The OED Straw Poll

[tedly]

I agree, this book was delightful; so is the author. He also wrote 'Krakatoa' which I am getting to, but his 'The map that changed the world' is a m_u_s_t read. The dust jacket folds out into the map, and I'm looking at my framed version..now.
Buy it, give it to a friend, and borrow it back. Make two people happy.

Wait, I've just remembered! I also own a book about the making of the OED. The Professor and the Madman: A Tale of Murder, Insanity, and the Making of The Oxford English Dictionary

It's a delightful read, as it explains the background on the making of the dictionary. Imagine that they had large pigeon-holes for each letters, which they would fill with contributions from people throughout England. Each slip of paper was a word, with its definition, etymology and, if possible, indication of the first time it was used in print. Some words took years to be properly defined.

 

[BillyTK]

I'm from the UK, have heard of, seen, and in fact use the online service on a regular basis for free because the organisation I work for has a subscription.

And it's absolutely top banana as (some of) we Brits say. Which reminds me, at some point I ought to look up the origin of the phrase "top banana"...

 

[Mr Manifesto]

Has anybody read the "Professor and the Madman" of Simon Winchester??

Read it, wordmongers, if you haven't read it yet, it's a FASCINATING book about the most fascinating History of a Dictionary in the world

Here, read about it!

Hey Mr. Manifesto, did you know that an American was one of its most memorable contributors? Sorry to break such sad news to you

I'm still waiting for you to fry me in flame wars. It's been, what, two weeks now?

 

[Deviant Pixie]

The profesor and the madman has also been published as

The Surgeon of Crowthorne: a tale of murder madness and the love of words