'Unabridged' explores the history of the dictionary – and why it’s in trouble now : NPR's Book of the Day

  • Posted on December 25, 2025
  • By NPR
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'Unabridged' explores the history of the dictionary – and why it’s in trouble now : NPR's Book of the Day

Dictionaries were once bestsellers, but between the internet and artificial intelligence, its role in our culture has changed. Stefan Fatsis is out with a new book called Unabridged: The Thrill of (and Threat to) The Modern Dictionary, which documents this shift. In today’s episode, he speaks with NPR’s Don Gonyea about embedding with the publisher of Merriam Webster, the history of lexicography, and what he anticipates for the dictionary’s future.To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookoftheday
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