Books
by Pip Williams
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The Bookbinder of Jericho |
WW I, the men are called away, Peggy and her twin-sister work in the bookbinding department of the Oxford University Press, folding, cutting the pages, but forbidden to read the words and at night going home to the narrowboat on which they live. Peggy longs to be educated but women have no place in the university. It’s a real eye-opener into how those books we take for granted were made, everything done by hand. One of those reads where the pages seem to turn themselves.
(Jenny Baker - bwl 120 Spring 2026) |
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The Dictionary of Lost Words |
Simon Winchester's The Surgeon of Crowthorne (bwl 2000) tells the story of the Scriptorium where lexicographers assembled the Oxford English Dictionary but somehow the words women use amongst themselves were disregarded. This is their story and of the little girl who treasured them. Whimsical? Not at all, Williams brings a whole new perspective on how words and their usage have shaped and influenced our lives throughout history. Warm, funny with a touch of romance but never sentimental, it's a compelling read.
(Jenny Baker - bwl 101 Summer 2021) |
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