Lot 645

Simon Winchester HCs The Oxford English Dictionary & The Madman Who Contributed To It Both In DJs

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Lot 645
Simon Winchester HCs The Oxford English Dictionary & The Madman Who Contributed To It Both In DJs

Simon Winchester HCs The Oxford English Dictionary & The Madman Who Contributed To It Both In DJs

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Estimate: $50 - $75

Starting Bid: $10

(0 Bids)
by The Book Barn
August 13, 2026 5:00 PM EDT
Timed Auction
353 Indian Village Road
Shapliegh, ME, US 07076

Both Simon Winchester Hardcovers 1998 & 2003 On History Of The Oxford English Dictionary & The Madman Who Contributed To It Both In Dust Jackets.

TITLES: 1) "The Professor and the Madman" by Simon Winchester. HARDCOVER 1998 Oxford University Press 1st edition 5th printing w/ numbers 5-10 on copyright page. Nice Collectible hardcover copy IN DUST JACKET. Exactly as shown in listing scan(s).

"The making of the Oxford English Dictionary was one of the most ambitious projects ever undertaken. As definitions were collected, the overseeing committee, led by Professor James Murray, was stunned to discover that one man, Dr. W. C. Minor, had submitted more than ten thousand. But their surprise would pale in comparison to what they were about to discover when the committee insisted on honoring him. For Dr. Minor, an American Civil War veteran, was also an inmate at an asylum for the criminally insane. Masterfully researched and eloquently written, "The Professor and the Madman" is the linguistic detective story of the decade."

Illustrated. Internally tight & unmarked. Exterior Binding: all lettering/decoration bright. Light edge wear/short closed tear to SELDOM PRESENT $22 unclipped DJ.

2) "The Meaning of Everything: The Story of the Oxford English Dictionary" by Simon Winchester. HARDCOVER 2003 Oxford University Press 1st edition 1st printing w/ numbers 1-10 on copyright page. Nice Collectible 1st Edition 1st Printing hardcover copy In Dust Jacket. Exactly as shown in listing scan(s).

"Continuing with the fascinating story of the writing of "The Oxford English Dictionary" Simon Winchester gives the full history of the assembling of the is monumental work. We visit the ugly corrugated iron structure that James Murray grandly dubbed the "Scriptorium"—the Scrippy or the Shed, as locals called it--and meet some of the legion of volunteers, from Fitzedward Hall, a bitter hermit obsessively devoted to the Oxford English Dictionary, to Dr. W. C. Minor, whose story is one of dangerous madness, ineluctable sadness, and ultimate redemption. "The Meaning of Everything" is a scintillating account of the creation of the greatest monument ever erected to a living language. Simon Winchester's supple, vigorous prose illuminates this dauntingly ambitious project--a seventy-year odyssey to create the grandfather of all word-books, the world's unrivaled uber-dictionary."

Illustrated. Internally tight & unmarked. Exterior Binding: all lettering/decoration bright. Light edge wear to SELDOM PRESENT $25 unclipped DJ.

BOTH BOOKS: NO REMAINDER MARK; NOT X-LIBRARY. ALL ITEMS ARE GUARANTEED TO BE ACCURATELY DESCRIBED, NOT DEFECTIVE, & GENUINE.

PLEASE NOTE: We do all our own shipping. We will combine shipping on multiple items, where possible to save the wining bidder on shipping costs. Shipping will be added to winning bidder's invoice for item(s) won. Media Mail postage from USPS will be used for shipping in the United States for those items allowed. Lowest alternative cost shipping will be billed for items not allowed by USPS to be shipped by Media Mail. Foreign winning bidders will pay postage based on their countries small/medium/large Flat Rate box postage rates & weight of the package. Other types of postage are available at added expense at the bidders request. You also agree to pay any applicable taxes and/or customs/import duties. A Tracking Number will be provided to buyer. Insurance is mandatory on packages over $100 USD and will be added to postage charges when applicable.

  • Condition: Very Good Condition

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We do all our own shipping. Shipping will be added to winning bidder's invoice for item(s) won. Media Mail postage from USPS will be used for shipping in the United States for those items allowed. Lowest alternative cost shipping will be billed for items not allowed by USPS to be shipped by Media Mail. Foreign winning bidders will pay postage based on their countries small/medium/large Flat Rate box postage rates & weight of the package. Other types of postage are available at added expense at the bidders request. You also agree to pay any applicable taxes and/or customs/import duties. A Tracking Number will be provided to buyer. Insurance is mandatory on packages over $100 USD and will be added to postage charges when applicable.

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