Bookshelf: The "Nancy" Dictionary

Young people probably encounter certain big, thick books and think, "What are these things? So many words!" I am, of course, referring to dictionaries and telephone books, probably the saddest relics of print's bygone age.

You'll pry my copy of Houghton-Mifflin's New College Edition of the American Heritage Dictionary (1976) from my cold, lifeless hands, however. Why? It's not that great, even by print dictionary standards, though totally serviceable. Why is this particular has-been deserving of my fondness?

Simple! When you look up "comic strip," you find this:

So tiny, and yet still so perfectly legible.

Coming up later this evening: two great original "Nancy" drawings from the 40s.