 7, 2011* My eighth-grade son told me he had an assignment that he couldn't finish until he got to school the next morning because he had to look something up in the Cultural Literacy dictionary. I thought he was trying to pull one over on me, but I gave him the benefit of the doubt and told him he could only use this excuse once. A few days later he told me he used a special favor with his school librarian and was able to bring this book home. Huh? You mean he wasn't kidding me before? So I flipped through the pages to see what this was. I was shocked that he had assignments where he actually had to look something up in a paper book instead of Googling it. OK son, you have my attention. So he walked me through it and explained to me why he needed this reference book for his assignments. He showed me a few examples of references he had used for projects where the references used cultural terms he was unfamiliar with, like D-Day and the League of Women Voters. He explained that the reference book he was using was just a little mature for him, but that he could look up some of these unfamiliar issues, define them, and cite their definitions in his paper and then continue on with his research. Wow. I would have expected kids his age to just bluff their way through the assignment. So no more calling in favors with the librarian. I bought him his own copy for home. I can't believe any of my kids are using actual physical desktop references anymore, but I really love it. Although the definitions are a little simplistic in some cases, they give him enough of a frame of reference to be able to continue on with work without having to look up every single new item online. This book is great for young students. I imagine it would be useful for foreign students too. I guess it would be great for space aliens and time travelers too. It's really a great way for anyone who is unfamiliar with today's common cultural references to quickly define the term and "get it" like the rest of us. I realize this physical book will become dated before too long, but at least it covers common references from now through the past. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Exceptionally Satisfied *by H***E on May 30, 2006* This book, to put it plainly, is awesome. It is crammed full of knowledge that will truly put you on the road to cultural literacy. This book does not go into detail on any given subject. Instead it gives you the general meaning on a variety of subjects. It describes itself as a dictionary and that is how it is formatted. I do not understand why people complain that this book does not go in-depth on all of the subjects. That describes an encyclopedia and encyclopedias are available for sale too. The definitions are presented according to subjects. The subject headers in this book are: The Bible, Mythology and Folklore, Proverbs, Idioms, World Literature, Philosophy, and Religion, Literature in English, Conventions of Written English, Fine Arts, World History to 1550, World History Since 1550, American History to 1865, American History Since 1865, World Politics, American Politics, World Politics, American Politics, World Geography, American Geography, Anthropology, Psychology, and Sociology, Business and Economics, Physical Sciences and Mathematics, Earth Sciences, Life Sciences, Medicine and Health, Technology. Home schoolers I highly recommend this to you. It will serve as a great general reference for a well designed curriculum. Public Schoolers I recommend you buy this as well. It will serve as supplement for the complete lack of curriculum and education that the government is providing you, that is if you have even been taught to read. ## Frequently Bought Together - The New Dictionary Of Cultural Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know - An Incomplete Education: 3,684 Things You Should Have Learned but Probably Didn't - The Intellectual Devotional: Revive Your Mind, Complete Your Education, and Roam Confidently with the Cultured Class --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - πŸ›’ **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** β€” Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** β€” Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - πŸ’° **No Hidden Fees** β€” All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - πŸ”„ **15-Day Free Returns** β€” Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - πŸ”’ **Secure Payments** β€” Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** β€” Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.jp/products/1699628-the-new-dictionary-of-cultural-literacy-what-every-american-needs](https://www.desertcart.jp/products/1699628-the-new-dictionary-of-cultural-literacy-what-every-american-needs) --- *Product available on Desertcart Japan* *Store origin: JP* *Last updated: 2026-10-31*