The extraordinary true story of Peter Mark Roget and his legendary Thesaurus.
Peter Mark Roget-polymath, eccentric, synony... read full description
Peter Mark Roget-polymath, eccentric, synony... read full description
reviews
Jun 11, 2008
Ellen
rated it: 
Did you know that Peter M. Roget invented the slide rule as well as creating the book that is synonymous with synonyms?
He lost his father at five. His mother was overprotective and bat-shit crazy. Roget was an emotional wreck who forwent participation in society in favor of observing, listing, and organizing things.
Kendall crafts a highly readable narrative.
“Unlike Girard and his successors, Roget aimed not to explain or prescribe the use of the words. Rat More...
He lost his father at five. His mother was overprotective and bat-shit crazy. Roget was an emotional wreck who forwent participation in society in favor of observing, listing, and organizing things.
Kendall crafts a highly readable narrative.
“Unlike Girard and his successors, Roget aimed not to explain or prescribe the use of the words. Rat More...
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Feb 05, 2009
The title tells all: rather than a discussion of etymology, The Man Who Made Lists examines Dr. Roget and his creation through a psychological lens. Critics couldn't help but compare the effort to Simon Winchester's acclaimed The Professor and the Madman (2001), about the making of the Oxford English Dictionary. Incidentally, in the Atlantic, Winchester criticized Roget's Thesaurus for fostering "poor writing" in its indiscriminate cataloging. While even those reviewers who agreed with
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Sep 10, 2011
Joe
rated it: 
I'm trying to think of something good to write about Joshua Kendall's biography of Peter Mark Roget, but I just can't, even though the story of Roget's life includes madness, depression, a death-defying race to get out of Napoleon's France, and lexicography. Those are things that would make a book interesting to me.
I think my biggest beef with The Man Who Made Lists is that it's too scant on the creation of Roget's Thesaurus. What was I supposed to think though, when the book's sub- More...
I think my biggest beef with The Man Who Made Lists is that it's too scant on the creation of Roget's Thesaurus. What was I supposed to think though, when the book's sub- More...
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Mar 20, 2011
Abigail
rated it: 
An idiosyncratic biography of Peter Mark Roget, the creator of the thesaurus that has, in various editions, never been far from my typewriter, later my computer. The cord to my mouse trails across the Harper and Row 4th Edition right now, although I love the old editions for their elegant, half-forgotten words. If I could have but one book on the proverbial desert island, it would be an unabridged Roget’s including every word since the first edition. When finally rescued, I’d sound like Will
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Oct 25, 2010
Karen
rated it:
I am interested in the origin of books, in the book arts and sciences. This book attracted me because I knew nothing about the Thesaurus, that workhorse of composition. Roget could have been a character in a 19th -century novel. He overcame great personal obstacles, experienced love and loss, and kept his mental equilibrium by making lists. The Enlightenment was the apogee of lists. We don't live in an era so conducive to them, but patterns that imposed order were Roget's anchor against bei
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Apr 18, 2009
Sandy
rated it:
This is the biography of Peter Roget, who amongst his many achievements developed Roget's Thesaurus. I've read reviews of this book who criticized it for not focusing enough on the Thesaurus and its development, but I certainly didn't see this as a problem. This is, after all, a biography, not a book about the Thesaurus. Roget's life was not always completely centered around this work, and I thought that the many side stories did a great job of showing us just what kind of person would think
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Sep 26, 2011
Lauryn
rated it:
I have lists of all the books I have read since the fifth grade and I save all my ticket stubs from the movies. But I haven’t made lists of words (at least, not yet). When The Man Who Made Lists: Love, Death, Madness, and the Creation of Roget’s Thesaurus came across my desk, I was immediately drawn to the tale. Having always considered the Thesaurus to be a reference text, I’d never really thought about how it came to be or who wrote it or that it could be taken in any way other than referentia
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May 13, 2008
VegasGal
rated it: 
Read the review in "BookPage" and was definitely intrigued by the title, but unfortunately this is the only good thing about the book - eye catching title.
I attempted to stick through this book but it got drier and more confusing as I read on, so I gave up.
Sorry Roget, I hope at least you liked the book about your life, and you're not turning over in your grave!
I attempted to stick through this book but it got drier and more confusing as I read on, so I gave up.
Sorry Roget, I hope at least you liked the book about your life, and you're not turning over in your grave!
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May 01, 2010
Whitney
rated it:
The part of this book that I truly enjoyed was how much Roget relied on words to organize his world and what he was feeling and experiencing. The respect for language that he had and that others around him made me think yes! I think that same way--language and words have a lot of power. I also liked how this book gave a wider picture of Roget, and all the other things he discovered and was a part of. You can't help but admire his mind!
I do feel like the author was a little assuming More...
I do feel like the author was a little assuming More...
Feb 04, 2009
Anna
rated it:
If I hadn't just read The Last Man Who Knew Everything Thomas Young, The Anonymous Polymath Who Proved Newton Wrong, Explained How We See, Cured the Sick, and Deciphered the Rosetta Stone, Among Other Feats of Genius, this book would have been more impressive.
As it was, both authors wrote books about British polymaths who were doctors, made breakthroughs in their medical fields, made contributions to the Encyclopedia Britannica, and were linguistic pioneers. Of the two, however, Th More...
As it was, both authors wrote books about British polymaths who were doctors, made breakthroughs in their medical fields, made contributions to the Encyclopedia Britannica, and were linguistic pioneers. Of the two, however, Th More...
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Nov 07, 2009
Mike
rated it: 
Today we usually know this man only from the fact that he published a book, still in print today, call "Roget's Thesaurus". That this man created this book is almost a given. He spent his entire life making lists. The thesaurus was just one facet of this habit (or compulsion).
He lived a rather interesting and colorful life. Mostly centered around scientists and scientific (or mathematic) endeavors. But his lasting contribution is in language/composition.
It' More...
He lived a rather interesting and colorful life. Mostly centered around scientists and scientific (or mathematic) endeavors. But his lasting contribution is in language/composition.
It' More...
Jul 13, 2011
Layla
rated it:
On the whole, not bad if you like historical biography. A good quick read and quite informative about Roget.
The title is deceptive and "sexed up". No grand lust, less tragic death then some noted 18th century scientists and a bit of depression and possible alzheimer's on the part of his mother and uncle.
I agree with other reviewers about Kendall making assumptions regarding Roget's motivations for certain actions. The narrative would also have benefitted if K More...
The title is deceptive and "sexed up". No grand lust, less tragic death then some noted 18th century scientists and a bit of depression and possible alzheimer's on the part of his mother and uncle.
I agree with other reviewers about Kendall making assumptions regarding Roget's motivations for certain actions. The narrative would also have benefitted if K More...
Mar 07, 2009
Sandylew
rated it:
An interesting compilation of information on the man who designed the original Thesaurus. A well researched biography. The drawback for me was a bit of over eager speculation from the author regarding the intentions and intent of Mr Roget's family. Considering he states how poorly the man's mother wrote, it seems he was over eager to blame her for Mr Roget's foibles.Perhaps the conclusion was more evident when he looked at the full body of research than what he was able to include in the book. I
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Aug 10, 2009
Betty
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
To view it, click here
Jun 23, 2010
New to Goodreads, just getting started - I'm a Roget "freak". When I input Roget's Thesaurus your book was suggested. Very anxious to get and read it.
Looked up and see you speak on the subject.
I am looking for some writing or study on the ordering and power inherent in the Synopsis of Categories. I am inarticulate as to the depth of power of this tool if used to organize one's thinking (psychologically), and its possibilities in mental health therapies. Perh More...
Looked up and see you speak on the subject.
I am looking for some writing or study on the ordering and power inherent in the Synopsis of Categories. I am inarticulate as to the depth of power of this tool if used to organize one's thinking (psychologically), and its possibilities in mental health therapies. Perh More...
Aug 01, 2011
Rachel
rated it:
I finish this book admiring Peter Mark Roget, and the several other mentioned physicians-turned scientists-turned linguists of the early Victorian age, whose hobbies shaped the world we are in now. Did you know Roget discovered the principle of optics that eventually (far, far down the road) led to the motion picture? That he wrote another well-received and influential list book on physiology? This book was an enjoyable read about a British polymath who did a lot more than *just* put together th
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Jan 28, 2011
Julie
rated it:
I didn’t think the story of Peter Mark Roget war quite interesting enough to warrant such a lengthy biography. The first half of the book was really dry, depicting his upbringing under a suffocating mother, extolling the greatness of his uncle Samuel Romilly, emphasizing the family’s predisposition for melancholy and madness, and laying the foundation for Roget’s career in medicine and science. Sure, Roget made significant contributions to the scientific community, especially with his advances
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Jul 15, 2010
Laurel
rated it:
I thought this pretty interesting and easy to read, and the historical context added another dimension for understanding Roget's life. I was happy to read about the people in his life, even when they went a bit out of scope. I love language, but never knew anything about Roget or his thesaurus, and this is a great overview. I'm really intrigued and may one day read Don Emblen's more scholarly work.
As much as I liked the piece, there were many issues that took my attention away from the More...
As much as I liked the piece, there were many issues that took my attention away from the More...
Jun 24, 2009
Steven
rated it:
I enjoy books about language and have read my fair share of them. I was excited to come across this one. My mistake was assuming that it would be arranged along the lines of The Professor and the Madman or The Meaning of Everything -- both interesting books about the development of the ultimate dictionary.
Because I'd made this assumption (I mean, it had madness in the title, right?) I started off on the wrong foot. This is much more a biography of Peter Marc Roget. And because Roget More...
Because I'd made this assumption (I mean, it had madness in the title, right?) I started off on the wrong foot. This is much more a biography of Peter Marc Roget. And because Roget More...
Jul 22, 2009
Ellen
rated it:
This biography of Peter Jean Roget is a basic chronology of the life of a rather boring fellow whose main passion in life was words. A little dry for most people. The couple who gave me the book after reading it both said they skimmed over most of it because it was not captivating.
I am a non-fiction fiend, I can usually accept a plain writing style if the subject interests me. I used his thesaurus constantly in high school so I liked finding out the facts about Mr Roget.
I am a non-fiction fiend, I can usually accept a plain writing style if the subject interests me. I used his thesaurus constantly in high school so I liked finding out the facts about Mr Roget.
Apr 12, 2011
Esmee
rated it:
I am sure this is a perfectly fine biography. However, when I got to page 65, I decided that is was not my "cup of tea". I guess I am addicted to historical fiction. I like an interesting story to go along with the facts. This book is all about facts, making it very boring to me. Mr. Roget came from a dysfunctional family. Therefore, he was dysfunctional; which enabled him to write and edit during his lifetime his Thesaurus. What would we do without it? I usually give a book fi
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Feb 08, 2012
Rachel
rated it:
An interesting book about a not so very nice man. I liked how well the historical period was represented, and found it interesting that Roget was much more of a scientist than a literary figure. The best part of the story was the reflection of the change of evolutionary dogma. Roget wrote a natural theology listing that later in his life was supplanted by Darwin's theories. It was the end of the story, but it made a big splash.
Jul 28, 2011
Ron
rated it:
To me, this biography of Peter Roget (of Thesaurus fame) was well worth the trip. In it, Kendall presents his characterizations of real life 18th-19th century historical figures with an elegant style that makes them, with all their possible human foibles, come alive. Accurate in its details and assumptions...I don't know. Entertaining...yes. Particularly enjoyable if the reader is ok with time travel of the mind.
Dec 27, 2011
fun read of quite a weird guy who lived quite an interesting life in interesing places during interesting times despite himself.
i don't know if roget despised his mother or not, but the author of this book certainly hated roget's mother and his insistence on emphasizing all the mother's irritating habits is either amusing or annoying, not sure which, but in any event produced a son with odd habits.
i don't know if roget despised his mother or not, but the author of this book certainly hated roget's mother and his insistence on emphasizing all the mother's irritating habits is either amusing or annoying, not sure which, but in any event produced a son with odd habits.
Dec 03, 2008
Rebecca
rated it:
Well worth the read.
The author admits to this book not being an all-encompassing biography, but it is nonetheless quite informative.
Roget's habit of making lists served as a coping mechanism to stave off the documented psychological problems that ran in his family.
I now have hopeful suggestions to deal with certain relatives of my own.
Peter Roget was an accomplished and meticulous man, and I am glad to have learned more of his life.
The author admits to this book not being an all-encompassing biography, but it is nonetheless quite informative.
Roget's habit of making lists served as a coping mechanism to stave off the documented psychological problems that ran in his family.
I now have hopeful suggestions to deal with certain relatives of my own.
Peter Roget was an accomplished and meticulous man, and I am glad to have learned more of his life.
Sep 15, 2010
Joanmom
rated it:
You can read the other reviews to find out what this book is about, beyond that it's about Peter Roget who wrote - guess what - Roget's Thesaurus. This book was recommended to me during a conversation about The Professor and The Madman, about making the Oxford English Dictionary. I think they'd be perfect companion books for a book club to read and discuss together.
Dec 29, 2008
Sarah
rated it:
The subtitle of this biography promises a lot of excitement, and the opening sequence seems to deliver. The book opens with a the harrowing tale of the death of Roget's uncle, told with an immediacy that the rest of the book unfortunately lacks. Perhaps it's because I find Roget to be a bit of a snob, perhaps it's because I find his lack of social skills annoying, or perhaps he just didn't have that interesting of a life-- in any case this book didn't really hold my interest or provide much enjo
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Oct 05, 2008
Vicky
rated it:
I'm a verbivore, a word nerd, a logophile. I read thesauruses for fun. So I really wanted to enjoy learning more about the legendary Peter Mark Roget.
Unfortunately, this book suffers from too much research into the peripherals of Roget's life -- maybe because there's so little to say about him. I don't need to know about what Manchester looked like in the Regency era, or get a sense of the smells and degradation of life among the poor. There's too much discussion of how Roget's moth More...
Unfortunately, this book suffers from too much research into the peripherals of Roget's life -- maybe because there's so little to say about him. I don't need to know about what Manchester looked like in the Regency era, or get a sense of the smells and degradation of life among the poor. There's too much discussion of how Roget's moth More...
Nov 16, 2010
Keith
rated it:
I absolutely loved this book! Always a fan of biographies, this wonderful book also included many other people whom the brilliant Peter Roget met and knew. I am very happy to have discovered it in a local library, while looking for new books to read. What a magnificent life this ingenious man lived! I encourage any reader interested in words, books, lives to definitely read it!!!
Sep 03, 2009
Rena
rated it:
Whereas the "Professor and the Madman" was a captivating, interesting detail of the creation of the Oxford Dictionary, this book book about the cretion of Roget's Thesaurus fell flat. The author clearly tried to ride on "Madman"'s coattails, without first realizing that you must have an interesting subject in order to create an interesting book. Kendall tries his hardest to paint Peter Roget as an eccentric madman, but he wasn't.
