The Surgeon of Crowthorne: A Tale of Murder, Madness and the Oxford English Dictionary
Language: English
1837-1915 1861-1865 - Veterans English language English language - Etymology English language - Lexicography - History - 19th century General James Augustus Henry Language Arts & Disciplines Lexicographers Lexicographers - Great Britain Linguistics Minor Murray New English dictionary on historical principles Oxford English dictionary Psychiatric hospital patients Psychiatric hospital patients - Great Britain Sir United States United States - History - Civil War William Chester
Publisher: Penguin
Published: Mar 15, 1999
Description:
Product Description
The making of the "Oxford English Dictionary" was a monumental 50 year task requiring thousands of volunteers. One of the keenest volunteers was a W C Minor who astonished everyone by refusing to come to Oxford to receive his congratulations. In the end, James Murray, the "OED's" editor, went to Crowthorne in Berkshire to meet him. What he found was incredible - Minor was a millionaire American civil war surgeon turned lunatic, imprisoned in Broadmoor Asylum for murder and yet who dedicated his entire cell-bound life to work on the English language.
About the Author
Simon Winchester has had an award-winning 20 year career as Guardian correspondent. He lives in New York and is the Asia-Pacific Editor for Conde Nast Traveler and contributes to a number of American magazines, as well as the Daily Telegraph, the Spectator and the BBC. He has written numerous books. THE RIVER AT THE CENTRE OF THE WORLD (Viking 1997/Penguin 1998) has been shortlisted for the 1998 Thomas Cook/Daily Telegraph Travel Book Award.