The Professor and the Madman

This is a great book--both engaging and informative. The tragic story of the madman is compelling and the book sums up with the paradox of this tragic man's contribution to those of us who love words and their meanings. It is read by the author, and so the the recording has the flow of someone speaking naturally instead of a book being read. Great!

What a great story! And Winchester's writing is a hoot: it has a rollicking lilt to it, a personality, a verve, and, at times, a hilariously over-the-top piling on of adjectives. So refreshing to read a nonfiction book in which the author isn't afraid to let his personal feelings show...I also highly recommend his _Krakatoa_, about an astonishing disaster that had worldwide repercussions.

Apparently some readers received a different book from the one I read. This is no magazine article, padded to book-length. Rather, it is the incredible story of two driven men, with only one thing in common: their love of words. I was as fascinated with every page of it as I am of the OED, each time I have occasion to use it. In fact, I immediately read the Murray bio, "Caught in the Web of Words" and recommend that as well. I am just thankful that I am not so intellectually jaded, suffering with such ennui, that I could not revel in Winchester's remarkable tale.

Simon Winchester tells a story . . . a history of a happening . . . (perhaps) like no other. Who would think that the history of the making of the Oxford English Dictionary would be a 'page turner.' The research and thought that Winchester has put into this book is mind-boggling, but it is unique way of telling the story, weaving time, place and characters that makes this a remarkable story.
Wan'na read a good book? Have at it.

This was an excellent read from start to finish. The small details of how the Oxford English Dictionary came to be were fascinating as well as the explanations of the histories of some of the words we use everyday. Even better than that was the histories of the Dr. Minor and Professor James Murray and how they came to know and respect each other and even become friends. It was also good that the author gave a lot of information about the vitim and what became of his family after the fact. Often this is neglected in stories of this nature. In all I thought it was a great book.

Good grief! How about this assignment? Document the etymology of every word in the English language. With citations to each word's first published usage. You'd have to be nuts to take this on, right? Well, as it turns out, that's more right than you think. A fascinating read about how the illustrious Oxford English Dictionary came about.

What a remarkable story about the Professor & the Madman and the creation of the Oxford English Dictionary! I certainly will think of it EVERY TIME THAT I USE THE DICTIONARY, again! It never occurred to me that it would take soooooo much work and time! GREAT BOOK!!! Geri

Well written but the subject matter, the story, got lost at times with lengthy dictionary word descriptions that I skipped thru, looking to continue the narrative. It was an interesting way to incorporate the arduous task of compiling the the millions of words but I found it offsetting.

A fascinating look at how the Oxford English Dictionary was developed. And an even more intriguing story of one of the main volunteer contributors to it. Well written; very readable. Made me consider the use of dictionaries: from the time of Shakespeare, who wrote without the benefit of a comprehensive dictionary, to current usage: on a Kindle where the OED is literally at your fingertips. I read this as part of a Reading Group, and we were all glad we had chosen the book.

I agree with another reviewer that this book is a bit on the lightweight side for an entire book-length treatment, and the author indulges in a fair amount of off-the-cuff speculation, with no footnoted basis in fact, for many elements, such as the probable basis for the "madman's" fantasies and obsessions. However, when Winchester hits a groove, he can write wonderful, lyrical prose -- I loved the bit about his acquaintance, who printed a set of pages from his page-plate of the Dictionary. A great read for bibiophiles and lovers of dictionaries.

An enjoyable yet all too fast read. The principles are well illustrated and the story is laid out well. I could wish for more around the OED itself- but that's just my personal preference. Highly recommended.

This book is well—and lovingly—written. Ultimately, however, it is still the history of a dictionary and, consequently, can be somewhat dry at parts. I️ can’t help but think that this may have read better as an essay, as opposed to a full length book.

I got this book to read about two interesting men and the creation of theOxford English Dictionary. That story was there and worth reading, although a sad tale. However, it was almost overwhelmed by pedantic occupation with the words in the dictionary. Definitions and origins dominated this tale of philology. if you love words, you will love this.

Be prepared to learn some Civil War history as well as more than you knew you didn't know about the origins of the Oxford English Dictionary. The contributions of an American madman locked up in a British insane assylum account for thousands of word entries, some of which you will learn about in this entertaining, clever, reads-like-fiction history. Prepare to be enlightened!

Mr Winchester describes the chain of events surrounding the preparation of the Oxford English Dictionary in a superbly readable manner. It is the tale of two men who have the time and means to become obsessed with words and the dictionary's preparation. One man is fully functional and the other man only partially so. It makes for an interesting tale that Winchester spins magnificently.

The Professor and the Madman was difficult for me to get into. However, once I did, I began to realize that had it not been for the persistence of the two men, we might not have a dictionary as we know it today. I found the book tedious during a long section where the construction and choice of words was detailed. I would have enjoyed more of a definite plot in this area. I might not have stuck with this book if it hadn't been planned for my book club, but I'm glad I did.

I already had this book on cassette tape. When the player ate it, I had to have another copy. I have 6 or 7 of Simon Winchester's books and this one is hands down the best. Although the book touts a view into the processes used to create the Oxford English Dictionary, it also gives some quite moving insight to the experience of severe mental illness. Both main characters are relatable and are very effective tools in maintaining interest and exposing us to an academic process that, in reality, would have been incredibly tedious. As someone who used to teach oral interpretation, I also enjoy the job Winchester does of reading his material for the audio versions of his books.

From Joan Mazza, author of DREAMING YOUR REAL SELF, DREAM BACK YOUR LIFE, FROM DREAMS TO DISCOVERY and THINGS THAT TICK ME OFF.
This is an engaging tale about the unlikely connection over many years between two men as they cooperated in the making of the Oxford English Dictionary. The details of how the dictionary was assembled-in the days before even the simplest of computer technology-and the history of the people involved held my interest. What could have simply been a dry description had all the drama and pathos of a literary novel instead. Simon Winchester shows how someone can have a pocket of mental illness and still be healthy and productive in other ways.

What an amazing story! A fascinating and true story of the first dictionary of the English la-gauge and the bizarre individuals who helped make it happen. Anyone who likes English and languages in general should read this, its spellbinding.

This is a fascinating book and gave me an appreciation of how much went into the compiling of the dictionary so basic to our language and education. It is also an excellent character study and gives you an idea of the sad past treatment of mental disorder.as well as a .view of those times. A lot of research went into this writing based largely on letters collected. A great read!

This book is a terrific [1667, "frightening," from L. terrificus "causing terror or fear," from terrere "fill with fear"....) read, in the original and the modern sense of the word. How could it not be? It has murder, madness, and a fascinating story about the creation of the OED!

Very interesting book suggested to me by a family member currently studying for her Masters. They had discussed this in a class and when she mentioned at dinner one evening I felt I wanted to read it. And I was glad I did.

The title of this book, "The Professor and the Madman: A Tale of Murder, Insanity, and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary" is far more intriguing than the book itself. Once you get the main idea, that one of the most important contributors to the Oxford English Dictionary was an American living in a mad-house, there's not much more to tell. And yet, Simon Winchester goes on to tell it for another 200 or so pages.
The problem is that what sounds like a fascinating story really isn't. I mean, nothing much happens. Dr. W. C. Minor is delusional, murders a man, and is placed in a mental institution. Dr. Murray begins work on the Oxford Dictionary and makes a public request for volunteers to read through books and find examples of words. Dr. Minor responds to the advertisement from his cell, and is of great help.
Time passes. Eventually, both men die of old age.
End of story.
Simon Winchester tries to fill pages with baseless supposition, along the lines of "Perhaps it was this early experience of watching young maidens bathing in the river that would eventually lead Dr. Minor to the confused mental state that would, ultimately, land him in a mental hospital." After a while, though, one can't help thinking, it would have been nice if this book had an actual story behind it. "Perhaps Dr. Minor had an affair with the widow of the man he murdered. Although there is no evidence to suggest that anything of the kind ever occurred..."
What was interesting was seeing some of the early definitions of the words themselves, but that was a very small part of the book. Ultimately, "The Professor and the Madman" is a bit of fluff. There's enough information to make for a fascinating 5-page article, but it's extended and padded to fill a book.
Only for the very bored...

I have a keen interest in the origin and evolving usage of words. For me This book is a marvelous collection of word usage tracking over time, as well as a fascinating story. If the English language is of any interest to you i believe that you will find your reading journey here, a well satisfying adventure.

So I found this book to have many fascinating parts. It was quite dry in parts and full of all kinds of new words, and old words. However, I found the history of the dictionary intriguing. The characters involved in it's making had such drive and ambition. There probably aren't many who would take on a project that might out survive them now a days. But Murray and Minor did. And two more different protagonists there haven't been on a project like this.

I will say I felt a bit let down that the opening story of Minor and Murrays meeting is probably fictional. But, I do fine it more likely that Murray did know about Minors condition prior to their fist face to face. I also feel for Minor who suffered from schizophrenia prior to any real understanding of it. Over half of his life was spent in an institution after murdering someone in cold blood. Yet as the author points out, if he had been medicated as we do today, he may not have had the time or inclination to work as diligently on the dictionary as he did. Unfortunately for Minor and his victim, we all benefited from the time he spent locked up.

Imagine my surprise when I discovered this was not a Gilligan's Island fan fiction but an actual tale about the gents who designed the Oxford English Dictionary and how one of the greatest contributors was living out a life sentences for murder in an insane asylum.

This is a really fascintating book. It gives an interesting and complete story about how the OED was conceived and created and contains some extremely complex characters. I espcially enjoyed when Winchester drills down to the detail of language - his dicussion of the word protaganist for example shows the amount of work that goes into each word that appears in the OED and the amount of discussion a single word can cause. Also gives an nice account of why so many Irish volenteers fought in the American Civil war - very enjoyable read !

I read this book after reading "The Meaning of Everything," which I thoroughly enjoyed. This book, "The Professor and the Madman" gave me a bit more insight into one small aspect of the story of the making of the OED. Worth reading, but if you must choose between this book and "The Meaning of Everything," definitely go for "The Meaning of Everything."

This is a very interesting, extremely well documented account of the creation of the Oxford English Dictionary and the mentally ill American doctor who provided many of its early uses of words ought be too detailed for some but I enjoyed it.

This very interesting biography gives more than just the dry facts. I was fascinated to learn about how the OED was actually created. Prior to reading this book, I had always taken dictionaries for granted, never giving a thought to how the words are chosen and defined. I was amazed at the amount of volunteer assistance that was offered and used for this enormous undertaking.

I loved learning the amazing history behind the creation of the Oxford English Dictionary. I don't feel qualified to rate anything about the writing or whatever (it all seemed good to me), I just know that I couldn't put the book down and enjoyed it very much.

A nice story about an interesting, distant relationship with some cool information about crafting an actual dictionary. An informative read, good for anyone who's just perpetually curious about stuff.

Very entertaining and informative account of the creation of the Oxford English Dictionary and one of its principal contributors, the insane American murderer, Dr. W. C. Minor, who was incarcerated at the Broadmoor asylum for the criminally insane in England. Fantastic read!

A most fascinating story of the creation of this remarkable work and the collaboration of a most unlikely pair. Winchester did a great job of re-creating the environment and the personalities involved. You must read this if you have ever been amazed at seeing the OED.

For lovers of language, a most interesting book. It contains some unknown - to me - information about the making of the Oxford English Dictionary. The relationship between the dictionary's editor and its most frequent contributor is fascinating. A true I highly recommend this book.

This book is fascinating. It has a bit of everything in it…war hero, family dealing with psychiatric problems, murder, appreciation of intellect, the fine line between genius and mad, the curious way we have come to accept the spelling of words, word misters,

This book offers a great insight into the making of the Oxford English Dictionary. For native English speakers who take for granted their language and dictionaries, this book provides an eye-opening experience. The book is well-written and reads more like a novel than a history.

This is the second time around with this story. The first was an audio tape while driving on vacation. The second, the book reading, was just as fascinating as the first. One comes to relate to and care about the two main characters through the Winchester's captivating writing.

Remarkable and sad story of an incredible undertaking. The complexities of the creation of the Oxford English Dictionary is shadowed by the personal histories of its creators. Well told and a joy to read.

It reminds one that some things just don't change that much, even with modern medicine. I found the book very informing, didn't know what went into the making of a dictionary, this book gives you an idea. The madman is not what you would expect.

Histoty has a lot of twists and turns, specially now that a lot of "truth" is comming out about what historians and folktales have made us believe throughout the years. This is a perfect and fantastic example of history in the making. A must read for anyone that nowadays uses Wikipedia and such...

Winchester chronicles -- and corrects in part -- a fascinating story. The imagining and creation of the OED looms prominently in the background, but the personal struggles and eventual friendship of the professor and the 'madman' make compelling reading.

I bought the OED (Oxford English Dictionary) some years ago - what an amazing project it has been. If you would like to know the background, R rated only because history often is, you know, then you will enjoy this book.