Word 2007 is both a powerful and an exceptionally annoying word processor. Its huge range of features combined with an eccentric user interface make it hard work - even for a long-time Word user like me - to find half the things you are looking for. Add into this mix the odd inscrutable bug and you have a recipe for confusion. Things might be better if it came with a decent manual - but it doesn’t, so I guess you just have to grin and bear it.

Alternatively, you could buy a copy of Matthew Strawbridge’s ‘Essential Reference’ to Word. This is a book that lives up to its title. It is a massive and compendious reference to Word - printed on A4 paper spanning more than 600 pages and weighing over 3 and a half pounds! Suffice to say this is not a book that you can carry around in your pocket. It is a book that you may want to keep open on your desk, however.

In the course of twelve chapters and six appendices, Strawbridge covers all aspects of Word 2007 starting with its basic concepts, moving on to a detailed description of the new interface - the Office Button, the Ribbon and the numerous editing features to which they provide access, plus information on some of the more egregious bugs and how to avoid, or recover from, them. The features are described, illustrated with screenshots and, where appropriate, cross-referenced. There are also many tables listing Word options and keyboard shortcuts. And, just in case you get lost, there is also an excellent Index spanning 25 pages.

This is a book like no other. Let me be clear that if you are a newcomer to Word and are looking for a simple ‘how to’ guide, this is not for you. But if you are a regular and serious Word user and you want a quick and efficient guide to all of Word’s features, then this is the book you need. All in all, a terrific reference work.