The Professor and the Madman: A Tale of Murder, Insanity, and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary

The Professor and the Madman tells the story of Dr W.C. Minor, a Victorian murderer who became one of the most important contributors to the Oxford English Dictionary, posting his work to the editor of that dictionary from his cells in Broadmoor. Minor was spared the noose after the court had decided - rightly - that he was insane.Winchester's book has been criticised on two grounds. First, that the basic story is rather thin for book length treatment and has been extended by means of background material, ornate physical descriptions and so on. Second, that the boundary between fact and fiction is not clear.As for the first charge, it's true that the story is developed at a slow and careful pace, but the background material is compelling. Thus we learn about the enlightened treatment of the insane in the English criminal justice system, the brutal punishments in use in the American Civil War (including branding), the history of dictionary making, the categorisation of mental illness.On the charge of fictionalisation, Winchester should I think be acquitted - for example he rejects the attractive (but untrue) tale that the editor of the OED, James Murray, only found out about Minor's situation when he went to visit him at Broadmoor. Where Winchester is speculating, as for example on the question of what triggered Minor's insanity, this is made clear.The audiobook consists of an unabridged reading by Winchester himself. It is in general very well done. Perhaps it was a mistake to attempt a Scottish accent when recounting the words of James Murray - Winchester's effort at Border Scots is not much better than Dick van Dyke's characterisation of the cockney. But the normal reading voice is a pleasant Oxford English.

I read this book some years ago now whilst staying with friends in Germany. The book is so fascinating that I have never forgotten it and, eventually wished to renew my acquaintance with the detail once again. Sure enough, I was as transfixed with it as I was the first time. A tale of tragedy incorporated with the enormous task of putting together our very first Oxford English Dictionary.There had been other dictionaries before of course, but this proved to be the definitive.Simon Winchester is a 'past-master' of research and story telling that makes you keep turning pages until well in to the late evening.Derrick Orton

An interesting true story well told. Though there were some strangenesses in my edition, like phrases repeated on two close pages with only slight changes in wording. And it was a bit inhuman of Winchester to say we should be grateful for the tragedy of the murdered and the murderer else the OED would have been less good. I'm not willing to sacrifice two lives for a dictionary...

Fantastic true storysuperbly written.

Excellent story and well researched and written. A must for lovers of history, fact and the English language.