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Johnson's Dictionary is famous for being the first dictionary of English, which is perfectly true, except for the 663 dictionaries published in England in the two and a half centuries before Johnson. It does, however, have a claim to being the first "standard" dictionary of English, at least if we take the time to define what we mean by that (as I try to do in this conference paper from 2005). It's also one of the few reference books that can be read seriously as a work of literature.

Online: Jean George Théodore Graesse, Trésor de livres rares et précieux: ou, Nouveau dictionnaire bibliographique ... 1859 ff.

It has been 500 years since Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany, condemning the corrupt practice of indulgences. This single act marked the beginning of the Protestant Reformation, a worldwide movement whose legacy can still be felt today, especially in Germany. The Reformation had a profound effect not only on theology and the church but also on culture, science, business, politics, language and education.In a previous article, we have highlighted exhibitions in the US. This article will show a number of exhibitions throughout the course of 2017, related to Luther and early printing.

For many Gaels past and present, the 'Gaelic Book' would mean one thing - the Bible - and indeed in the sorry situation in which literacy in Gaelic has been rare, a Gaelic Bible would have been the only printed book in Scottish Gaelic in Gaelic-speaking households, whether in the Highlands and Islands or in the towns and cities such as Glasgow. But today publishing and broadcasting in Gaelic are enjoying the fruits of a new interest and enthusiasm, and there is a feeling in Scotland that the language is experiencing a renaissance or ath-bheòthachadh ...

"Hi, my name is Eric Idle, and I am a book addict. And this is the place where I hang around." In Febuary it rains in Rotterdam, freezes in France. Britain is bundled-up, it's cloudy in Catalonia. Sweden is snowed-in. But when the California International Antiquarian Book Fair comes to Pasadena, California, the warmth of the sun pours over rare book lovers and dealers from all over the world. See the California Book Fair Videos on YouTube and meet colleagues and collectors like Heather O'Donnell, Michael Thompson, Gary Milan, and Eric Idle while browsing the California Book Fair shelves.