The Professor and the Madman

By: Simon Winchester

Narrated by: Simon Winchester

Length: 7 hrs and 21 mins

Publisher's summary

Hidden within the rituals of the creation of the Oxford English Dictionary is a fascinating mystery. Professor James Murray was the distinguished editor of the OED project. Dr. William Chester Minor, an American surgeon who had served in the Civil War, was one of the most prolific contributors to the dictionary, sending thousands of neat, hand-written quotations from his home. After numerous refusals from Minor to visit his home in Oxford, Murray set out to find him. It was then that Murray would finally learn the truth about Minor - that, in addition to being a masterly wordsmith, he was also an insane murderer locked up in Broadmoor, England's harshest asylum for criminal lunatics. The Professor and the Madman is the unforgettable story of the madness and genius that contributed to one of the greatest literary achievements in the history of English letters.

©1998 Simon Winchester (P)1999 HarperCollins Publishers Inc., All Rights Reserved, Harper Audio, A Division of HarperCollins Publishers

Critic reviews

"The linguistic detective story of the decade." (New York Times Magazine)

Riveting

From the opening pages to the very end, this story draws the reader into a world of books and language, friendship and drama. What a fascinating collection of facts about a book that continues to evolve.

an amazing true story

Would you listen to The Professor and the Madman again? Why?

Yes i would. Love the Winchester style and fact that it is true history.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Professor and the Madman?

When they found out Minor lived in a prison.

Have you listened to any of Simon Winchester’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No. Just getting started on audio books.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Niether laugh or cry but amazed that he could do the dictionary work for most of his life.

Any additional comments?

Winchester is a master at portraying awesome events from history.

maybe not for everyone

For me absolutely fascinating, well researched, educational and great portrayal of characters. Good reading by the author.

My first book on Audible...Perfect Choice!

Simon Winchester's writing and narration are outstanding. I felt as though I were listening to a story, rather than a book. I prefer when the author narrates, as long as the author has the ability to execute the narration. This story was engrossing on so many levels. It is part true crime drama, and part historical documentary. Either part of the story would have stood on its own. Truth is stranger than fiction, and these two tales come together flawlessly. It was a fascinating "listen"!

Interesting but not Compelling

A lovely history of the meticulous and loving process of compiling the grandest dictionary in humankind. the madman dr miner shows how contributions can come from anywhere and the value of giving people second chances. the story cannot be described as riveting as there is only so much a madman in a cell can accomplish but I credit the author for trying.

Couldn't Put it Down

This history is well written and well read: riviting. It's a good point of enterence for anyone who holds a casual interest in the history of lexicography, but has plenty to offer besides that.

Quite a surprise

I don't know why I bought this and I almost gave up in the third chapter. I'm glad I didn't. There are so many dimensions to the book: lexicography, of course, but also mental health, criminology and many broader social issues. I'm glad, too, that I got the Audible edition. The Reader makes the story much better.

fascinating but lengthy

The story itself is intriguing: both the madman's life and the compilation of the OED. Yet the author provided too much distantly related information (out of despair of the shortness of the book?) which diminished it overall quality.

The Professor and the Madman

Reading the dictionary is often considered to be drudgery but, inn this instance, reading about the dictionary is simply fascinating. This is the sad tale of a most remarkable man, an Oxford professor, and the OED. You won't be able to put this down.

Outstanding and Informative

Would you listen to The Professor and the Madman again? Why?

Yes, I plan to listen many more times. The story is engrossing and while, not blatenly obvious, I have learned some and probably will learn even more new words.

What other book might you compare The Professor and the Madman to and why?

Possibly "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire HunterI". I just finished listinging to the Excerpt and do not know if the story is even remotely true or simply seeingly well written and presented.

Have you listened to any of Simon Winchester’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I do not believe I have listened to Simon Winchester before but I feel he does a very good job.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Not particularly.