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

[Marina]

This was my book for week 19: A non-fiction book. It wasn't my original choice, but I read it for another challenge. And what an interesting book.

I had never thought about how the first dictionaries was actually written, so I found that part interesting. But I was also fascinated by the story of Dr. William Minor. Such an intelligent man but at the same time deeply disturbed.
I read this book in a day and would recommend it to others.

[Zaz]

The title is very weird. I totally can see how you're driven to insanity with no one using a dictionary :p

[Katie]

I started this forever ago but never finished it. I need to pick it back up!

[Marina]

Katie wrote: "I started this forever ago but never finished it. I need to pick it back up!"

You should :-)
It's a weird title and a different story but really interesting.

[Pamela, Arciform Mod]

I'm doing this for week 34: Book about mental illness. I've been wanting to read it for years!

[Marina]

Pamela wrote: "I'm doing this for week 34: Book about mental illness. I've been wanting to read it for years!"

I hope you'll enjoy it, and I'll be curious to hear what you think of it.

[Susan]

I read this when it came out, and I couldn't put it down. It was a fascinating look at the development of the OED, and I thought it was so odd that the editors took all these submissions from a man about whom they knew nothing. It was informative AND a fun read.
Ever since I read it, I've wanted to go see the OED archives with all the index cards filled out by people like Tolkien and C.S. Lewis.

[Pamela, Arciform Mod]

Another interesting book (fiction) about how dictionaries are created is The Broken Teaglass

[Dawn Michelle]

This is on my list to read - I need to pick this one up!!

[Marina]

Susan wrote: "I read this when it came out, and I couldn't put it down. It was a fascinating look at the development of the OED, and I thought it was so odd that the editors took all these submissions from a man..."

I felt exactly the same. I also thought a lot about what would had happened to Dr. Minor if he didn't have the opportunity to contribute to the OED and spend his time working with all the words.

Pamela wrote: "Another interesting book (fiction) about how dictionaries are created is The Broken Teaglass"

I might have a look at that one someday. It sounds interesting!

[Pamela, Arciform Mod]

Marina H wrote: I might have a look at that one someday. It sounds interesting! ."

There were things I didn't like about it, but in terms of how dictionaries are put together, that part was fascinating! And IIRC, it was a fast read.