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The Word Detective

Searching for the Meaning of It All at the Oxford English Dictionary : a Memoir
FindingJane
Nov 20, 2016FindingJane rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
Comprehensive, absorbing, literate and literary, this book is a tribute to one of the world’s greatest lexicographical guide to the English language (and other languages along the way). It’s also the personal story of the man who got involved in it. Needless to say, compiling, updating and modernizing a work as massive as the Oxford English Dictionary takes a lot of work, sweat and participatory effort. Mr. Simpson doesn’t stint on writing down the various steps needed to see that a word is retrieved, indexed, catalogued and explored. But the book isn’t a dusty, boring tome by any means. Mr. Simpson’s work on the OED was an intensely personal journey for him, as he struggled to get extra employees, deal with committees and manage his own home life (and keep it from influencing him too much at work). He spent many of the best years of his life at the OED and his decision to leave it when he grew older was both easy and difficult. He knew he’d done his best and was ready to pass on the mantle to others. His memoir gets you to respect his decision because it keeps the focus mainly on the massive dictionary that consumed his working hours. He mentions other books, other works, details how the OED moved from print to being online and yet points out how the printed word doesn’t lose its value. The love of the English language and the respect for other languages that contributed to its overall wealth of speech are also here. If you want to know more about the OED, he also gives a personal list of books he considers worthwhile reading. This is a terrific memoir, that of a working man with an intelligent mind and probing intellect. Those who want to know more about the OED can do no worse than to dive into this tribute to one man’s decades spent bringing it into the 21st century.