The Bookbinder of Jericho: From the author of Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick The Dictionary of Lost Words
As seen:
By Pip Williams
avg rating
1 review
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
Reviews
Reader 1:
I loved this book. It was well-written and I loved the fact that the author had done so much research into the era. I liked the characters and the development, and wondered how difficult it must be to have the responsibility that Peggy had had all her life. It must have been a struggle for many young women at the time who had no rights but the desire for more. More education, more freedom, more rights. It's something that we take for granted in our lives today and we have almost forgotten the lives of the people who paved the way for our freedom. The characters were all well rounded and I could identify with many of them in different ways, they felt real, and I could empathise with their struggles. I don't usually read books to do with the topic of war as they often lean towards the overly-dramatic graphic details that we can become blase about. This describes the horror in a very real way; the not knowing what has happened to loved ones and the agony of the aftermath. I would recommend this book to others and will more than likely read it again at some point.
Reader 2:
What a beautifully drafted piece. We read a lot of different books in our reading group, and the last few have all been large tomes! However this one I could not put down. I found myself using the map often to really see where the characters were, and it was humbling to read that this was in essence a true story. I really felt a love of the characters and the effects the War was having on their lives. I often felt the loss they shared when realising some of the men would not return home. It was also well written with including both sides of the war effort i.e. the soldiers who came into Tilda’s care, even the translation of the poetry and the meaning behind the words was truly thought provoking. I think the feeling from around our book group is that after reading this book, it does make us want to seek out and read other titles such as The Dictionary of Lost Words. A massive thank you to The Reading Agency who provided us with these books, it was a real treat, and a good, long discussion!
Review 3:
I liked that this followed in some ways from the book “ dictionary of lost words” and that there was a connection and a form of continuation within this book. I think its well written and lovely to read and you can really felt the pain with the out breaking of war. I liked the quest for books from Peggy , as there is nothing better than the feel and smell of a book. I don’t really have favourite characters , they all add there own purpose to the story however big or small. I would definitely Yes and her previous book.
Review 4:
The Bookbinder of Jericho by Pip Williams A wonderful novel about a small slice of Oxford’s town and gown history during WW1 and the young men and women working at the Oxford University Press.
The writing is charming and the characters are realistic. Who knew that the folding of sheets of pages for the books in the bindery could be so descriptive? Or life aboard a moored barge boat?
There are other themes of loss, friendship, love, death and war which interweave in Peggy’s quest to read rather than bind her books and her ultimate achievement of becoming gown.
Review 5:
I enjoyed reading this book. Set during the first world war, it tells the story from the perspective of working class women in Oxford and those displaced by war, over a four-year period. The characters are very well-drawn, it is very well researched and expertly crafted. Pip Williams’ research and evident knowledge regarding the bindery itself and the process of binding is excellent.
The relationship between Peggy and her twin sister Maude is very special. The other main characters - Lotte, Bastiaan, Tilda and Gwen - each contribute in different ways and bring different elements to the story. There is a real sense of togetherness and a sense of continuation of certain things whilst other things change. The horrors of war are always present in the background.
The postcards and letters are a clever device which provide background detail and give external perspectives on people's lives. There is a lot of emotion in the novel. It feels extremely believable throughout, with class divides creating a rounded world that you really feel a part of. It’s clear that Pip Williams is a great storyteller.
Review 6:
I enjoyed reading the book enormously and I was impressed by the vast panorama and the numerous topics that are covered in the book: identical twins, autism, women’s education and their position in society, World War I and local reaction to the presence of refugees and especially the bookbinding process. I grew rather fond of Maude who seemed very wise in her own way, as well as the feisty Tilda with her war experiences. I would certainly recommend this book to my female friends and I am keen to read The Dictionary of Lost Words.
