The Bookbinder of Jericho
From the author of Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick The Dictionary of Lost Words
Published on 6. July 2023
448 pages
978-1-5299-0767-4 (ISBN)
Description
As World War One brings women unexpected new freedoms, bookbinder Peggy has the chance at a new future.
'Vivid and moving ... I absolutely loved it!' Ruth Hogan, author of The Keeper of Lost Things
'Charming, original and beautifully researched' Rachel Hore, author of A Beautiful Spy
'When the men leave for the Western Front, Peggy and her friends must shoulder the burden at home.
As she moves between her narrowboat full of memories and the demands of the bookbindery where she works, Peggy's dreams of escaping for a new life feel ever more remote.
But the war brings people together in unexpected ways. New friends and lovers offer new opportunities but also present difficult choices - and Peggy must write her own story.
'A fresh, exciting new voice in historical fiction' Paula McLain, author of The Paris Wife
'A compelling homage to the transformational power of books' Daisy Wood, author of The Forgotten Bookshop in Paris
Dictionary of Lost Words, Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick, May 2022
'Vivid and moving ... I absolutely loved it!' Ruth Hogan, author of The Keeper of Lost Things
'Charming, original and beautifully researched' Rachel Hore, author of A Beautiful Spy
'When the men leave for the Western Front, Peggy and her friends must shoulder the burden at home.
As she moves between her narrowboat full of memories and the demands of the bookbindery where she works, Peggy's dreams of escaping for a new life feel ever more remote.
But the war brings people together in unexpected ways. New friends and lovers offer new opportunities but also present difficult choices - and Peggy must write her own story.
'A fresh, exciting new voice in historical fiction' Paula McLain, author of The Paris Wife
'A compelling homage to the transformational power of books' Daisy Wood, author of The Forgotten Bookshop in Paris
Dictionary of Lost Words, Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick, May 2022
Reviews / Votes
'A wonderful book, whose vividly-drawn characters tell the story of a pivotal period in women's history as they work behind the scenes in the bindery of the Oxford University Press. I could almost smell the ink and hear the whisper of the pages being folded, as the novel followed their traumas and their triumphs against the harrowing backdrop of the First World War.' * Fiona Valpy, author of The Dressmaker's Gift. * An immersive and compelling tale ... Williams is a fresh, exciting new voice in historical fiction. I can't wait to see what she does next * Paula McLain, author of The Paris Wife and When the Stars Go Dark * A compelling, beautifully written homage to the transformational power of books, set against the tragic backdrop of the First World War. * Daisy Wood, author of The Forgotten Bookshop in Paris * Confident and considered ... Williams fully inhabits the world of the bindery and it shows - there's hardly a page out of place * The Guardian * Vibrant, socially astute historical fiction, it's laden with details sure to enthral bibliophiles * Mail on Sunday * [An] enjoyable, richly detailed novel * Observer * This is the kind of book you want to savour... A gorgeous read * Woman & Home, *Summer Reads of 2023* * Spellbinding * Australian Women's Weekly * 'A brilliant exploration of who has access to knowledge and the experience of women during wartime.' * Sydney Morning Herald * Meticulously researched and alive with colour * The Daily Telegraph (Australia) *More details
Edition
New edition
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Vintage Publishing
Target group
Professional and scholarly
College/higher education
Edition type
New edition
File size
6,44 MB
ISBN-13
978-1-5299-0767-4 (9781529907674)
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
Person
Pip Williams was born in London, grew up in Sydney and now calls the Adelaide Hills home. She is the author of the international number one bestseller, The Dictionary of Lost Words, described by The Times as 'an extraordinary, charming novel'. It was also a New York Times bestseller, a Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick and has been translated into over thirty languages to worldwide acclaim. Pip's second novel, The Bookbinder of Jericho, sprang from her discovery of archival footage of women who worked in the bindery of Oxford University Press during the early twentieth century. When she tried to find out more about them, there was almost nothing. Despite their important role in the production of books, barely a word has been written about them until now.
