If you loved
The Professor and the Madman
Farhad Safinia · Film · 2019
You were drawn to The Professor and the Madman because of the way it explores how brilliant, isolated minds navigate the intersection of obsession and institutional confinement.
Books on the same thread
The Facts on File Calculus Handbook
Eli Maor · Book · 2014
Just as the protagonists in The Professor and the Madman dedicate their lives to the meticulous cataloging of language, you will appreciate this scholarly devotion to the history of mathematics.
Verity
Colleen Hoover · Book · 2018
If the psychological intensity and obsession found in The Professor and the Madman captivated you, this story of dark secrets and unraveling minds offers a similarly gripping, tension-filled experience.
Charlotte Perkins Gilman's The Yellow Wall-paper
Charlotte Perkins Gilman · Book · 2004
This work mirrors the exploration of mental illness and institutional confinement present in The Professor and the Madman, providing a poignant look at the struggles of those trapped by society.
Prelude to Foundation
Isaac Asimov · Book · 1988
Much like the scholarly pursuit of linguistic order in The Professor and the Madman, this narrative focuses on the immense intellectual effort required to predict the patterns of human history.
Series on the same thread
Black Bird
Dennis Lehane · Series · 2022
The complex dynamic between a man seeking redemption and an institutionalized subject in The Professor and the Madman is echoed here through a high-stakes mission to secure a crucial confession.
Perception
Kenneth Biller · Series · 2012
The Professor and the Madman highlights the brilliance of an unconventional mind, a theme that resonates deeply in this series about a professor utilizing his unique intellect to solve crimes.
Money Heist
Álex Pina · Series · 2017
The meticulous planning and obsession with detail shown in The Professor and the Madman find a modern, adrenaline-fueled counterpart in this story of a mastermind orchestrating a complex, high-stakes heist.
The Alienist
Cary Joji Fukunaga · Series · 2018
This period drama captures the same intersection of psychological analysis and institutional cooperation seen in The Professor and the Madman, as experts work together to understand the minds of others.
Podcasts on the same thread
Revolutions
Mike Duncan · Podcast · 2025
The intellectual rigor and historical scope that defined The Professor and the Madman are present in this deep dive into the cyclical nature of power and the patterns of human revolution.
S-Town
Serial Productions · Podcast · 2024
If the study of an eccentric individual within a specific environment in The Professor and the Madman interested you, this investigative look at a man’s isolation and social decay will fascinate.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is The Professor and the Madman based on true events?
The Professor and the Madman depicts the true story of Professor James Murray and Dr. William Minor. It follows their collaboration in the mid 19th century to compile the first edition of the Oxford English Dictionary while Minor was a patient at the Broadmoor Criminal Lunatic Asylum.
What is the professional relationship between the characters in The Professor and the Madman?
In The Professor and the Madman, Professor James Murray leads the effort to create the Oxford English Dictionary. He receives over 10,000 dictionary entries from Dr. William Minor, who contributes to the monumental project while confined as a patient at the Broadmoor Criminal Lunatic Asylum.
Where does the story of The Professor and the Madman take place?
The Professor and the Madman is set in England during the mid 19th century. The narrative centers on the creation of the Oxford English Dictionary, involving locations such as the Broadmoor Criminal Lunatic Asylum where Dr. William Minor provides his significant contributions to Professor James Murray.
Who is the primary contributor to the dictionary project in The Professor and the Madman?
While Professor James Murray manages the compilation of the Oxford English Dictionary in The Professor and the Madman, Dr. William Minor serves as a major contributor. Minor provides more than 10,000 entries for the dictionary while residing at the Broadmoor Criminal Lunatic Asylum.