William Manchester – The Professor and the Madman: A Tale of Murder, Insanity, and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary
This book has come under fire for being loosey-goosey with the facts, so take it with a grain of salt. The larger story is true, though, and a lot of fun to read about. The Oxford English Dictionary is one of Britain’s proudest cultural accomplishments. It took 70 years to compile. One of its largest contributors was also an American. Worse, he was literally a crazy person who committed murder and worked his lexicographical magic from prison.
Inertia Wins! 