Simon Winchester's "The Surgeon of Crowthorne" delves into the fascinating history of the Oxford English Dictionary's creation. The book focuses on the contributions of Dr. William Chester Minor, a former surgeon confined to an asylum, who played a crucial role in compiling the dictionary. Winchester masterfully weaves together the story of Minor's life and his unexpected involvement in this monumental linguistic project. The narrative explores themes of obsession, dedication, and the power of language. It's a captivating blend of biography and history, offering a unique perspective on the making of a cultural landmark.
The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams is a historical fiction novel set in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The story revolves around Esme Nicoll, a young girl who grows up in the Scriptorium, a garden shed in Oxford where her father and a team of lexicographers are compiling the first edition of the Oxford English Dictionary. Esme collects discarded word slips, particularly those related to women and marginalized groups, which are often excluded from the dictionary. As she grows, Esme creates her own dictionary, 'The Dictionary of Lost Words', to document these overlooked terms. The novel intertwines Esme's life with historical events such as the women's suffrage movement and the Great War, highlighting the power and significance of language and its impact on society[1][3][5].
Pip Williams was diagnosed with dyslexia as a teenager. She grew up to write a novel inspired by the history of the Oxford Dictionary, which soon became an international bestseller. (R)
Pip Williams was a teenage poetry enthusiast when she had her first poem, called Fifteen, published in Dolly magazine.
Then just a couple of years later, she was diagnosed with dyslexia.
But despite her struggles with reading and spelling, she never drew back from the world of books and words.
A few years ago Pip was reading a non-fiction book about the history of the Oxford English Dictionary when she started to question why there weren't more women in the story.
Then she found the story of a missing word left out of the first-ever edition of the dictionary.
This story became the seeds of Pip's first novel, The Dictionary of Lost Words, which is now an international bestseller.
This episode of Conversations touches on dyslexia, dictionary, tree change, writing, books, Italy, travel, memoir, neurodivergence, learning disability, permaculture, farm to table, author, novels, personal stories, motherhood, origin stories, and reflection.
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