Man Who Made Lists : Love, Death, Madness, and the Creation of Roget's Thesaurus

by Kendall, Joshua

• ISBN13: 9780399154621
• ISBN10: 0399154620
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2008-03-13
• Publisher: Putnam Adult

Summary

The extraordinary true story of Peter Mark Roget and his legendary Thesaurus. Peter Mark Roget-polymath, eccentric, synonym aficionado-was a complicated man. He was an eminent scholar who absorbed himself in his work, yet he also possessed an allure that endeared him to his mentors and colleagues-not to mention a host of female admirers. But, most notably, Roget made lists. From the age of eight, he kept these lists with the intention of ordering the chaotic world around him. After his father's death, his mother became, at once, overbearing and despondent. Soon, his sister would also descend into mental illness. Despite these tragedies, Roget lived a colorful life full of unexpected twists and discoveries-including narrowly avoiding jail in Napoleon's France, assisting famed physician Thomas Beddoes by personally testing the effects of laughing gas, and inventing the slide rule. Evocative and entertaining, The Man Who Made Listslets readers join Roget on his worldly adventures and emotional journeys. This rich narrative explores the power of words and the everlasting legacy of a rediscovered genius.

Author Biography

Joshua Kendall is a language enthusiast and an award-winning freelance journalist who currently writes for such publications as Business Week and The Boston Globe.

Table of Contents

Preface	p. 1
Prologue: Stained by the Blood of a National Hero	p. 9
Formations (1779-1808)
The Boy Without a Home	p. 21
The Brilliant Student	p. 53
The Idle and Depressed Young Man	p. 83
Napoleon's Captive	p. 111
Manchester: Both the Thesaurus and a Medical Career Begun	p. 145
Bloomsbury Doctor, Inventor, and Scientist (1809-1848)
The Best-Looking and Most Gentlemanly Bachelor in England	p. 181
Mary	p. 211
Mourning, Scholarly Triumph, and a Secret New Love	p. 233
Wordsmith in Retirement (1849-1869)
Back to the Thesaurus	p. 251
Vibrant Until the Last Breath	p. 267
Epilogue: The Thesaurus Through the Years	p. 281
Acknowledgments	p. 285
Index	p. 290
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