About the book
'[An] astonishing book' Sunday Times
What do three murderers, Karl Marx's daughter and a vegetarian vicar have in common?
They all helped create the Oxford English Dictionary.
The Oxford English Dictionary has long been associated with elite institutions and Victorian men. But the Dictionary didn't just belong to the experts; it relied on contributions from members of the public. By 1928, its 414,825 entries had been crowdsourced from a surprising and diverse group of people, from astronomers to murderers, naturists, pornographers, suffragists and queer couples.
Lexicographer Sarah Ogilvie dives deep into previously untapped archives to tell a people's history of the OED. Here, she reveals, for the first time, the full story of the making of one of the most famous books in the world - and celebrates the extraordinary efforts of the Dictionary People.
'Enthralling and exuberant ... Here is a wonder-book for word-lovers' Jeanette Winterson
'I have not been able to put The Dictionary People down ... I completely love it' Joanna Lumley
'Marvellous, witty and wholly original' Alan Rusbridger
Journal & Events
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An Interview with David Fennell
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Goldsboro BooksAn Interview with David Fennell
We had David Fennell in to sign our copies of A Violent Heart! Full of suspense, the return of DI Archer will have you gripped until the very last page....
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An Interview with Laura Shepperson
Goldsboro BooksWe recently had Laura Shepperson in to sign her special edition copies of The Heir of Venus. From the Sunday Times bestselling author comes a new spellbinding retelling set at...
Goldsboro BooksAn Interview with Laura Shepperson
We recently had Laura Shepperson in to sign her special edition copies of The Heir of Venus. From the Sunday Times bestselling author comes a new spellbinding retelling set at...
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Special Editions & Sprayed Edges: A Modern Revival
David HeadleyA sprayed edge is often thought of as the cherry on the cake of a new special edition book. Whilst the content within the book itself is of course what’s...
David HeadleySpecial Editions & Sprayed Edges: A Modern Revival
A sprayed edge is often thought of as the cherry on the cake of a new special edition book. Whilst the content within the book itself is of course what’s...
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An Interview with Rachel Blackmore, author of C...
Goldsboro BooksWe recently had the lovely Rachel Blackmore in to sign her special edition copies of Costanza. We absolutely loved this novel as you are transported to Rome in the 1600s. We...
Goldsboro BooksAn Interview with Rachel Blackmore, author of C...
We recently had the lovely Rachel Blackmore in to sign her special edition copies of Costanza. We absolutely loved this novel as you are transported to Rome in the 1600s. We...
