Rating: 
Summary: An interesting story but overwritten
Review: Winchester has a really interesting tale to tell here and he tells it and tells it and tells it. No story could stand up to the weight of his prose -- I kept wondering why some editor couldn't have persuaded him to drop one or two subordinate clause per page.
Rating: 
Summary: Fascinating tale of madness and the OED
Review: The Professor and the Madman tells the story of how an insane American expatriate sentenced to a hospital for the criminally insane in England for killing a man helped build the penultimate dictionary of the English language, the Oxford English Dictionary.The author describes the sad history of this poor insane man, the background of the professor who was in charge of compiling the OED for much of the many decades it took, and the process of creating the OED. Imagine in a time without computers searching through millions of books and documents for the earliest known record of a particular word, creating a comprehensive definition for the word, and providing examples of its use...all by hand, all organized without the aid of a database--a thing without which most businesses today would not be able to function. If you love to read, are a history buff, or just find insights into real human beings interesting, you must read The Professor and the Madman.
Rating: 
Summary: Fine book that needs an index
Review: For those who love words and reference books, this is a well-told yarn. Being the story of the relationship between one William Minor, a doctor and convicted lunatic suffering from paranoia, and James Murray, editor of the Oxford English Dictionary, there is much more right with the book than wrong, but it does have some problems, primarily the lack of an index. Any book with so many names should have an index. Secondly, one wishes to see and hear more -- the author refers to several interesting photographs: a formal farewell photo of Minor near the end of his life, returning to America after 37 years in England (all but one spent in Broadmoor Asylum for the Criminally Insane); the last photo of Murray, a fortnight before his death, in the Scriptorium (where the OED was compiled) surrounded by his daughters and staff. It would have been nice to see these pictures. The author refers several times to Minor's handwriting and many times to his letters. It would have added to the story to see at least a few letters in full, and particularly to have seen a sample of Minor's writing. In addition, Winchester credits the motivation for the creation of the OED to an address by Richard Trench, in which Trench delineates seven ways that dictionaries of the time were deficient, but then states that "most of them are technical and should not concern us here"! I think people interested in this book *would* most likely be interested in these technical details. If nothing else, they should be put in a (foot)note. Finally, although the tale is generally well told and an enjoyable read, the author occasionally hits a false note which a reader may find jarring; for instance, in describing Minor's post-trial delivery to the asylum, Winchester states that "the horses were sweating slightly as they hauled the four-wheel vehicle and its occupants up the low sandstone hill at the top of which stands Broadmoor itself." Oh really. Nice touch of drama, but disconcerting when so much else is related without imaginary flourishes. Similarly, Winchester conjectures that a hypothetical event may have led to Minor's autopeotomy, though there is no reason at all to believe such an event occurred. Having listed these flaws, one is obligated also to acknowledge the author's successes. In addition to an engaging style in service to an interesting tale, there is a charming author's note, an acknowledgments section actually worth reading, and a touching dedication (fleshed out in the text) to G.M. -- George Merrett, Minor's murder victim, who left behind a pregnant wife with seven children and who rests in an unmarked grave. I recommend the book. An example of fine historical writing, it humanizes a remarkable literary achievement. But it needs an (in' dex)!!
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Summary: Now read *Caught in the Web of Words*!
Review: The English title, "The Surgeon of Crowthorne", is more accurate than the American one, though that's not Winchester's fault. Ironically, and absurdly, the English academic establishment treated James Murray, the genius of the *Oxford English Dictionary* who is a minor character in this book, quite shamefully, and the word "Professor" in the American title is misleading. I knew nothing about the insane but knowledgeable Dr W.C. Minor and his contributions to the *Oxford English Dictionary*, and thus found this book interesting in what it had to say on him, though I fear he fascinated me more, in a somewhat voyeuristic way, because he was mad than because of his intellectual labour. Ultimately Dr James Murray is a more important subject for consideration; and Murray's granddaughter, Elizabeth Murray, has written a more profound and satisfying account of him, in her *Caught in the Web of Words*, than anything to be found in Winchester's neverthless enjoyable book. I recommend both books, but especially *Caught in the Web of Words*. - Joost Daalder, Professor of English, Flinders University (Adelaide, South Australia; see "More about me").
Rating:
Summary: A fascinating, albeit short, story set in Victorian England.
Review: Winchester does so much more than simply compile the story of the Oxford English Dictionary in his book. Besides telling this fascinating story and describing the interaction between the editor of the OED and his insane contributor, this work offers wonderful tidbits of history, geography, linguistics and a light introduction to lexicography. His descriptions of Victorian England are beautiful, and his descriptions of the attitudes of the Victorians towards the proliferation of English are intriguing. For me, this is an extraordinary, eye-opening trip back in time that has made me appreciate the worn out Webster's that lies beside my monitor.
Rating:
Summary: An interesting little tale...
Review: When I picked this book up in the store, it intrigued me for the seemingly minute scope of its topic. This is a story of one man's 15 minutes of fame--and the utter surrealness of his situation. This is also the story of another man's obsession-- the English language. He is the editor of probably one of the most important, yet obscure [to many Americans], works in history. It is his gift to the world, the Oxford English Dictionary. But what ultimately made this book for me was the friendship that grew between William Minor and James Murray as their stories intertwined over thirty years. I suppose that their relationship may be considered an extinct species of sorts-- two minds that meet intellectually,forming a lifetime bond. Winchester has created a little gem here, although its topic matter is a little dry at first glance. I don't think he ever completely succeeds in presenting dictionaries and lexicography as terribly exciting, but he does what he can. Note: A good book along similar lines of minute history is "Longitude," by Dava Sobel.
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Summary: Too much for an article, too little for a book
Review: I agree with another reviewer that this book is a bit on the lightweight side for an entire book-length treatment, and the author indulges in a fair amount of off-the-cuff speculation, with no footnoted basis in fact, for many elements, such as the probable basis for the "madman's" fantasies and obsessions. However, when Winchester hits a groove, he can write wonderful, lyrical prose -- I loved the bit about his acquaintance, who printed a set of pages from his page-plate of the Dictionary. A great read for bibiophiles and lovers of dictionaries.
Rating:
Summary: A yarn and more.
Review: Having read Winchester's book for the second time, I'm far more impressed by its achievement. In the final pages the narrator refers to his account of the making of the OED as a "yarn". And indeed it is an entertaining as well as edifying story, especially considering the potentially dull if not lethal nature of the subject matter. But there's also a subtext running through this docu-novel that is more about the nature of language itself than about the creation of the world's most famous dictionary. Discretion bids me not to give away the real hero of this text but, contrary to my first impression, it's neither of the story's two main characters. Suffice it to say that Winchester's favorite word is "serendipity," roughly equivalent to the "jouissance" that was so dear to the French semiotician/post-structuralist, Roland Barthes. Read the book to its very last page (including the bibliographical material and acknowledgments we normally dismiss) and not simply to the end of the "story proper." Now look at the first page preceding the title. At this point I experienced my epiphany about the life of the "word" and fully appreciated Winchester's clever game.
Rating: 
Summary: Highly renowned book that didn't live up to its reputation..
Review: Though I've had friends who loved this book and it is highly renowned, I could not get through it and stopped midway through. Not enough plot for me -- but if you are really into language and don't mind a slow plot, you'll like this book.
Rating:
Summary: A thorough, if overwrought, true tale
Review: Simon Winchester writes of James Murray (the Professor) and W.C. Minor (the Madman) and their unique relationship, which led in part to the creation of the Oxford English Dictionary. Minor, suffering from paranoia, kills a man in Lambeth, London, in a fearful panic, and is placed in an asylum. He finds a life preserver in a published request by Murray, editor of the dictionary, asking for submissions to the great tome. For decades, Minor descends further into madness while feeding supporting quotations for word definitions to the OED staff. Winchester draws the story slowly, exceedingly so. He seems to admire the long length of Dickensian texts because this book is as verbese, suffering from the weight of its wordiness. Repeatedly you'll find yourself asking the author to get to the point. Why spend numerous pages explaining the etymology of a single word within the story? Even Winchester's acknowledgements plod on for seven pages. Curiously, Winchester hasn't included any photos in the book. He could have saved us some of his lengthy descriptions by providing photos instead. He has not included an index either, a strange omission for a book about the creation of perhaps the greatest index ever compiled. Many will undoubtedly enjoy the saga of Murray and Minor, though few will enjoy it (or Winchester) as much as Winchester does.
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