Defining the World: The Extraordinary Story of Dr. Johnson's Dictionary - Hardcover

Hitchings, Henry

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0374113025 ISBN 13: 9780374113025

Publisher: Farrar Straus & Giroux, 2005

Synopsis

Recalling the story of the first great lexicon of English, the author reveals how Samuel Johnson arduously assembled his famous eighteenth century dictionary--a task that took longer than expected but ultimately helped make English into a major European language.

About this title

Review:

"Henry Hitchings's book is lively, erudite and enriched with colorful anecdotes--a masterful account of one of the greatest literary triumphs of the eighteenth century." --Giles Milton, author of "Nathaniel's Nutmeg
"[A] concise and informative history of Johnson's dictionary and how it came to be written. . . . [Henry Hitchings] is an inventive and entertaining guide."--"The New York Times"
"Hitchings's evident enthrallment with all things Johnsonian is contagious."--"The Roanoke Times"
""Defining the World" is one of the most enjoyable books I've read this year."--"The Boston Globe"
"Like a good dictionary, Hitchings's work itself is chockablock with enough tidbit and trivia to delight even the looniest of logophiles."--"The Plain Dealer "(Cleveland")"
"Quite simply, one can never get too much of Samuel Johnson."--"The Washington Post"

"ÝA¨ concise and informative history of Johnson's dictionary and how it came to be written. . . . ÝHenry Hitchings¨ is an inventive and entertaining guide."--"The New York Times"
"Hitchings's evident enthrallment with all things Johnsonian is contagious."--"The Roanoke Times"
""Defining the World" is one of the most enjoyable books I've read this year."--"The Boston Globe"
"Like a good dictionary, Hitchings's work itself is chockablock with enough tidbit and trivia to delight even the looniest of logophiles."--"The Plain Dealer "(Cleveland")"
"Quite simply, one can never get too much of Samuel Johnson."--"The Washington Post"

"Inventive and entertaining."--"The New York Times Book Review"
"Hitchings's evident enthrallment with all things Johnsonian is contagious."--"The Roanoke Times"
"[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"
"Like a good dictionary, Hitchings's work itself is chockablock with enough tidbits and trivia to delight even the looniest of logophiles."--"The Plain Dealer "(Cleveland)
"Quite simply, one can never get too much Samuel Johnson."--"The Washington Post""" "A well-written, intelligently organized, and thoroughly readable book . . . It is obvious that Hitchings loves to read Johnson's dictionary. . . . The great thing about "Defining the World" is that it makes us want to read it too."--"Los Angeles"" Times"
"Hitchings manages to make the story of a dictionary not only interesting but positively compelling."--"The Examiner" (Washington, D.C.)
"Hitchings's affectionate tribute accomplishes a worthy task of allowing us to admire anew Johnson's life and great work."--"The Commercial Dispatch" (Mississippi)
"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"
"This book is the riveting account of how Dr Johnson, an eighteenth-century man, blind in one eye, terrified of death and convinced he was lazy, compiled what is considered to be the definitive dictionary of the English language. Hitchings brings Johnson's humanity and the massive task he undertook to touc

Inventive and entertaining. "The New York Times Book Review"

Hitchings's evident enthrallment with all things Johnsonian is contagious. "The Roanoke Times"

[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"

Like a good dictionary, Hitchings's work itself is chockablock with enough tidbits and trivia to delight even the looniest of logophiles. "The Plain Dealer (Cleveland)"

Quite simply, one can never get too much Samuel Johnson. "The Washington Post"

A well-written, intelligently organized, and thoroughly readable book . . . It is obvious that Hitchings loves to read Johnson's dictionary. . . . The great thing about "Defining the World" is that it makes us want to read it too. "Los Angeles Times"

Hitchings manages to make the story of a dictionary not only interesting but positively compelling. "The Examiner (Washington, D.C.)"

Hitchings's affectionate tribute accomplishes a worthy task of allowing us to admire anew Johnson's life and great work. "The Commercial Dispatch (Mississippi)"

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"

This book is the riveting account of how Dr Johnson, an eighteenth-century man, blind in one eye, terrified of death and convinced he was lazy, compiled what is considered to be the definitive dictionary of the English language. Hitchings brings Johnson's humanity and the massive task he undertook to touchable life. "Beryl Bainbridge, The Guardian"

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""

"Inventive and entertaining." --The New York Times Book Review

"Hitchings's evident enthrallment with all things Johnsonian is contagious." --The Roanoke Times

"[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

"Like a good dictionary, Hitchings's work itself is chockablock with enough tidbits and trivia to delight even the looniest of logophiles." --The Plain Dealer (Cleveland)

"Quite simply, one can never get too much Samuel Johnson." --The Washington Post

"A well-written, intelligently organized, and thoroughly readable book . . . It is obvious that Hitchings loves to read Johnson's dictionary. . . . The great thing about Defining the World is that it makes us want to read it too." --Los Angeles Times

"Hitchings manages to make the story of a dictionary not only interesting but positively compelling." --The Examiner (Washington, D.C.)

"Hitchings's affectionate tribute accomplishes a worthy task of allowing us to admire anew Johnson's life and great work." --The Commercial Dispatch (Mississippi)

"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

"This book is the riveting account of how Dr Johnson, an eighteenth-century man, blind in one eye, terrified of death and convinced he was lazy, compiled what is considered to be the definitive dictionary of the English language. Hitchings brings Johnson's humanity and the massive task he undertook to touchable life." --Beryl Bainbridge, The Guardian

"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

About the Author:

Henry Hitchings received his Ph.D from University College, London. Defining the World is his first book. He lives in London.

Henry Hitchings has written for numerous newspapers and periodicals, including the Times Literary Supplement, the Observer, the New Statesman and the Financial Times. He teaches English part-time at a boys' high school in London.

About this edition

• Publisher: Farrar Straus & Giroux
• Publication date: 2005
• ISBN 10: 0374113025
• ISBN 13: 9780374113025
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 292