The Meaning of Everything: The Story of the Oxford English Dictionary

IT IS INDEED A PLEASURABLE READ CONSIDERING THE STYLE ADOPTED BY WINCHESTER IN WEAVING THE PLOT OF HOW THE OXFORD DICTIONARY WAS BUILT BRICK BY BRICK WITH THE HELP OF SO MANY READERS AND TO SAY THE LEAST TO SOME EXTENT HELPED BY CONTRIBUTIONS FROM A LUNATIC MURDERER. THE BOOK INTERSPERSED WITH OLD PHOTOGRAPHS IS A VERITABLE STOREHOUSE OF INFORMATION AND THE CULMINATION OF LONG AND ASSIDUOUS RESEARCH INTO THE ARCHIVES OF OXFORD AND OTHER ENGLISH INSTITUTIONS BY THE AUTHOR.WINCHESTER WHO HAS EARLIER WRITTEN A FOREWORD TO MODERN ENGLISH USASGE BY FOWLER IS INDEED THE SUITABLE AUTHOR FOR THIS MINI-HISTORY OF OXFORD UNIVERSITY.FOWLER FOR WHOSE BOOK WINCHESTER HAS WRITTEN A FOREWORD RAISED EYEBROWS ON THE USAGE OF DASHES IN HIS SECTION DEALING WITH PUNCTUATIONS. FOWLER USED TO ASSOCIATE DASH MARK WITH AFTERTHOUGHTS OF THE AUTHOR WHILE COMMUNICATING HIS IDEAS TO THE READERS. HE EXHORTED HIS COUNTRY MEN TO AVOID USING DASHES BY CITING THE INDISCRIMINATE USE OF THE SAME BY LAURANCE STERNE IN HIS TRISTAM SHANDY. I AM BRINGING THIS FACTOR ONLY BECAUSE WINCHESTER ALSO REVELLED IN USING DASHES TO A MAXIMUM EXTENT IN HIS PRESENT WORK. NOTWITHSTANDING THE USAGE OF DASHES THE SENTENCES WERE FULLY BALANCED AND CONVEYED CLEAR SENSE TO THE READER WHEN COMPARED TO THE CLUMSY RENDITION OF LAURANCE STERNE IN TRISTAM SHANDY WHICH FOWLER FROWNEDON THE WHOLE A GOOD READC.L.MURALIDHARAN

As a big fan, and big user, of the Oxford English Dictionary, I found this a very helpful and informative book. It was also very readable, and held my interest throughout, with its cast of seemingly unbelievable characters! It has really helped my understanding of the OED and what's in it.

There are very few authors who would have attempted this task and made such a success as Simon Winchester.He has the knack of talking through words to the man in the street of which I am one and a very grateful one at that.He appreciates his assistants and always goes to great lenghths to acknowledge them in his work(s).The book is a thriller and weaves it's way through the tortuous by-ways of what nearly didn't happen because of eltism , small mindedness and snobbery and a total preoccupation with the cost of production.Thank goodness for common sense and dogged perseverance.I will never be able to afford the full dictionary but so what? I couldn't afford a ride on Concorde but it too was magnificent.Thank you SW for revealing a very interesting history of how we ended up with the greatest dictionary of all time - well done you.

A truly excellent book about the work that went into producing the OED. Having read Surgeon of Crowthorne years ago I knew I was in for a good read when a friend mentioned this book to me recently. I read a paperback and I am pleased I did so as there are many photographs and images that are better on paper than digital.

A fascinating story well worth the telling.

Some of the story of what is arguably the greatest dictionary (the OED) developed in any language. Simon Winchester is a great writer - read and enjoy.

.It was worth reading but I found the style irritating. Far to many words say very little. I think he swallowed a dictionary.

magical book ,a potentially dry subject ends up not being dry at all !

Excelente libro con la historia del OED. Si eres amante de la lexicografía, este libro es para ti.

the book is one of my all time favourite. BUT: the editing company sells some crude scanned version of the printed book, obviously never controlled by nobody and therefore with dozens of mistakes on every single page. a crying shame for such a reknowned publishing company!!!

An excellent read. Informative and entertaining and keeps the reader interested rom start to finish.

Relevant to other reading.

The title of this book makes things clear, just the way the O.E.D. does, in its own way. Simon Winchester tells us the fascinating story of this fascinating dictionary. The book is accessible, very well written and documented. What an exciting introduction to the book that contains all books!