David Grambs, Ellen S. Levine. Describer's Dictionary. New York, W. W. Norton and Company, 2014.

A singular and indispensable reference tool, The Describer's Dictionary now expanded and updated has served for over twenty years as the go-to resource for writers who are determined to capture the world in just the right words. The dictionary uses a unique reverse definition-to-term format that makes it easy to zero in on the term you're seeking. Turn to the new section on sensory impressions, for example, to find vivid terms for "loud or jarring," such as "grating," "harsh," "piercing," "blaring," "thunderous," "cacophonous," and "raucous." And at the end of each section dozens of illustrative passages by notable fiction and nonfiction authors including Donna Tartt, Michael Lewis, Zadie Smith, Khaled Hosseini, and Paul Theroux bring the terminology to life.