Surgeon Of Crowthorne

Winchester, Simon

£10.99

This inspiring tale of literary brilliance and dangerous madness recounts the invaluable role played in the creation of the Oxford English Dictionary by a deranged American Civil War hero who was also a millionaire and a murderer.

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Publish Date: 03/06/1999
ISBN: 9780140271287 Category: Tag:

Description

An extraordinary tale of madness, genius and obsession, discover the true story of the two remarkable men that led to the making of the Oxford English Dictionary – and literary history!

The compilation of the Oxford English Dictionary, begun in 1857, was one of the most ambitious projects ever undertaken. As definitions were collected, the overseeing committee, led by Professor James Murray, discovered that one man, Dr. W. C. Minor, had submitted more than ten thousand of those words.

But when the committee insisted on honouring him, a shocking truth came to light: Dr. Minor, a millionaire and American Civil War veteran, was also an inmate at an asylum for the criminally insane . . . charged with murder!
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‘A weird and wonderful story of an eccentric friendship, and a slice of history’ Sunday Times

‘What a revelation. Beautifully told and awe-inspiring’ Daily Mail

‘Simon Winchester could not have told it better . . . a splendid book’ Economist

‘Masterful . . . one of those rare stories that combine human drama and historical significance’ Independent

Additional information

Weight 159 g
Dimensions 198 × 129 × 14 mm
Author

Publisher

Imprint

Cover

Paperback

Pages

207

Language

English

Edition
Dewey

423.092 (edition:21)

Readership

General – Trade / Code: K