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Summary: The most comprehensive biography of the father of the OED
Review: Elisabeth Murray writes a wonderful and highly detailed biography of her grandfather, James Murray. Simon Winchester reintroduced many in this country to Mr. Murray in his book The Professor and the Madman, which told the story of Murray and an American living in an English asylum named W. C. Minor. This book was highly readable, but not comprehensive as a true biography of Murray. James Murray, the first editor of the Oxford English Dictionary, was a gentle man of words who dedicated his life to the study of the English Language. His efforts are best understood in this book by the descriptions Elisabeth gives of his scriptorum, where Murray spent the majority of his life, and where Elisabeth worked as a young lady. In reading about this man's life and the effort that was required to undertake the construction of this dictionary, one really gets a sense of the vastness and complexity of the English Language, the historical richness and the regional diversity. One also sees in florid detail the life of one of the great late-Victorian pedants.
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Summary: "J. Murray more major than W.C. Minor"
Review: Elizabeth Murray, the granddaughter of James Murray, who was the chief editor of the huge Oxford English Dictionary on which every serious scholar of English continues to depend, has written an excellent biography of the greatest English lexicographer, and done more: she has also given an insight into his personality, and, yet more importantly, into the whole scholarly world of philology, lexicography etc. in Victorian England, and the difficulties which beset the creators of the dictionary. I recommend the biography most highly, and feel that all fans of *The Surgeon of Crowthorne* (chiefly on Dr W.C. Minor) should read this - preferably BEFORE that book (so as to get a sense of context), but otherwise after. - Joost Daalder, Professor of English, Flinders University (see "More about me')
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Summary: this is the one that should have been the bestseller
Review: Finally, days after writing a review of the Madman and theProfessor, I remembered that this was the book that I enjoyed so muchmore. While the author of that book went for the cheesy effects and Victorian tricks, this author concentrated on the making of the dictionary itself and the extraordinary devotion of Murray. It is inspiring to read about people back in those days who really devoted their lives to invention and intellectual pursuits. Once you read the description of the scriptorium and how Murray farmed out assignments to literally thousands of readers, you'll appreciate why the OED is such an important reference work. If not for marketing, this book would be the best seller about the making of the OED. A great read from start to finish.
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Summary: this is the one that should have been the bestseller
Review: Finally, days after writing a review of the Madman and theProfessor, I remembered that this was the book that I enjoyed so muchmore. While the author of that book went for the cheesy effects and Victorian tricks, this author concentrated on the making of the dictionary itself and the extraordinary devotion of Murray. It is inspiring to read about people back in those days who really devoted their lives to invention and intellectual pursuits. Once you read the description of the scriptorium and how Murray farmed out assignments to literally thousands of readers, you'll appreciate why the OED is such an important reference work. If not for marketing, this book would be the best seller about the making of the OED. A great read from start to finish.
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Summary: Well written, but perhaps a bit self-serving?
Review: I enjoyed this book for the most part. It really conveys the sense of martyrdom that Murray must have felt during the 30-some years that he worked on the Dictionary. After a while, however, it got a little old--chapter after chapter describing the horrible deprivation Murray suffered at the hands of the Delagacy of the Oxford University Press into which he was virtually forced. Whenever there were "good years", the book would read something like "...and then the Delagacy let up on the poor guy for a while, but then so-and-so was named the new Secretary and he turned out to be an idiot". Then the author (actually Murray's granddaughter) spends another chapter detailing how so-and-so made Murray's life a living hell. Like I said before, this gets to be tiring. It seems as if she has an axe to grind with the OUP after all these years and has made the main point of this book to be a crusade of some sort. She wants the world to know just how much pain and suffering dear old granddad went through. I couldn't help thinking that, in reality, he was just some kind of ultra-perfectionist nutcase and somewhat of a big crybaby. Other than that, I recommend the book as being informative and interesting.
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Summary: An inspiration and much edification for the life of a MAN
Review: James Murray begins like a Tom Sawyer; moves along like a delightful story teller and wizard who captured the old and young in his desire to examine and inform. Becomes a work horse for other driving souls in language and nature taking on tasks as thrown his way and performing with a high level of integraty and completeness. Essentially a scientist in his desire for the basic data which he found more precious than spectulation. Then left a bank job in London to teach young people At Mill Hill and from their was chosen by the elete of Oxford for his proven capacity for excellent work in the discovery of the history and meaning of words. Read it and get the joy of his love life with Ada and the raising of their ten children. A crown he enjoyed as much as the thirteen volumns of the Oxford English Dictionary. Warren L. Dahlstrom Sr. Fairfax, Virginia
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Summary: Fascinating history of a great man and a great work
Review: This is really two books in one: the life story of James Murray, first editor of the Oxford English Dictionary, and the tale of the dictionary itself. Both are lovingly told. It's a must read for anyone interested in dictionaries or linguistics.
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Summary: An inspiration and much edification for the life of a MAN
Review: Well, how many books can keep you amused when stuck in limbo flying from the East Coast to San Francisco for two days? This one certainly did. The author has written an excellent study of the person(s), times, and scholarship devoted to the creation of the great Oxford English Dictionary. This revolutionary work fused burgeoning studies in comparative philology of the English language with the rich tradition of literary history and language found in Johnson's earlier efforts. Murray, an autodidact from a rich tradition of self-taught scholarship in the Border counties of Scotland, proved to be the perfect man for the gargantuan task of editing the OED. He devoted 40 years of his life to the effort after achieving remarkable personal and academic success in English and Scottish philology. This is a charming, learned and very readable biography about a man and a masterpiece created to chronical the English language. His family, times and good humor are recorded in this intimate yet scholarly biography. Thank you, Ms. Murray, for letting us into the Scriptorium!
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Summary: A compelling account of one of the great Lexicographers
Review: Well, how many books can keep you amused when stuck in limbo flying from the East Coast to San Francisco for two days? This one certainly did. The author has written an excellent study of the person(s), times, and scholarship devoted to the creation of the great Oxford English Dictionary. This revolutionary work fused burgeoning studies in comparative philology of the English language with the rich tradition of literary history and language found in Johnson's earlier efforts. Murray, an autodidact from a rich tradition of self-taught scholarship in the Border counties of Scotland, proved to be the perfect man for the gargantuan task of editing the OED. He devoted 40 years of his life to the effort after achieving remarkable personal and academic success in English and Scottish philology. This is a charming, learned and very readable biography about a man and a masterpiece created to chronical the English language. His family, times and good humor are recorded in this intimate yet scholarly biography. Thank you, Ms. Murray, for letting us into the Scriptorium!
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