Dr William Chester Minor

[NH Civil War Gal]

This is a rather strange and sad story of Dr William Chester Minor, who obviously had mental health problems, even at a younger age. This story even involves a younger Winston Churchill.

William Chester Minor - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Library Lady]

Simon Winchester's book The Professor and the Madman is mentioned at the bottom of the link under "Popular Culture", and I would heartily endorse this book if the subject has piqued your interest.

THE PROFESSOR AND THE MADMAN | Kirkus Reviews

Remarkably readable, this chronicle of lexicography roams from the great dictionary itself to hidden nooks in the human psyche that sometimes house the motives for murder, the sources for sanity, and the blueprint for creativity. Manchester Guardian journalist Winchester (The River at the Center...

www.kirkusreviews.com

I enjoyed his writing so much that I'll be moving on to read his book Krakatoa: The Day the World Exploded. I mean, who doesn't like a mountain that blows itself up? And by the way, if you've seen the old movie Krakatoa, East of Java, Krakatoa is east of Java the same way Des Moines is east of Chicago.

 

[Nathan Stuart]

Interesting life story.

Despite his disordered thoughts and seeming lack of impulse control, it appears William Chester Minor possessed immense intellectual capacity and directed his abilities and energies into various pursuits - some productive, and others less so.

Wonder whether he might have fitted the description of being a 'flawed genius'.