Rating: 
Summary: Good "light" history
Review: This is the perfect volume for the historically inclined who are "between books." I managed to read it on two consecutive airplane flights -- and it was perfect for that ... well written enough to keep my attention and interesting enough to sink my teeth into, if only so deep. If you are looking for the deep history of the OED, as opposed to some "curiousities" about its making, this is not the right book. You will be disappointed. If you are looking for a profound history book, likewise. But if you just want to dabble in history ... whether between books, like I was, or just for curiosity sake, this is perfect.
Rating:
Summary: Remarkable
Review: Apparently some readers received a different book from the one I read. This is no magazine article, padded to book-length. Rather, it is the incredible story of two driven men, with only one thing in common: their love of words. I was as fascinated with every page of it as I am of the OED, each time I have occasion to use it. In fact, I immediately read the Murray bio, "Caught in the Web of Words" and recommend that as well. I am just thankful that I am not so intellectually jaded, suffering with such ennui, that I could not revel in Winchester's remarkable tale.
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointing, Finished With Wanting More...
Review: I found this book disappointing. It was a fairly quick read but not because it was compelling. I thought his chronology too muddled, jumping back and forth between interesting facts (that illustrate his obsessive research) to rather broad historical summations that really should have been explored more closely.To his credit, I 'found' his descriptions of Minor, Murray and Merrett very intriguing and well written ('found' because they are literally strewn haphazardly throughout the book), which kept me reading, but ultimately, this book left me with wanting more.
Rating: 
Summary: I want my money back!
Review: It does not deserve to be a footnote to such a divine dictionary
Rating:
Summary: Fascinating glimpse into the history of the OED
Review: A crisply told tale delineating a fascinating relationship between two remarkable men embarked on a history-changing mission. The hurculean effort of the development of the Oxford English Dictionary is a remarkable enough story in itself. The strange circumstances surrounding Captain Minor, the tragic physician who played such an unexpected role in it, make fascinating reading. If you love the language and lexicography, the mysteries of mental illness, or just a well-told tale, this is a book you will enjoy.
Rating:
Summary: Charming, delightful, captivating.
Review: This book is a beautifully woven narrative. The charm and delightful playfulness with which it's written is rare for a non-fiction book. And such an amazing tale as a backdrop! I found it utterly engrossing.
Rating: 
Summary: A Sleeper for Readers
Review: A three-hour read, this book has the promise of a lifetime's afterglow. Simon Winchester waters the dry foliage of lexicography with insight, empathy and precise word usage. Unfortunately, the tome is disorganized and redundant -- a rather coarsely edited draft replete with unattributed passive constructions. A history deserves better. But, as an informative and interesting read, The Professor and the Madman excels. Its shortcomings pale in the light and inspiration it offers.
Rating:
Summary: A perfectly lovely little book
Review: This book brings us the story of a dictionary, of its editor, of an unfortunate contributor, and of a sad victim who could not have cared two cents about the whole project. In the process the author teaches us the basics of dictionary making. All in 250 pages. A magazine article would not have done justice to the topic, a 1000 page opus would have been overkill. This book is treat to read on a Sunday afternoon...
Rating:
Summary: Big disappointment
Review: I bought the hype, so I bought the book. What a disappointment! It turned out to be a magazine article padded to book length, larded with hints of amazing secrets to come but never delivering what it promised. This is a book in search of an editor, but then again, if properly edited, there would be no book left, just an interesting article for, perhaps, the Sunday newspaper.
Rating:
Summary: superbly written piece of literature
Review: Simon Winchester is an engaging and interesting man, whom I met and heard speak at Harvard. He is extremely amusing, well traveled and brilliant and not in the least bit haughty or snobby. Perhaps those who found him hard to understand in the book, need to polish up their word skills a bit.
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