I found this good-condition trade paperback at yesterday's book sale at the Nashua Public Library.

I would never have believed that an account of the compilation of the first comprehensive English-language dictionary could be this fascinating - or downright weird! The task itself is mind-boggling to contemplate; even if we weren't spoiled with instant-access everything nowadays, the idea of even beginning to collect examples of use of Every Known English Word makes me quail.

But as if that weren't enough, one of the most prolific contributors to the dictionary project - with whom editor Murray had corresponded happily for twenty years - turned out to be confined in an asylum for the criminally insane... Makes one wonder where some of those Wikipedia entries come from! Anyway, it's an entertaining and informative book, with the nice touch that the chapters are prefaced by appropriate definitions from the OED in lieu of the usual quotes.

RELEASE NOTES:

I left this book at the base of a lovely statue of a young girl, somewhere in the park along Blackstone Blvd, while on a guided tour of Providence courtesy of the fabulous fsr44 (photo to come after I get home). Hope the finder enjoys the book!