The Dictionary of Lost Words: Reese’s Book C
Price:
(as of – Details)
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • REESE’S BOOK CLUB PICK • “Delightful . . . [a] captivating and slyly subversive fictional paean to the real women whose work on the Oxford English Dictionary went largely unheralded.”—The New York Times Book Review
“A marvelous fiction about the power of language to elevate or repress.”—Geraldine Brooks, New York Times bestselling author of People of the Book
Esme is born into a world of words. Motherless and irrepressibly curious, she spends her childhood in the Scriptorium, an Oxford garden shed in which her father and a team of dedicated lexicographers are collecting words for the very first Oxford English Dictionary. Young Esme’s place is beneath the sorting table, unseen and unheard. One day a slip of paper containing the word bondmaid flutters beneath the table. She rescues the slip and, learning that the word means “slave girl,” begins to collect other words that have been discarded or neglected by the dictionary men.
As she grows up, Esme realizes that words and meanings relating to women’s and common folks’ experiences often go unrecorded. And so she begins in earnest to search out words for her own dictionary: the Dictionary of Lost Words. To do so she must leave the sheltered world of the university and venture out to meet the people whose words will fill those pages.
Set during the height of the women’s suffrage movement and with the Great War looming, The Dictionary of Lost Words reveals a lost narrative, hidden between the lines of a history written by men. Inspired by actual events, author Pip Williams has delved into the archives of the Oxford English Dictionary to tell this highly original story. The Dictionary of Lost Words is a delightful, lyrical, and deeply thought-provoking celebration of words and the power of language to shape the world.
WINNER OF THE AUSTRALIAN BOOK INDUSTRY AWARD
From the Publisher
Publisher : Ballantine Books (May 3, 2022)
Language : English
Paperback : 416 pages
ISBN-10 : 1984820745
ISBN-13 : 978-1984820747
Item Weight : 2.31 pounds
Dimensions : 5.17 x 0.88 x 7.98 inches
Melora Fern –
This novel is a dream read for anyone who loves everything about words!
This novel is a dream read for anyone who loves everything about words! Pip Williams’ historic fiction about the making of the Oxford Dictionary at the turn of the 20th century is fascinating! Esme, the young protagonist, learns the power of words from her father’s world as a lexicographer. She starts collecting words that are lost, the first word being bondmaid. As she grows, so does her awareness of whose words are not being collected for the dictionary—those used by women. Williams’ seamlessly weaves facts along with fiction and her beautiful imagery to create a believable story world, a sympathetic hero, and an original premise.Synopsis: Motherless and irrepressibly curious, Esme spends her childhood in the Scriptorium, a team of lexicographers are gathering words for the very first Oxford English Dictionary. Esme begins to collect words that are misplaced, discarded or have been neglected by the dictionary men. They help her make sense of the world. Set when the women’s suffrage movement was at its height and the Great War loomed, The Dictionary of Lost Words reveals a lost narrative, hidden between the lines of a history written by men.I love this book, so much so it has become one of my top ten favorites. I highly recommend reading or listening to it!
Linda L. Oliphant –
The last sentence of the book says it all.
The Dictionary of Lost Words is a historical fiction novel taking place during the height of the women’s movement in Britain. It’s a story of birth and the creation of the Oxford English Dictionary. Young Eme spent much of her time as a youngster under the table collecting words that either fell off the work table or were discarded for whatever reason. As she got older she recognized the words compiled came from only from men and none had anything to do with thoughts or experiences of women. So she started collecting these discarded words.“Some words are more important than others… I learned this growing up in the Scriptorium. But it took me a long time to understand why.” This last sentence of the book says it all.The author has included an Author’s Note, a Time Line and Questions for Discussion making The Dictionary of Lost Words an excellent choice for book clubs or just to ponder inside your head.A Pondering ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️