Rating: 
Summary: wonderful story
Review: Until I read this book, I always thought the OED was just another dictionary. How wrong I was! This book begins with a short history of the english language, then proceeds to discuss why the OED was undertaken, and all the players involved. I've come to think of James Murray, the main editor of the OED, as a hero. The OED is a complete listing of ALL the words ever recorded in the english language, and it took 71 years to complete. The Meaning of Everything was a great introduction into this endeavor and left me wanting to know more.
One problem with the book is that it, rightly so, discusses James Murray's involvment at length, however, I feel that it short-changed the editors who took over after Murray. This book is really about Murray and the OED, not the entire project. I wanted to know much more about Craigie and Onions -- their personal history, triumphs, and defeats -- as editors.
Rating: 
Summary: MAGIC IN A BOTTLE
Review: When a friend of mine first suggested I read a book that dealt with the evolution of the Oxford English Dictionary, I almost yawned - I thought "what could be more boring or tedious." However, read it I eventually did, and good for me. It's an incredibly fantastic story that spans centuries and only the genius of a writer such as Mr. Winchester could have put it together so clearly and keep you wanting to read the next page and the one after that, and the one after that...well I guess you can tell how much I liked the book & why I recommend it. However, only serious readers should pick it up - if you are one of them, don't miss it.
Rating: 
Summary: Word! This shizzit be thuggin some PIMP 4-11, mofos!
Review: Yo, G. "The Meaning of Everything" busts CAPS in the minds of those whack-a$$ pseudo-intellectuals whose bibliophilic sets be worth nothin' more than a spray tag on Draper's Corner Market in the crack ghetto. Me and my bizzitches be readin' out loud in 'tween the down-lows. Them ho's don't know junk about OG Winchester's MAD skills--they be spitting whack-a$$ lunacy about how the OED was started with "A." Man, any crip fool be knowin' they pimp-walked all the way to the "M"'s befo' stabling 450,000 words like fine ho's. Compare that to old-skool dictinary stylin' with only 40k small grand words, brother. Got to give peace and props to the O.G.'s in the Dictionary set, but Winchester's OED analysis sways the barrio with a whole new sound.Homeboys in my hood be knockin' crack houses for bling-bling to buy this book. We be thuggin on corners and smacking our mommas just to sneak peeks at this phat lyric ISBN. Winchester be throwin' down like C-Murder in a cell, word! I pour 40's for my lost homies and bring home new words for my babies' mommas; they cheese for that cheddar like bibliophilic crack ho's. I found Winchester's comparisons to Webster's whack-azz O.G. compilatin' to be MAD dogging. Simon's footnotes alone bust a cap on whack-minded fools like W.C. Minor (he a cracked-out skank anyway). This book be on hit, yo. Good to finally see a brother from the real inner concrete Oxfordshire 'hood representin' our set and turf with flow and finesse. Keep it real, homies. RIP Tupac, and mad props to Simon Winchester. This cat's got it going ON, no diggity.
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