The Man Who Made Lists: Love, Death, Madness, and the Creator of Roget’s Thesaurus. --- by Joshua Kendall. There was a time when there was nary a home that didn’t have, somewhere, along with a King James Bible, an Atlas, perhaps (with the British Empire faithfully rendered in rose), an Encyclopedia Brittanica, a dictionary, and a copy of Roget’s Thesaurus. What’s a word for the word? Look it up in Roget. And yet, his Thesaurus, that product of Victorian England was never the central opus (yes, I knew that word --- I didn’t have to Roget it) In a way, constructing the tome was a way for Peter Roget to cope with the problems of society and, more importantly, of his soul. Often spiritually tortured, he found solace in this métier. Kendall writes a fine biography and he writes it well. The reading is without hindrance and never tedious as a book such as this might easily become. This book might not appeal to all readers but it may appeal to you.

This is a book that is informative in so far as the history of the creator of the thesaurus and it is also informative about the times he lived in and as to why a person might be driven to create such a work. It isn't an easy read but it is worth it.

This book is great for people who like to think of the right word for the right moment.