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The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester

The Professor and the Madman

A Tale of Murder, Insanity, and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary

by Simon Winchester
  • Critics' Consensus (7):
  • Readers' Rating (12):
  • First Published:
  • Jan 9, 1998, 256 pages
  • Paperback:
  • Jul 2005, 288 pages
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Reviews

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There are currently 13 reader reviews for The Professor and the Madman
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Caity

Not Very Good. Especially for kids
I am in 8th grade and my teacher went a little crazy trying to find some GT (gifted and talented) leveled books and she had us read this. It (especially at the beginning) is really boring and has inappropriate parts. I think that this book should be written by someone else in the beginning.
E.E.C.

I found the book very slow and boring in many places. It was only in the sections involving Dr. Minor's actual insanity and madness that I became somewhat interested. Overall, it was a great sleeping pill.
CHizy

the professor and the mad man
This book sucks. it talks too much about stuff that is unrelated to the story of the two protagonists. there are times when it goes off topic so far that the reader forgets what the main point or the plot is. I do not recommend this book to not-boring people.
Kate

I am an avid reader and a late night person, however, i still found that large portions of this book put me to sleep. I found the description to be repititious, and i was jerked around from the lack of organization. I find that the language and style of this piece indicate that the author was trying to make this a display of talent he did not have. The gusts of wind he used to push his boat along are frivilous because they meet a sail full of holes. However I applaud him for his interesting topic and commendable research.


John Sinclair
The Professor and the Madman is one of the few books I have read virtually nonstop. I became so engrossed in the story line, I literally carried the book around with me until I had read it. Does Simon Winchester have an email address? I would like to congratulate him.
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