The Book of Revelations
Women and Their Secrets From the 1950s to the Present Day
Published on 2. October 2025
Book
Hardback
384 pages
978-1-78474-531-8 (ISBN)
Description
'I cannot recommend it highly enough' INDIA KNIGHT * 'I was riveted by every single page' ELIZABETH DAY * 'Dazzling and surprising' CLOVER STROUD * 'I loved this book' JULIA SAMUEL
**AN iNEWS BOOK OF THE YEAR**
A beautifully written blend of memoir, first-person stories and social history that uncovers the most enigmatic yet revealing aspect of human behaviour: secrecy
Research says the average person is keeping thirteen secrets at any one time, five of which they've never shared with a soul. Secrets can thrill, but they are just as likely to torment; and the deepest ones echo far down the generations. They are private, but they also tell us a great deal about our world.
The Book of Revelations explores the changing nature of the secrets held by three generations of women. It unlocks a period of significant transformation, from the restrictions just after the Second World War, through the emancipation of the 1960s and 1970s, to the opportunities and dangers women meet online today.
As we travel through time, we encounter deeply moving first-person stories, rich social history and Juliet Nicolson's own experiences of secrecy. We witness long-buried family secrets shared at last, their keepers set free. Finally, we are forced to wonder whether, after a steady upwards curve, women are once again in danger of being curtailed by censure, caution and fear. But could learning from the secrets of the past help protect our future?
**AN iNEWS BOOK OF THE YEAR**
A beautifully written blend of memoir, first-person stories and social history that uncovers the most enigmatic yet revealing aspect of human behaviour: secrecy
Research says the average person is keeping thirteen secrets at any one time, five of which they've never shared with a soul. Secrets can thrill, but they are just as likely to torment; and the deepest ones echo far down the generations. They are private, but they also tell us a great deal about our world.
The Book of Revelations explores the changing nature of the secrets held by three generations of women. It unlocks a period of significant transformation, from the restrictions just after the Second World War, through the emancipation of the 1960s and 1970s, to the opportunities and dangers women meet online today.
As we travel through time, we encounter deeply moving first-person stories, rich social history and Juliet Nicolson's own experiences of secrecy. We witness long-buried family secrets shared at last, their keepers set free. Finally, we are forced to wonder whether, after a steady upwards curve, women are once again in danger of being curtailed by censure, caution and fear. But could learning from the secrets of the past help protect our future?
Reviews / Votes
Utterly engrossing and timely... told with immense empathy, intelligence and compassion... an important work of social history and as gripping as a beach read. I cannot recommend it highly enough -- INDIA KNIGHT * Sunday Times * A book about the stories we don't tell, written with such truth-telling compulsion and compassionate honesty... a true act of bravery and sisterhood -- ELIZABETH DAY With incredible intimacy and deep compassion, Juliet Nicolson has woven together the stories that make our lives, but which so often remain hidden... This is a dazzling and surprising book, and I was changed by the experience of reading it -- CLOVER STROUD I gobbled this book up. It's a gem, packed with nuggets I wanted to share. Nicolson is brilliant at contextualising personal stories in the bigger historical picture. All the women we meet are heroines, and their honesty is inspiring -- HELENA BONHAM-CARTER A time-travelling investigation... Juliet Nicolson's book has a depth charge and a sense of the now that is so timely and important -- JEANETTE WINTERSON This is a truly exquisite tapestry of stories expertly woven with such care, kindness and compassion. I was devastated by it and uplifted by it in equal measure. An homage not just to women but to anyone who has ever felt the weight of keeping a secret that needs to be shared. Beautiful -- DENISE GOUGH I loved this book. The combination of personal, social and historical is fascinating, and beautifully done. The range and quality of its psychological insights make it truly valuable -- JULIA SAMUEL, author of Every Family Has a Story A fascinating hybrid of memoir and social history... transforms the highly personal into something universal -- India Block * London Standard * An intriguing book with an unusual narrative * iNews * Bold, brave and brilliant -- JUSTINE PICARDIE, author of Miss Dior One of my favorite recent books -- WILLIAM NORWICH A gripping exploration of the secrets women keep. Raw, revealing and deeply human, The Book of Revelations is a bold ode to womanhood, love, and freedom -- MIREILLE HARPER, author of Timelines from Black HistoryMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Vintage Publishing
Dimensions
Height: 223 mm
Width: 147 mm
Thickness: 40 mm
Weight
492 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-78474-531-8 (9781784745318)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Juliet Nicolson
The Book of Revelations
A History of the Secrets Women Keep and Tell from the 1950s to the Present Day
Book
05/2026
Vintage
€16.50
Shipment within 3-4 weeks
E-Book
10/2025
Vintage Digital
€8.99
Available for download
Person
Juliet Nicolson is the bestselling author of three works of social history, The Perfect Summer: Dancing into Shadow in 1911; The Great Silence: 1918-1920 Living in the Shadow of the Great War; and Frostquake: The frozen winter of 1962 and how Britain emerged a different country; as well as a family memoir, A House Full of Daughters. She is a mother and a grandmother and lives with her husband in East Sussex.