The Professor and the Madman: A Tale of Murder, Insanity, and the Making of The Oxford English Dictionary

by Simon Winchester | History |
ISBN: 006099486x Global Overview for this book
Registered by danadoodle on 9/12/2005
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6 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by danadoodle on Monday, September 12, 2005
interesting read of how 10,000 entries to the oxford english dictionary were made by an american in an asylum.
he tends to repeat himself from chapter to chapter like he's recapping the story in case you forgot.

Journal Entry 2 by Sistermadilou from Port Townsend, Washington USA on Thursday, September 15, 2005
Also caught this one at our BC meeting. I read Winchester's Krakatoa 2 years ago and liked it a lot, so I'm lookig forward to this one.

Journal Entry 3 by Sistermadilou at Brooklyn, New York USA on Monday, January 5, 2015

Released 9 yrs ago (1/5/2015 UTC) at Brooklyn, New York USA

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

It pleases me no end to send along this book, received many years ago from longtime bookcrosser Danadoodle, as a RABCK to ReallyBookish. Enjoy!

Journal Entry 4 by ReallyBookish at Horsham, Pennsylvania USA on Saturday, January 10, 2015
This is a very kind RABCK from my wishlist from fellow BookCrosser Sistermadilou. Thank you so much!

Journal Entry 5 by ReallyBookish at Horsham, Pennsylvania USA on Friday, August 5, 2016
Sistermadilou, I finally got around to reading this book. I'm sorry that it took me so long! And I have no idea why I didn't get to it sooner, since it was a very good read. Just too many TBRs, I suppose. Not that I am complaining!

I do have to agree with danadoodle's comment about the repetition. The story is fascinating, but I think Winchester had a word count goal to meet. :) However, it is a short book, so the repetition didn't really bother me.

The crux of what makes the book enjoyable is quite simply the story, a nugget of history dug up and polished by Winchester into a satisfying yarn. It seems to be well-researched, and if he does occasionally veer a bit in the direction of sensationalizing the material, well... at least he gave us an entertaining read. I was surprised by how compelling I found the book to be in places. The pace does trail off a bit towards the end, but that was okay.

All in all, a good read. I think book lovers will generally enjoy this one. Also... illustrations! I love it when adult books have illustrations. I think more of them should, actually.

This is headed off now to NancyNova, who tells me that this is her September book club read. What serendipitous timing!

Released 7 yrs ago (8/5/2016 UTC) at Wishlist Tag Game , A Bookcrossing member -- Controlled Releases

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Off to NancyNova, as part of the wishlist tag game. Enjoy!

Journal Entry 7 by wingNancyNovawing at Lansdale, Pennsylvania USA on Sunday, August 14, 2016
It's here! September book club read, and I also have the sister book by Winchester, The Meaning of Everything, with the same bearded guy on the cover! I'm going to try to read both in time for the bookclub.

Journal Entry 8 by wingNancyNovawing at Lansdale, Pennsylvania USA on Saturday, October 1, 2016
rabck from ReallyBookish, TLC book club read, alas not wonderful as touted. The story jumps a bit, trying to provide equal focus on the US Army surgeon, who's delusions caused him to commit murder and be committed to an asylum in the UK, from where he wrote thousands of entries for the OED. And the Professor James Murray, who winds up coordinating the task of the thousands involved in submitting definitions, quotations, pronunciations, etc. that are making up this dictionary.

This one will head out to the Netherlands later this week.

Released 7 yrs ago (10/8/2016 UTC) at - Per post of in persoon doorgegeven, Fryslân (Friesland) Netherlands

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

A wishlist book. Enjoy!

If you aren't familiar with Bookcrossing, take a few minutes to check out this very cool site. Bookcrossers LOVE books, and more than anything, they love to read books and then set them free for other people to find and enjoy. I would love it if you would leave a journal entry -- you can say where you found the book or how you liked it when you read it. Then, when you are ready, pass it along for someone else to enjoy! Thanks and happy reading!

Journal Entry 10 by wingdutch-bookwing at Heerenveen , Fryslân (Friesland) Netherlands on Tuesday, October 25, 2016
It arrived here last week! I'm really looking forward to this book! Thanks NancyNova for sending this to me!

Journal Entry 11 by wingdutch-bookwing at Heerenveen , Fryslân (Friesland) Netherlands on Thursday, April 26, 2018
I really liked this book. I love it when authors find little history nuggets, research it and then write a book about it. Reminds me a little of 'The poisoner's handbook'.

Journal Entry 12 by bookguide at Wijchen, Gelderland Netherlands on Sunday, July 8, 2018
Taken from the book buffet at the wonderful Dutch BC unconvention at a café on the beach at Castricum.

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