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Reference Books

Pack your bags, your maps and road atlas for the next local, cross-country, or international adventure or add a new foreign language to your superpowers — the world’s your oyster! Shop all the test prep books you need to ace that exam, and level up your writing game with essential style guides and dictionaries to add to your writer’s toolkit. Discover fun facts and impressive feats in popular reference books like The World Almanac, Guinness World Records, The Old Farmer’s Almanac and more!

Reference Categories

Atlases & Maps

English Language Reference

Foreign Language Reference

Genealogy & Family History

General Reference

Quotations & Speeches

School Guides & Test Prep

Writing Guides

Small Book. Big Impact.

The Elements of Style

The Elements of Style

By William Strunk, E. White

Whether you are writing an email or a novel, this legendary guide provides the blueprint for clarity, brevity, and stylistic grace.

$24.99
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Almanacs

Dictionaries

Thesauri

A Life in Punctuation

Between You & Me: Confessions of a Comma Queen

Between You & Me: Confessions of a Comma Queen

By Mary Norris

With a sharp wit and a deep love for the mechanics of language, the "Comma Queen" demystifies the world of grammar, punctuation, and usage. Whether she’s defending the serial comma or tracing the history of the pencil, Norris proves that being a stickler for the rules doesn't have to be dry—it can be downright hilarious.

$15.95
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Word & Phrase Books

Style Guides

Grammar

Reference

Build out your library of reference books at Barnes & Noble®. Browse atlases and maps, writing guides, test prep books, reference textbooks, general reference volumes, and more. Whether you’re looking for this years SAT prep books or the most up to date Merriam Webster Dictionary, we’ve got you covered. Are you shopping for a handy road atlas for your next trip or a map of Italy for your summer vacation? Explore the best selection of road maps and world atlases from trusted publishers like the National Geographic.Our reference book collection includes household staples like the thesaurus, writing guides for students and professionals and genealogy guides for people looking to trace down their ancestors. Whether you’re searching for this year’s World Almanac or picking up a new trade or hobby and need a guidebook on the subject, shop reference books online and at your local B&N store.