The Professor and the Madman: A Tale of Murder, Insanity, and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary
Category: Livres anglais et trangers,Biographies & Memoirs,Arts & Literature
The Professor and the Madman: A Tale of Murder, Insanity, and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary Details
A New York Times Notable Book • Now a Major Motion PictureThe Professor and the Madman is an extraordinary tale of madness, genius, and the incredible obsessions of two remarkable men that led to the making of the Oxford English Dictionary—and literary history.The making of the OED was one of the most ambitious projects ever undertaken. As definitions were collected, the overseeing committee, led by Professor James Murray, was stunned to discover that one man, Dr. W. C. Minor, had submitted more than ten thousand. But their surprise would pale in comparison to what they were about to discover when the committee insisted on honoring him. For Dr. Minor, an American Civil War veteran, was also an inmate at an asylum for the criminally insane.Masterfully researched and eloquently written, The Professor and the Madman “is the linguistic detective story of the decade.” (William Safire, New York Times Magazine)This P.S. edition features an extra 16 pages of insights into the book, including author interviews, recommended reading, and more.
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Reviews
The book is well balanced between the history of the OED and the life and times of Dr. William Minor, (a major contributor).Simon Winchester can hold back all the good stuff and disperse it throughout his writing. So just when you think you read it all, some new fact or weird quirk shows up. Interspersed with the story are relevant definitions, as they would appear in the OED. His description of Broadmoor makes you want to sign up on the waiting list.
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