maybe one of the few books on my shelves really deserving the five-star rating.

indispensable.

i'm not sure if this edition has the format i prefer: a dictionary in the back, and the front arranged with synonyms opposite antonyms all arranged by concept (from abstract to specific)

not only indispensable but for anyone reading english as a second-language, required

( )

A good dictionary has many valuable uses. It tells what words mean and, if it is a large, inclusive dictionary, it gives their origins and examples of their early and later usages. But, if the writer is groping for a word, that eludes him, he will not know where to search in a dictionary. It is here that Roget's Thesaurus comes to his aid. The bewildered person has only to look up the subject of his thoughts and here is a whole string of words to suit his purposes. The fact that the Thesaurus, which is Greek for a treasure, has been so widely and continuously treasured throughout the English-speaking world for over a hundred years shows that enormous number of people have with Roget's aid, escaped from the pains of verbal frustration.
Since Roget created his first word treasury the English language has spread across the world and has been used by increasing millions in all the Continents. The populations of the English-speaking nations have multiplied. But all these millions do not only accept; they also contribute, especially in the kind of language known as slang. So the catalogue of English words used all over the world must continually be swollen with new arrivals. This latest edition of the Thesaurus properly has the word International in its title because it has introduced all kinds of words from all kinds of places.