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The Extraordinary Story of Dr Johnson's Dictionary
by Henry Hitchings
In 1746, Samuel Johnson undertook the Herculean task of writing the first comprehensive English dictionary.
Imagining he could complete the job in three years, Johnson in fact took more than eight, and the dictionary itself turned out to be as much a work of literature as it was an invaluable reference. In alphabetized chapters, from "Adventurous" to "Zootomy," Henry Hitchings tells of Johnson's toil and triumph and offers a closer look at the definitions themselves, which were alive with invention, poetry, erudition, and, at times, hilarious imprecision. The story of Johnson's adventure into the essence of words is an entertainment that "sparkles on every page" (The Philadelphia Inquirer).
"A spirited, learned account ... Hitchings does a masterful job of describing Johnson's approach... . A first-rate synthesis of one of literary history's most astonishing endeavors." ―Kirkus Reviews
"[A] marvelous account of the making of the dictionary... . Defining the World is one of the most enjoyable books I've read this year. Hitchings is a buoyant, zestful writer... . Also delightful is how Hitchings evokes the presence and temperament, by turns neurotic and assured, crotchety and inquisitive, of the 'book-muncher, the pagemaker, and the cultural steeplejack' who pulled off a remarkable intellectual feat." ―The Boston Globe
"Hitchings's sprightly book about the dictionary gives a full picture of Johnson during a difficult decade of melancholy toil." ―The New Yorker
"Hitchings skillfully re-creates Johnson's beloved London, a gin-soaked city of commercial ambition, petty jealousies and danger lurking down dark alleyways." ―San Francisco Chronicle
This information about Defining the World was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Henry Hitchings was born in 1974. He is the author of The Secret Life of Words, Who's Afraid of Jane Austen?, and Defining the World. He has contributed to many newspapers and magazines and is the theater critic for the London Evening Standard.
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