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Summary: If we just get the meaning of words right
Review: then the world will be well ordered, is what Confucius thought. This idea was so dear to his heart that he said the first thing he'd do if he were to rule a state was the rectification of words: "Let the ruler be ruler, the minister minister, the father father, and the son son". Mr. Roget surely did not think the influence of his work would go that far. But his thesaurus, available now in the second edition of "Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus", is a very useful tool nevertheless. On over 950 pages it lists 20,000 words from ABACK (meaning "taken unawares", which is what I was when I found this treasure in the Shanghai Foreign Languages Bookstore for the equivalent of just 3 US Dollars) to ZOOM (meaning "move very quickly", which is absolutely not recommended when indulging in this book). As a decent thesaurus should do, the Roget gives you a 'meaning cluster' for every listed word. In addition, for every listed word there is a reference to the unique Concept Index at the end of the book. The Concept Index is an extension of the original idea of a thesaurus, which basically groups words according to idea. That is, the thesaurus leads you from a single word to a group of related synonyms. The Concept Index, on the other hand, shows you the semantic ocean in which the word floats. Or, to quote the editors: "The Concept Index not only helps writers to organize their ideas but leads them from those very ideas to the words that can best express them." (remember: "the rectification of words"). How does that work? The Concept Index is grouped in ten categories. One of my favorites is called "Fields of Human Activity". Under this category one finds the sub-category 'communicative', for example, which contains all the useful words for book reviews from 'abusive' to 'zany'. If you love words, this is your book. If you want to have fun with words, this is your book, too: where else would you learn that the idea of a BUSINESSPERSON (concept no. 348, for those who want to look it up) contains not only the banker but also the cyberpunk?
Rating:
Summary: Great Reference
Review: This is a great reference. I love the way it's arranged in dictionary form. As well as original alternatives for words it also includes slang words, which is nice for writing. It is 957 pages long, not including the introduction; but the number does include the Concept Index. The actual thesaurus is 889 pages long and is in quite small print. It's a second edition and just like it says on the cover, it's easy to use. It is edited by the Princeton Language Institute.
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Summary: They have taken the name "ROGET'S" and run with it!!!
Review: This stinker is in DICTIONARY format. DICTIONARY format is not, to use a euphemism, for the (another euphemism) intelligensia. The thing is overfat and the typeface is so tiny not even my best bifocals are not able to [whoops! need a REAL thesaurus]. Go for the Roget's International. That one is in TRADITIONAL format: a word list in the back with reference to a number leading to a logical IDEA-ORIENTED section towards the front. This stinker is nothing more than a LEXICON FOR DUMMIES!!!
Rating: 
Summary: Why so tiny?
Review: This thesaurus really is perfect. The most comprehensive I have ever seen. But the font is too small to read comfortably for most rather elderly adults. Do buy the Paperback edition, whose font is a litter bigger.
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Summary: Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus by Kipfer
Review: This work contains a comprehensive list of word choices for
almost any occasion. The volume has an index, synonyms and the
authority or governing preferred embodiment of the word.
For instance, the word "frequency" is explained , as follows:
o i.e. frequency- [ n ] -abundance, beat, constancy, density...
This rendition would assist any writer, editor, researcher,
librarian or academician.
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