The Professor and the Madman

It is known as one of the greatest literary achievements in the history of English letters. The creation of the Oxford English Dictionary began in 1857, took seventy years to complete, and organized the language into 414,825 definitions. But behind this extraordinary achievement lies a shocking story — one of madness, deception and murder.

Bestselling author Simon Winchester chronicles the twenty year friendship between Professor James Murray, head of the committee that supervised the OED’s compilation, and Dr. William Chester Minor, who contributed more than ten thousand words to the project. After years of correspondence, Murray discovered that the learned doctor was also a killer, incarcerated at an asylum for the criminally insane. The Professor and the Madman is an enthralling tale of insanity, genius, and the incredible obsessions of two remarkable men.

Simon Winchester’s many books include The Professor and the Madman, The Map That Changed the World, Krakatoa, and A Crack in the Edge of the World. Each has been a New York Times bestseller and has appeared on numerous “best” and “notable” lists. Mr. Winchester was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2006. He lives in Western Massachusetts.

“The linguistic detective story of the decade.” — William Safire, New York Times Book Review