Rating: 
Summary: Excellent resource
Review: I have worn out three of these dictionaries. They are very useful in day-to-day conversations with Russians. If you want a dictionary that will truly help you to communicate quickly, this is an excellent choice. Smaller books do not give the breadth of vocabulary. The Oxford is similar but costs more and the larger size is cumbersome to carry. I have both and have turned exclusively to the Katzner for most work. It is clear that the book is designed to allow people of different cultures communicate quickly and accurately with each other. The only negative is the paper binding. The back breaks quickly and the pages come unglued. If this dictionary is ever produced with a good quality hardback binding it would be almost perfect.
Rating: 
Summary: The best Russian - English dictionary
Review: I just recently returned from a two year stay in Russia. Before going to Russia I didn't not know any Russian. I found that this dictionary was more usefull and more complete than any other dictionary I used. It is the only Russian-English dictionary based on American English which helped considerably when I was trying to find more difficult words. I very highly value this book.
Rating:
Summary: Beats Oxford and Others by a Long Shot
Review: I thoroughly checked other Russian dictionaries before buying this one. It contains a vast quantity of words, possible alternate uses of words, and excellent conjugation/declension tables. It has served me well in college Russian and continues to do so.
Rating:
Summary: Buy this dictionary
Review: I was devastated when my Kazner dictionary was stolen and immediately searched the shops for another one. It's definitions are far more up to date and comprehensible than Oxford's and I found it a more valuable aid for translation than any other dictionary. It contains up to date vocabulary that is succintly translated and it has good examples. It is also portable and very easy to use. If you need grammatical information than buy a grammar book. N.B I am from England not America and still found it better than any of the English dictionaries on offer.
Rating:
Summary: Versatile AND Comprehensive
Review: I've not come across a more all-inclusive Russian-English/Englis-Russian dictionary since I've started studying Russian. Not only does it include a wide-variety of every day words, but it also serves as a ideal source for translating the more obscure terms. It serves its purpose without having to lug around a weighty hardcover version. In fact, I used this dictionary while taking a sociology class taught completely in Russian in St. Petersburg, and my professor was constantly asking to borrow my dictionary. She adored it so much, that I left her my copy!
Rating:
Summary: Solid Dictionary
Review: I've read all the reviews here and I will aprroach mine by commenting on some of the negative remarks.
A few of the negatives were in regard to poor binding of the hardback edition. These are fair remarks, indeed my copy has worn very quickly as well. However, the softcover edition does not have this problem and it is also easier to transport around.
The other negatives seemed to be by advanced students of the Russian language. I would certainly expect a linguist to have some quibbles and also to have other books they would use and recommend (such as one reviewer's endorsement of the, indeed, outstanding Daum/Schenk Russian verb dictionary). But for most users this book will be outstanding. For American English speakers of Russian I would say it is a must.
Rating:
Summary: Trip to Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Russia
Review: In the summer of 2000, I was fortunate enough to travel to Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk to teach US DOT first responder clases to Russian oil field workers from the Sakhalin Energy Development, Co. Ltd. platform "Moliqpak," off shore from Nogliki. The Island looks much like where I live in Seward, Alaska. Having a cursory knowlege of Russian, (I can order a beer in 5 languages!) I needed a book that would assist me in translating my outline into Russian. Katzner's book was the only one I found based in American English. My translators were surprised that I was able to translate so much of my outline, as well as captions for American Heart Association CPR instructions. They provided corrections as to tense and cases, but the book provided invaluable phrases and idioms, that helped me get my points across in an American way. If you travel to Russia on business, be sure to take a few copies with you. I wish I had a couple to give to my translators, as most people there who know English were taught by British teachers.
Rating:
Summary: Katzner's Dictionary is the best single source of Russian.
Review: Katzner's dictionary is the best single source of Russian language available to American-English speakers. It is better for grammar references than most Russian grammar books. It is an elegant solution to English- and Russian-speakers attempting to make the transition between the languages which has been unavailable until this time. It is, in a word, revolutionary
Rating: 
Summary: An expensive disappointment
Review: Lack of grammar forms, laconic definitions, and flat-out errors mar this much-touted "first Russian dictionary for Americans." The Defense Language Institute does a disservice in handing this out to military linguists... and leaving their supervisors and senior linguists to pick up the pieces down the line. Don't waste your money - hie thee to an Oxford!
Rating:
Summary: Top-notch AMERICAN ENGLISH / Russian Dictionary!
Review: One of the residual after-effects of the Cold War is that most Russian/English - English/Russian dictionaries were written using British English. While in many ways I appreciate British English, such dictionaries come up lacking for Russian-speakers that want to learn American English or for American-English-speakers that want to learn Russian. For instance, most Russian-published dictionaries use British English, which can be a trifle annoying for all those Americans who don't know what a pram is!Kenneth Katzner's wonderful dictionary was the first (or at least one of the first) dictionaries specifically written using American English. As a former Russian teacher in the United States, I found this book a "God-send" for some of the things that my students in the United States wanted me to teach them. While I'm a fluent Russian speaker, I simply don't use some types of vocabulary anymore since I live in the United States and sometimes I have great difficulty recalling certain sorts of words and acronyms in English let alone Russian. This dictionary was wonderful not only for me as a Russian and English literate teacher, but also for my students who often times couldn't find words exclusive to American English in their dictionaries. Some versions of the dictionary have handy grammar and culture references as well (There have been several editions published over the years and Katzner wonderfully updates this book every few years). I say different editions because I have owned several copies of this book over the years (I bought a few and others were publisher's samples) and usually keep just one, giving any extras away to my students (usually as a prize in class). One of my favorite features of one of the editions was a reference glossary with commonly used abbreviations (such as Dr., Str., etc.). Other additions also have Russian/English glossaries of place names (countries, geographical features, states, etc.). Try to buy the most recent edition of this book if possible since it will have the most updates and helpful features. I highly recommend this book for either American -English speaker trying to learn Russian or Russian-speakers trying to learn American English. It's the very first dictionary that any American-English-speaker studying Russian should buy.
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