Ruffner's Allusions: Cultural, Literary, Biblical, and Historical: A Thematic Dictionary

Documenting the deeper meanings of words, this reference has established itself as the essential starting place for students and general readers interested in understanding the meaning of the many allusions found both in written materials and in everyday speech. It draws from Shakespeare, Dickens, and other authors; the Bible and other holy books; Greek, Roman, and other mythologies; American, European, Eastern, and other legends; and the arts, the movies, business, radio and television. This updated edition includes 3,500 new allusions—for a total of more than 12,000—from the past 20 years, with an emphasis on technology, politics, and popular culture, as well as allusions to real people, to non-Judeo-Christian faiths, and to children’s literature.