Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing Rare books, burned letters, and Johnson’s dictionary, with John Overholt
Jan 8, 2026
In this engaging discussion, John Overholt, curator of Harvard's Houghton Library, dives into the life of Samuel Johnson, notably the creator of the 1755 Dictionary of the English Language. He shares fascinating insights about Johnson's methods for compiling quotations, the significance of collecting rare books, and why even the most ordinary items have stories worth telling. Overholt also touches on the challenges of curating vast collections, the impact of AI in handwriting recognition, and the importance of accessibility in library resources.
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Johnson's Dictionary Was More Than Definitions
- Samuel Johnson was a prolific 18th-century writer beyond his famous 1755 dictionary.
- His dictionary emphasized real usage by quoting great writers to show words in context.
Johnson's Working Copies Reveal His Process
- John Overholt describes finding Johnson's penciled marks in books he used for dictionary quotations.
- The marks show where quotations start and the word Johnson was illustrating.
A Deeply Comprehensive Johnson Collection
- The Hyde collection holds a remarkably comprehensive set of Johnson materials, including about half his surviving letters.
- It also includes books from his library and near-complete contemporary editions of his works.
