Peter Mark Roget: The Man Who Became a Book

by Nick Rennison

Every day thousands of people worldwide consult Roget's Thesaurus— yet Peter Mark Roget, one of the most remarkable men of the 19th century, did not even begin the great work of classification which bears his name until he was 70. Before that, Roget had already made his own contributions to knowledge in a dozen different fields such as anatomy, mathematics, education, and optics, including papers on persistence of vision which had later impact on the development of motion pictures. From his involvement in the foundation of the University of London to his books on magnetism, galvanism, and physiology, this biography reveals the full story of Roget's impact on the great issues and the great personalities of the 19th century, and recounts the forgotten life behind one of the most famous of all reference books.

160 pages, Hardcover

First published September 28, 2007

About the author

Nick Rennison is a writer, editor and bookseller. His books include Sherlock Holmes: An Unauthorised Biography, Robin Hood: Myth, History, Culture, The Bloomsbury Good Reading Guide and 100 Must-Read Historical Novels. He is a regular reviewer of historical fiction for both The Sunday Times and BBC History Magazine.

Reviews

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was refreshing and surprising to find this man was so dynamic and multi dimensional in his professions. And to have contributed a thesaurus near the end of his life calls for much revered sentiment.