In 1857 the “Unregistered Words Committee” of the Philological Society of London published the report On Some Deficiencies in our English Dictionaries, calling for the creation of a new comprehensive English dictionary. Sixty-one years later, on April 19, 1928, the final fascicle of the Oxford English Dictionary was published, covering Wise to the end of W. (Curious about the fate of X, Y, and Z? Me too, but I'm just parroting Wikipedia.)

In celebration of the 80th anniversary of the OED, the Oxford University Press is hosting a series of events around the world. And for the rest of this year, they're offering the full 20-volume print edition for the low low price of £450 or $850. You can't afford not to buy it! It'll probably hold its value better than your stock portfolio, and it's certainly a lot more fun.

October 12-13
Oxford University, Oxford, England
with:
Charlotte Brewer
Ammon Shea
John Simpson
Simon Winchester

October 22
Century Club, New York, NY
with:
Simon Winchester
Ammon Shea
Jesse Shedlower

November 13, 6:00pm, Brattle Theater
Harvard Bookstore, Cambridge, MA
with:
Ammon Shea
Jesse Sheidlower
Simon Winchester

November 18, 7:30-9:00pm
Philadelphia Free Library, Philadelphia, PA
with:
Ammon Shea
Jesse Sheidlower
Barbara Wallraff

Labels: Ammon Shea, Barbara Wallraff, Charlotte Brewer, Jesse Sheidlower, John Simpson, OED, OUP, Simon Winchester

It's a bit rococo, possibly even tacky, but I love Jay Walker's library. Sputnik? Check. Enigma machine? Check. An amazing assortment of medieval books on science and natural history, along with originals of the Kelmscott Chaucer, Nuremberg Chronicle, and Coverdale Bible, all mixed in with cheesy Franklin Press reprints?
Yes, yes, yes, and, oddly, yes. This is heaven, as envisioned by a bookish 15 year old.

Thanks to Magnolia (and her research assistant, Arlo) for the link.

Labels: best, Bible, Chaucer, Jay Walker, library, rococo