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"The Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, 2nd edition" is a compendium of the words, phrases, names, places, events and other items, familiar to most Americans, which combines our common knowledge as a 'collective memory' and informs our late 20th Century discourse; allows us to comprehend daily newspapers, magazines, news reports, to understand our peers, leaders and even jokes; and colors the sound of our national culture. This is not 'expert' knowledge but rather the shared 'common' knowledge which allows people to communicate, forms the basis of communities, and distinguishes our national culture as unique.