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The Surgeon and the Lexicographer: The Unlikely Genius Who Built the OED From an Asylum
The creation of the Oxford English Dictionary relied on thousands of volunteers, but none were as brilliant or enigmatic as Dr. W.C. Minor. From his cell in the Broadmoor Asylum for the Criminally Insane, this American Civil War surgeon became one of the OED’s most important contributors. His tragic and fascinating story reveals how a man tormented by madness found solace and purpose by helping to define the English language.
