Tiffany K. (tiffanyak) - , reviewed on 3/30/2010 + 215 more book reviews

This is a truly interesting and fully entertaining book. Chronicling the fascinating and awe-inspiring story behind one of the greatest literary endeavors ever attempted: The creation of the Oxford English Dictionary. More precisely, the story of two of the most essential men in its creation: The editor, James Murray, and one of the most helpful volunteer contributors, Dr. William Chester Minor, who happens to be an inmate at an asylum for the criminally insane. As you read, you begin to have more and more of an appreciation for the size and scope of the project these two men, along with thousands of volunteer contributors and a full staff of workers, struggle to complete. Twelve volumes, with 414,825 defined words featuring 1,827,306 quotations on 15,487 pages. A literal lifetime's worth of work, with James Murray taking on the job in 1879 (the Dictionary project having first been proposed in 1857), and the final volume of the First Edition only finally being completed in 1927 (with four supplements yet to follow), twelve years after his death in 1915. An exhaustingly long project to be sure, involving almost more man-hours of labor than can be conceived, but one which allowed for the formation of a decades long friendship between two very distinctive and notable men.

With the story of both men told against the backdrop of the creation of what may well be the most remarkable work in the history of the English language, reading this book is truly an amazing glimpse at a chapter in history that few really appreciate. Both men so similar, yet very different, brought together by a twist of fate and laboring with a passion at something that at one point seemed impossible: to collect, define, and trace the history of every single word in the English language. If the subject matter is remotely interesting to you, I definitely strongly recommend reading it.

Back to all reviews by this member
Back to all reviews of this book
Back to Book Reviews
Back to Book Details