Annotations are exactly what they sound like, "notes." They can take on many different formats and include any information that you find useful or think others might find useful. This can included comments on
The happenings behind Revolution are familiar territory for the author. When Conkin claims that the book is based on research as well as memory he is not only speaking in terms of his own personal memory, but also of the memory of a seasoned researcher who knows his topic intimately. This reliance on previous work leads to the one shortcoming of the text. The author has not made those decades of research immediately evident in the Notes. Without that support, it would be easy to dismiss the work as not scholarly enough. Revolution clarifies an complex topic, not only changes in American agricultural practices and technologies, but also the politics and long term repercussions of legal definitions. With the Farm Bill up for renewal in 2025, it would be helpful to at least read chapters 5 and 7 for budding economists concerned about the cost of food or fuel.
This chapter is a comprehensive reference for several chemicals known for their prior use in chemical warfare, including nerve agents (sarin, soman, VX), ricin and abrin, sulphur mustard, botulinum toxin, organic arsenicals (Lewisite, Adamsite, DA, DC, and “the Dicks”), riot control agents (CS, CN, CR, pepper spray), and centrally acting incapacitating agents (BZ, DMHP). This is a particularly useful reference because it discusses the principles of triage for each of these chemicals, including ranking of the severity of the injuries caused (T1-T4). Common names and technical names for each of these chemicals are given in addition to supplementary reading about each type of chemical agent, which can facilitate further research. This is a great reference for a thorough overview of these topics and should be consulted for a broad picture of the action, treatment, etc. of these chemicals early in a project on chemical warfare agents. This reference is a bit dated now (10+ years old), so more modern literature should be consulted for cutting-edge research on these materials.
Winchester's power as a story teller is on display as he carries the reader into the story of the language, the technology, and the myriad of personalities that made the OED possible. He does not downplay the role of James Murray, but makes sure to touch on the work of other scholars like John Willinsky and Lynda Mugglestone whose writings on authority deal with inclusion, and Charlotte Brewer who focused on the the tension between the speed and timeliness. Unfortunately, Winchester lets the editors of the OED off the hook too easily for leaving words like African out. It is disappointing to see the author spend so little time with these exclusions, especially given how much time he spends on anti-Gallic bias. If the reader wants a true understanding on the historical and cultural impact of such exclusion, they should read Mugglestone's Lost for Words.
The design of this page was partly adapted from Research: By Course, Subject, or Topic, by University of Arizona Libraries, © 2020 The Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of The University of Arizona, licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.