The Dictionary People

Sarah Ogilvie uncovers the quirky, dedicated volunteers who helped build the Oxford English Dictionary, bringing their forgotten stories to delightful life. Drawing on newly found archives, she highlights the passion and eccentricity behind one of the great literary projects of the English language. Ogilvie writes with charm and gentle humour, celebrating the collaborative oddness of lexicographical history. She restores personality to a process often imagined as purely academic. The result is a warm, lively tribute to the people behind the words we use every day.