Journal Entry 1 by ds3233 from Sun City, Arizona USA on Monday, January 31, 2005

Another masterpiece from Simon Winchester. I had no idea what a struggle the making of the OED was. The characters are beautifully drawn and his research is fully evident. From the book cover:

In his national bestseller, Simon Winchester offers a truly wonderful celebration of the English language and of its unrivaled treasure house, the Oxford English Dictionary. Winchester serves up a lightning history of the English language and pays homage to the great dictionary makers, from "the irredeemably famous" Samuel Johnson the the "short, pale, smug and boastful" schoolmaster from New Hartford, Noah Webster. Winchester lovingly describes the nuts-and-bolts of dictionary making. We visit the ugly corrugated iron structure grandly dubbed the Scriptorium, and meet some of the legion of volunteers, from Fitzedward Hall, a bitter hermit obsessively devoted to the OED, to WC Minor, whose story is one of dangerous madness, ineluctable sadness, and utlimate redemption. The Meaning of Everything is a scintillating account of the creation of the greatest monument ever erected to a living language. Simon Winchester's supple, vigorous prose illuminates this dauntingly ambitious project - a seventy-year odyssey to create the grandfather of all word-books. 

Journal Entry 2 by ds3233 at RABCK in RABCK, A RABCK -- Controlled Releases on Monday, April 25, 2005

Released 7 yrs ago (4/22/2005 UTC) at RABCK in RABCK, A RABCK -- Controlled Releases

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

Sent to Last Edition in Denmark as part of the virtual non-fiction book box. 

Journal Entry 3 by LastEdition on Friday, April 29, 2005

This arrived today, thank you ... I look forward to reading it.
 

Journal Entry 4 by LastEdition on Thursday, September 15, 2005

What a tale! .. What a life and what a mind. I will never look at the OED in the same way again - or any other language dictionary, for that matter.

Highly recommeded, even to those that do not usually read non-fiction - this is not a hard-ship read!
 

Journal Entry 5 by LastEdition at RABCK in Controlled Release, --by post or by hand (ie ring, ray, RABCK, trade) -- Controlled Releases on Tuesday, October 25, 2005

Released 6 yrs ago (10/25/2005 UTC) at RABCK in Controlled Release, --by post or by hand (ie ring, ray, RABCK, trade) -- Controlled Releases

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

Included in 5Schwammerl's pre-Christmas box and reserved for Diamondlucy - enjoy! 

Journal Entry 6 by 5Schwammerl on Thursday, November 03, 2005

Many thanks to LastEdition from Denmark for the fine filled christmas-bookbox for our Austrian bookcrossers!
Diamondlucy comes in December from Styria to visit Vienna, so long I will reserve this book. 

Journal Entry 7 by Diamondlucy from Graz, Steiermark Austria on Saturday, December 03, 2005

Finally I was able to pick up the book (one out of too many concering my mount to be read) I`m really looking forward to reading it.

Thanks a lot! 

Journal Entry 8 by 3komma14 from Graz, Steiermark Austria on Monday, December 19, 2005

Diamondlucy lets me read the book first. Thanks Lucy. It will go back to her afterwards. 

Journal Entry 9 by 3komma14 from Graz, Steiermark Austria on Friday, February 24, 2006

Very good parts - especially the history of the English language.

Gave it to Diamondlucy at the Jan.-Meetup in Graz.