Define your terms
Explore the fascinating story behind language with our curated book list, 'Define Your Terms.' Featuring standout titles like *The Professor and the Madman* by Simon Winchester and *The Meaning of Everything*, this collection dives into the origins of the dictionary, the minds behind lexicography, and the passion that built our modern vocabulary. Perfect for word lovers, history buffs, and anyone curious about how words get their meaning.
Book
The Professor and the Madman
by Simon Winchester
The Professor and the Madman, masterfully researched and eloquently written, is an extraordinary tale of madness, genius, and the incredible obsessions of two remarkable men that led to the making of the Oxford English Dictionary -- and literary history. The compilation of the OED began in 1857, it was one of the most ambitious projects ever undertaken. As definitions were collected, the overseeing committee, led by Professor James Murray, discovered that one man, Dr. W. C. Minor, had submitted more than ten thousand. When the committee insisted on honoring him, a shocking truth came to light: Dr. Minor, an American Civil War veteran, was also an inmate at an asylum for the criminally insane. This P.S. edition features an extra 16 pages of insights into the book, including author interviews, recommended reading, and more.
