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The Bookbinder
A young British woman working in a book bindery gets a chance to pursue knowledge and love when World War I upends her life in this new novel from the New York Times bestselling author of the Reese’s Book Club pick The Dictionary of Lost Words.
“Williams spins an immersive and compelling tale, sweeping us back to the Oxford she painted so expertly in The Dictionary of Lost Words.”—Paula McLain, author of The Paris Wife
It is 1914, and as the war draws the young men of Britain away to fight, women must keep the nation running. Two of those women are Peggy and Maude, twin sisters who live on a narrow boat in Oxford and work in the bindery at the university press.
Ambitious, intelligent Peggy has been told for most of her life that her job is to bind the books, not read them—but as she folds and gathers pages, her mind wanders to the opposite side of Walton Street, where the female students of Oxford’s Somerville College have a whole library at their fingertips. Maude, meanwhile, wants nothing more than what she has: to spend her days folding the pages of books in the company of the other bindery girls. She is extraordinary but vulnerable, and Peggy feels compelled to watch over her.
Then refugees arrive from the war-torn cities of Belgium, sending ripples through the Oxford community and the sisters’ lives. Peggy begins to see the possibility of another future where she can educate herself and use her intellect, not just her hands. But as war and illness reshape her world, her love for a Belgian soldier—and the responsibility that comes with it—threaten to hold her back.
The Bookbinder is a story about knowledge—who creates it, who can access it, and what truths get lost in the process. Much as she did in the international bestseller The Dictionary of Lost Words, Pip Williams thoughtfully explores another rarely seen slice of history through women’s eyes.
“Williams spins an immersive and compelling tale, sweeping us back to the Oxford she painted so expertly in The Dictionary of Lost Words.”—Paula McLain, author of The Paris Wife
It is 1914, and as the war draws the young men of Britain away to fight, women must keep the nation running. Two of those women are Peggy and Maude, twin sisters who live on a narrow boat in Oxford and work in the bindery at the university press.
Ambitious, intelligent Peggy has been told for most of her life that her job is to bind the books, not read them—but as she folds and gathers pages, her mind wanders to the opposite side of Walton Street, where the female students of Oxford’s Somerville College have a whole library at their fingertips. Maude, meanwhile, wants nothing more than what she has: to spend her days folding the pages of books in the company of the other bindery girls. She is extraordinary but vulnerable, and Peggy feels compelled to watch over her.
Then refugees arrive from the war-torn cities of Belgium, sending ripples through the Oxford community and the sisters’ lives. Peggy begins to see the possibility of another future where she can educate herself and use her intellect, not just her hands. But as war and illness reshape her world, her love for a Belgian soldier—and the responsibility that comes with it—threaten to hold her back.
The Bookbinder is a story about knowledge—who creates it, who can access it, and what truths get lost in the process. Much as she did in the international bestseller The Dictionary of Lost Words, Pip Williams thoughtfully explores another rarely seen slice of history through women’s eyes.
437 pages, Hardcover
First published March 28, 2023
About the author
Pip Williams
17 books2,085 followersPip was born in London, grew up in Sydney and now calls the Adelaide Hills home. She is co-author of the book Time Bomb: Work Rest and Play in Australia Today (New South Press, 2012) and in 2017 she wrote One Italian Summer, a memoir of her family’s travels in search of the good life, which was published with Affirm Press to wide acclaim. Pip has also published travel articles, book reviews, flash fiction and poetry.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,890 reviews
July 20, 2023
4.5⭐️
“Reading was such a quiet activity, and the reader in their parlour or leaning against the trunk of a tree would never imagine all the hands their book had been through, all the folding and cutting and beating it had endured. They would never guess how noisy and smelly the life of that book had been before it was put in their hands.”
Set in 1914 Oxford, England during the Great War, The Bookbinder by Pip Williams revolves around twin sisters twenty-one-year-old Peggy and Maude Jones who live on a narrowboat in Oxford and work in the bindery at the university press – jobs they have held ever since they were twelve years old. Though their job requires them “to bind books, not read them” their late mother, who passed away when they were seventeen and had been an employee of the bindery in her lifetimes instilled a love for reading and books in Peggy, who has sacrificed her dreams of attending Oxford's Somerville College in the interest of caring for her sister, who is a sweet and trusting person who requires special attention. As the war rages on and male employees are conscripted, it is up to the women to keep the press running, taking on additional responsibilities and volunteering to contribute to the war effort in every way possible. The influx of Belgian refugees many of whom take up work in the bindery, her interactions with injured servicemen recovering in the makeshift hospitals where Peggy volunteers and her acquaintance with Gwen a college student, not only enable Peggy to gain perspective on the events occurring around her but also motivate her to make an effort to exact change in her own life. The narrative follows Peggy as she navigates the horrors of war, societal norms and expectations, her responsibilities toward her sister and friends, her work in the bindery, her budding relationship with Bastiaan and her academic aspirations.
Having read and enjoyed The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams, I was eager to read the author’s latest offering. I'm happy to say that with The Bookbinder the author does not disappoint! We meet Gareth and Tilda from The Dictionary of Lost Words and, both of whom have an impact on Peggy’s life and several references to Esme’s book of Women’s Words are made throughout the narrative.
(Please note that both of these books can be read as standalone and you won't face any difficulty in following the narrative of The Bookbinder if you haven't read The Dictionary of Lost Words.)
The characters and the time-period are well-drawn. Peggy is an interesting character. She is not perfect but she is someone you would root for. I adored Maude and her sweet demeanor. Tilda is a powerful character and I wish we had more scenes of her with the sisters. Revolving around themes of war, PTSD, loss, sacrifice family, friendship, and women’s rights, Peggy’s story is set against the backdrop of WWI and its aftermath, the women’s suffrage movement and the Spanish flu. The author does a remarkable job of seamlessly weaving all the threads of this story together into an engrossing narrative. I loved reading about the work culture and the different job descriptions in the bindery/press. As an avid bibliophile with a fondness for collecting hardcover editions, I really enjoyed the descriptions of the steps involved in creating a finished copy.
Please read the Author’s Note wherein she shares details about the historical context of this novel and the real people and events that inspired parts of this story. I enjoyed learning more about the era from a different perspective. I loved that the author included a copy of a page with the names /signatures of actual the bindery staff in 1915.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and look forward to reading more from the author in the future.
Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley for the much-appreciated digital review copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. The Bookbinder is due t be released on July 25, 2023.
“Some things have to be voiced over and over, they have to be shared and understood, they have to echo through time until they become truth and not just fancy.”
“Reading was such a quiet activity, and the reader in their parlour or leaning against the trunk of a tree would never imagine all the hands their book had been through, all the folding and cutting and beating it had endured. They would never guess how noisy and smelly the life of that book had been before it was put in their hands.”
Set in 1914 Oxford, England during the Great War, The Bookbinder by Pip Williams revolves around twin sisters twenty-one-year-old Peggy and Maude Jones who live on a narrowboat in Oxford and work in the bindery at the university press – jobs they have held ever since they were twelve years old. Though their job requires them “to bind books, not read them” their late mother, who passed away when they were seventeen and had been an employee of the bindery in her lifetimes instilled a love for reading and books in Peggy, who has sacrificed her dreams of attending Oxford's Somerville College in the interest of caring for her sister, who is a sweet and trusting person who requires special attention. As the war rages on and male employees are conscripted, it is up to the women to keep the press running, taking on additional responsibilities and volunteering to contribute to the war effort in every way possible. The influx of Belgian refugees many of whom take up work in the bindery, her interactions with injured servicemen recovering in the makeshift hospitals where Peggy volunteers and her acquaintance with Gwen a college student, not only enable Peggy to gain perspective on the events occurring around her but also motivate her to make an effort to exact change in her own life. The narrative follows Peggy as she navigates the horrors of war, societal norms and expectations, her responsibilities toward her sister and friends, her work in the bindery, her budding relationship with Bastiaan and her academic aspirations.
Having read and enjoyed The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams, I was eager to read the author’s latest offering. I'm happy to say that with The Bookbinder the author does not disappoint! We meet Gareth and Tilda from The Dictionary of Lost Words and, both of whom have an impact on Peggy’s life and several references to Esme’s book of Women’s Words are made throughout the narrative.
(Please note that both of these books can be read as standalone and you won't face any difficulty in following the narrative of The Bookbinder if you haven't read The Dictionary of Lost Words.)
The characters and the time-period are well-drawn. Peggy is an interesting character. She is not perfect but she is someone you would root for. I adored Maude and her sweet demeanor. Tilda is a powerful character and I wish we had more scenes of her with the sisters. Revolving around themes of war, PTSD, loss, sacrifice family, friendship, and women’s rights, Peggy’s story is set against the backdrop of WWI and its aftermath, the women’s suffrage movement and the Spanish flu. The author does a remarkable job of seamlessly weaving all the threads of this story together into an engrossing narrative. I loved reading about the work culture and the different job descriptions in the bindery/press. As an avid bibliophile with a fondness for collecting hardcover editions, I really enjoyed the descriptions of the steps involved in creating a finished copy.
Please read the Author’s Note wherein she shares details about the historical context of this novel and the real people and events that inspired parts of this story. I enjoyed learning more about the era from a different perspective. I loved that the author included a copy of a page with the names /signatures of actual the bindery staff in 1915.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and look forward to reading more from the author in the future.
Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley for the much-appreciated digital review copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. The Bookbinder is due t be released on July 25, 2023.
“Some things have to be voiced over and over, they have to be shared and understood, they have to echo through time until they become truth and not just fancy.”
June 27, 2023
The Bookbinder isn’t exactly a sequel to The Dictionary of Lost Words, but it follows slightly in its footsteps. Peggy and Maude are twin sisters, but vastly different. Their now dead mother was a reader and encouraged Peggy’s curiosity. But Maude is slow and vulnerable, happy to fold paper into shapes. Both work for a book bindery of the Oxford University Press. Peggy steals the damaged works to take home to their narrowboat to read at night. She desires more from life, but feels obligated to look after Maude. She looks across at Somerville College, the women’s arm of Oxford University and imagines herself a “gown”, not a “town”.
The book takes place during WWI. Belgians arrive in Oxford from Lavain, the site of a brutal German massacre. One of those refugees is Lotte, who comes to work at the bindery and helps Peggy realize that Maude is not as helpless as Peggy thinks. Peggy also befriends Bastiaan, an injured Belgian soldier who comes to Oxford to recuperate.
Williams paints a detailed picture of life being forced to go on, despite the men mostly being called away. Women are offered opportunities to step into jobs previously denied. It was also a time when the distinction between the classes occasionally blurred, as when Peggy meets Gwen. But at the same time, Peggy has to remind Gwen that only Gwen will be allowed to vote. Or when a recovering officer still calls for Peggy to be removed from the officer’s ward and sent to help her own kind. As with the best historical fiction, Williams’s research allowed me to learn something while enjoying the story.
The writing makes it easy to imagine each detail, from the book crammed Calliope to the graceful dance of bookbinding to the field hospital in Etaples. The characters are all fully fleshed out, even the secondary characters.
The story is a heartwarming tale of growth and acting upon one’s dreams, of not giving up. But it’s also a story with horrible loss, given the twin demons of war and influenza. It’s a reminder that not all dreams can be achieved, that obtaining one might mean relinquishing others. And that peace will come with a cost, a reminder of what the women will once again be forced to give up. Lately, many of the books I’ve read deal with women as invisible beings and this continues that trend. That at the end, there will be no monuments to the women who toiled and sacrificed.
My thanks to Netgalley and Random House - Ballantine Books for an advance copy of this book.
The book takes place during WWI. Belgians arrive in Oxford from Lavain, the site of a brutal German massacre. One of those refugees is Lotte, who comes to work at the bindery and helps Peggy realize that Maude is not as helpless as Peggy thinks. Peggy also befriends Bastiaan, an injured Belgian soldier who comes to Oxford to recuperate.
Williams paints a detailed picture of life being forced to go on, despite the men mostly being called away. Women are offered opportunities to step into jobs previously denied. It was also a time when the distinction between the classes occasionally blurred, as when Peggy meets Gwen. But at the same time, Peggy has to remind Gwen that only Gwen will be allowed to vote. Or when a recovering officer still calls for Peggy to be removed from the officer’s ward and sent to help her own kind. As with the best historical fiction, Williams’s research allowed me to learn something while enjoying the story.
The writing makes it easy to imagine each detail, from the book crammed Calliope to the graceful dance of bookbinding to the field hospital in Etaples. The characters are all fully fleshed out, even the secondary characters.
The story is a heartwarming tale of growth and acting upon one’s dreams, of not giving up. But it’s also a story with horrible loss, given the twin demons of war and influenza. It’s a reminder that not all dreams can be achieved, that obtaining one might mean relinquishing others. And that peace will come with a cost, a reminder of what the women will once again be forced to give up. Lately, many of the books I’ve read deal with women as invisible beings and this continues that trend. That at the end, there will be no monuments to the women who toiled and sacrificed.
My thanks to Netgalley and Random House - Ballantine Books for an advance copy of this book.
August 17, 2023
Set in England, during the Great War, this story involves two twin sisters. After the death of the mother, Peggy promises to take care of her sister Maude. Because of that Peggy feels many restrictions which she feels limit her own life. Another one is the social standing. She comes from the working class, called “town.” The Oxford’s Somerville College, she dreams about and sees every day across from the University Press where she works, is for the upper class, called “gown.”
The story is driven by the voice of Peggy and her self-discovery. Both sisters work at bindery, but Peggy dreams about the world beyond binding. She craves the knowledge in the books she binds. A life changing opportunity comes when the tragic Great War sends Belgian refugees to parts of England.
The voice of Peggy represents voice of many women who were limited to certain things just because they were women. The war in in itself is a sad event, but in that tragedy an opportunity presents for some women.
The work of bookbinding is interestingly presented. The Belgian refugees fleeing their country and seeking refuge in England is a lesser known subject brought to light in this story.
As with the previous book The Dictionary of Lost Words, the writing is beautiful. It’s kind of a story that is composed of sub stories, not strongly driven by plot. The strong part of this story is the female camaraderie and the warm writing.
Character of Peggy seems to have some issues of her own creation. I didn’t fully connect with her.
Source: ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The story is driven by the voice of Peggy and her self-discovery. Both sisters work at bindery, but Peggy dreams about the world beyond binding. She craves the knowledge in the books she binds. A life changing opportunity comes when the tragic Great War sends Belgian refugees to parts of England.
The voice of Peggy represents voice of many women who were limited to certain things just because they were women. The war in in itself is a sad event, but in that tragedy an opportunity presents for some women.
The work of bookbinding is interestingly presented. The Belgian refugees fleeing their country and seeking refuge in England is a lesser known subject brought to light in this story.
As with the previous book The Dictionary of Lost Words, the writing is beautiful. It’s kind of a story that is composed of sub stories, not strongly driven by plot. The strong part of this story is the female camaraderie and the warm writing.
Character of Peggy seems to have some issues of her own creation. I didn’t fully connect with her.
Source: ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 22, 2023
Another terrific book from this author, set around the same time as The Dictionary of Lost Words and sharing a few of its characters.
The Bookbinder of Jericho is set in the First World War from 1914 to 1918. The main characters are Peggy and Maude who are identical twins. Identical in appearance anyway although Peggy is very clever and Maude is 'special'. They work side by side in a book bindery in Oxford and as the war progresses and all the men leave to fight, Peggy gets chances to improve herself which she would not otherwise have had.
Characters such as Esme, Gareth and Tilda pop up to remind us of The Dictionary of Lost Words, and again the reader experiences the anguish and atrocity of the war, the progress of the suffragette movement, the inequality of women and men, and, in this book, the terrible effects of the Spanish flu.
I enjoyed the whole book very much indeed and even had to reach for the tissues once or twice. The character of Bastiaan was written with great feeling by the author and I was really wishing he would get what he wanted. Tilda was another character who stepped out of the page and was very important in the whole development of the story.
Pip Williams writes extremely well and has a firm knowledge of her topic. I learned a huge amount about book binding, and about Belgian refugees during the war. This was a memorable read and I recommend it highly.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
The Bookbinder of Jericho is set in the First World War from 1914 to 1918. The main characters are Peggy and Maude who are identical twins. Identical in appearance anyway although Peggy is very clever and Maude is 'special'. They work side by side in a book bindery in Oxford and as the war progresses and all the men leave to fight, Peggy gets chances to improve herself which she would not otherwise have had.
Characters such as Esme, Gareth and Tilda pop up to remind us of The Dictionary of Lost Words, and again the reader experiences the anguish and atrocity of the war, the progress of the suffragette movement, the inequality of women and men, and, in this book, the terrible effects of the Spanish flu.
I enjoyed the whole book very much indeed and even had to reach for the tissues once or twice. The character of Bastiaan was written with great feeling by the author and I was really wishing he would get what he wanted. Tilda was another character who stepped out of the page and was very important in the whole development of the story.
Pip Williams writes extremely well and has a firm knowledge of her topic. I learned a huge amount about book binding, and about Belgian refugees during the war. This was a memorable read and I recommend it highly.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
September 10, 2023
4 ⭐ for the first 3/4 of the book...it was fantastic!
1⭐ for the last 1/4 of the book. I didn't like it at all and sped through the chapters because of the horrible language and sexual content that wasn't necessary!
Total rating 3.5⭐
I finished this book several days ago and am just now finding time to write a quick as possible review. For the first time since I joined Goodreads two years ago the middle of this month, I didn't feel like writing a review. However I will for those who want to read it. Remember, this is only my opinion. I really hope that whoever reads this book will enjoy it!!
This book is a story within a story. It takes place in England before, during and after WW2. The main characters are identical twin sisters named Peggy and Maude. Identical in looks but different in just about everything else. This story starts in 1914 and ends in 1918. Their Mother was a bindery girl until she passed away. She has bookcases full of wonderful books that Peggy loves reading and Maude loves to put everything in their exact places. I should mention that Peggy and Maude live on a boat named Calliope! I thought that part was cool!!
Peggy and Maude are bindery girls and Peggy is told not to read the pages, just fold them. Of course, she reads as much as she can! Peggy wants more out of life... so much more. She wants to go to college, read books and fall in love. Maude is content to work at the bindery. She loves folding things... it's her favorite thing to do! People think that Maude is " simple" and doesn't understand things but she understands more than anyone could know. I really love Maude! She's my favorite character and without her, there wouldn't be much of a story. She is sweet, kind and faithful to her sister and their friends. As the story goes on, one of their friends, Tilda is a VAD sent overseas. She writes letters to them and of course things are blacked out. When they get her first letter, Peggy and Maude are excited but Peggy says this: " I peered at the blacked-out lines. Just two, but they overshadowed the whole letter, I went mad trying to work out what what Tilda had written. I scraped at the back with the edge of a knife; I held the page up to the lamp. I finally threw it on the table, ' What don't they want us to know?'' " I said.
" Truth," Maude said, without pausing in her folds. How profound!! This is why I love Maude! She says it as it is!!
As the story progresses, Peggy has a chance to go to college and has found love. Will she take it or use Maude as her excuse to not go forward? Her friend Tilda quotes what their Mother said to her before she died.
" She didn't like the idea that one day you might leave, but it also terrified her to think that you wouldn't." " Peg spends so much time looking back to see where Maude is, I'm afraid she'll never let Maude move forward."
This is what I loved about the book and I learned how to bind books by hand. What I didn't like about the last 1/4 of it, isn't worth mentioning. I will say that it felt like a slap in my face! To read such a beautiful story and then fill the pages with what I consider junk. Again, this is only my opinion, I really hope that you'll read it and judge it for yourselves! I truly hope that you'll enjoy it more than I did.
Enjoy and Happy Reading 💫✨
1⭐ for the last 1/4 of the book. I didn't like it at all and sped through the chapters because of the horrible language and sexual content that wasn't necessary!
Total rating 3.5⭐
I finished this book several days ago and am just now finding time to write a quick as possible review. For the first time since I joined Goodreads two years ago the middle of this month, I didn't feel like writing a review. However I will for those who want to read it. Remember, this is only my opinion. I really hope that whoever reads this book will enjoy it!!
This book is a story within a story. It takes place in England before, during and after WW2. The main characters are identical twin sisters named Peggy and Maude. Identical in looks but different in just about everything else. This story starts in 1914 and ends in 1918. Their Mother was a bindery girl until she passed away. She has bookcases full of wonderful books that Peggy loves reading and Maude loves to put everything in their exact places. I should mention that Peggy and Maude live on a boat named Calliope! I thought that part was cool!!
Peggy and Maude are bindery girls and Peggy is told not to read the pages, just fold them. Of course, she reads as much as she can! Peggy wants more out of life... so much more. She wants to go to college, read books and fall in love. Maude is content to work at the bindery. She loves folding things... it's her favorite thing to do! People think that Maude is " simple" and doesn't understand things but she understands more than anyone could know. I really love Maude! She's my favorite character and without her, there wouldn't be much of a story. She is sweet, kind and faithful to her sister and their friends. As the story goes on, one of their friends, Tilda is a VAD sent overseas. She writes letters to them and of course things are blacked out. When they get her first letter, Peggy and Maude are excited but Peggy says this: " I peered at the blacked-out lines. Just two, but they overshadowed the whole letter, I went mad trying to work out what what Tilda had written. I scraped at the back with the edge of a knife; I held the page up to the lamp. I finally threw it on the table, ' What don't they want us to know?'' " I said.
" Truth," Maude said, without pausing in her folds. How profound!! This is why I love Maude! She says it as it is!!
As the story progresses, Peggy has a chance to go to college and has found love. Will she take it or use Maude as her excuse to not go forward? Her friend Tilda quotes what their Mother said to her before she died.
" She didn't like the idea that one day you might leave, but it also terrified her to think that you wouldn't." " Peg spends so much time looking back to see where Maude is, I'm afraid she'll never let Maude move forward."
This is what I loved about the book and I learned how to bind books by hand. What I didn't like about the last 1/4 of it, isn't worth mentioning. I will say that it felt like a slap in my face! To read such a beautiful story and then fill the pages with what I consider junk. Again, this is only my opinion, I really hope that you'll read it and judge it for yourselves! I truly hope that you'll enjoy it more than I did.
Enjoy and Happy Reading 💫✨
October 21, 2024
I wanted so much to love this - my first book by Pip Williams (yep, I'm probably the only Aussie who hasn't yet read The Dictionary of Lost Words). The Bookbinder of Jericho, a story of a working-class, self-educated woman wanting to read and study at Oxford the books she binds at the Press, should've been right up my alley, but I found this novel a real chore to read. I think the focus on all the historical detail came at the expense of the plot and pace, so to me, the story felt/read excruciatingly slow.
There's no doubt about the quality of the research that's been poured into the story -- it's there on every page to see, so much so, that the characters feel like they take a back seat to the setting of the novel. The writing is to be admired, and I enjoyed the array of characters, but none of them truly stuck with me.
2.5 rounded down.
There's no doubt about the quality of the research that's been poured into the story -- it's there on every page to see, so much so, that the characters feel like they take a back seat to the setting of the novel. The writing is to be admired, and I enjoyed the array of characters, but none of them truly stuck with me.
2.5 rounded down.
March 28, 2023
4.5 ★
An extremely satisfying follow-up to the author's breakout bestseller, The Dictionary of Lost Words. More of a companion than a sequel, although the two books have a few characters and events in common, I think they could be read in either order. But I'm sure any readers who start with this one will want to pick up DOLW quick-smart to continue the journey.
When the story begins, twin sisters Peggy & Maude have been working as bindery girls at Clarendon Press (part of the Oxford University Press) for a number of years, just like their mother and her mother before them. But now it's just the two of them, as they are grieving the loss of their Ma not too long ago. Whether it's folding, gathering or sewing, Peggy is an old, adept hand whereas Maude is a little different and has her own particular skills. Mostly though, they work side by side where Peg can keep an eye on Maude. At night they return home to their narrowboat, Calliope, filled with books; some bought by their Ma, others rejects from the Press, some little more than damaged pages. But both girls revere their little library as a shared heritage.
At the outbreak of the Great War the men of Oxford, including the Jericho district, are quick to volunteer, leaving the work of the Press mainly to the women. But the women also volunteer where they can. As the colleges are repurposed as hospitals and the wounded begin flooding in to Oxford, Peg volunteers to help. Teamed up with Gwen, a student at Somerville College, she falls into an unexpected volunteer role - reading and writing for the soldiers, even the officers. Not realising at the time that this would be a turning point in her life, Peg thrives in the role and in her independence from Maude, even if only for a few hours a week.
Broad in scope and themes, and with a good balance between plot and character, I loved dipping into this book each time I picked it up. I enjoyed learning more about the technical details of book production and I also enjoyed learning about the Belgian WW1 perspective for the first time (a large number of Belgian refugees were resettled in Oxford) from this novel.
Peg is the focus of the story, and it is told from her point of view. Luckily she's an easy to character to like, understand and admire. Her frustration with her own circumstances (several aspects) was entirely warranted, and I couldn't help but cheer for her victories and commiserate over her disappointments.
On balance I preferred this novel to the earlier one. They are both fascinating, engaging and meticulously researched, but where this one edged ahead for me was in the emotion of the story. This time I think Pip Williams has nailed it.
With thanks to NetGalley and Affirm Press for the opportunity to read and review an uncorrected proof.
An extremely satisfying follow-up to the author's breakout bestseller, The Dictionary of Lost Words. More of a companion than a sequel, although the two books have a few characters and events in common, I think they could be read in either order. But I'm sure any readers who start with this one will want to pick up DOLW quick-smart to continue the journey.
When the story begins, twin sisters Peggy & Maude have been working as bindery girls at Clarendon Press (part of the Oxford University Press) for a number of years, just like their mother and her mother before them. But now it's just the two of them, as they are grieving the loss of their Ma not too long ago. Whether it's folding, gathering or sewing, Peggy is an old, adept hand whereas Maude is a little different and has her own particular skills. Mostly though, they work side by side where Peg can keep an eye on Maude. At night they return home to their narrowboat, Calliope, filled with books; some bought by their Ma, others rejects from the Press, some little more than damaged pages. But both girls revere their little library as a shared heritage.
At the outbreak of the Great War the men of Oxford, including the Jericho district, are quick to volunteer, leaving the work of the Press mainly to the women. But the women also volunteer where they can. As the colleges are repurposed as hospitals and the wounded begin flooding in to Oxford, Peg volunteers to help. Teamed up with Gwen, a student at Somerville College, she falls into an unexpected volunteer role - reading and writing for the soldiers, even the officers. Not realising at the time that this would be a turning point in her life, Peg thrives in the role and in her independence from Maude, even if only for a few hours a week.
Broad in scope and themes, and with a good balance between plot and character, I loved dipping into this book each time I picked it up. I enjoyed learning more about the technical details of book production and I also enjoyed learning about the Belgian WW1 perspective for the first time (a large number of Belgian refugees were resettled in Oxford) from this novel.
Peg is the focus of the story, and it is told from her point of view. Luckily she's an easy to character to like, understand and admire. Her frustration with her own circumstances (several aspects) was entirely warranted, and I couldn't help but cheer for her victories and commiserate over her disappointments.
On balance I preferred this novel to the earlier one. They are both fascinating, engaging and meticulously researched, but where this one edged ahead for me was in the emotion of the story. This time I think Pip Williams has nailed it.
With thanks to NetGalley and Affirm Press for the opportunity to read and review an uncorrected proof.
July 25, 2023
**Happy Publication Day!**
A companion book to Pip Williams' first book about Oxford University Press, The Dictionary of Lost Words, this one deals with the bookbinding girls at the press. The story is set at the beginning of WWI, where we meet twin sisters, Peggy and Maude Jones. The girls began working at the bindery at the age of 12, as had their mother and grandmother before them. Peggy longs to take the time to read the pages that pass through her hands but is constantly reminded that her job is to fold them, not read them. Still, a sizable collection of pages and books have found their way to the narrowboat on the Oxford canal where they live. Peggy has a dream: to someday cross the street and study at Somerville. 'There's something about being told you can't have access that makes you long for a place.'
One of the things holding Peggy back is her sister Maude who is a bit different and needs minding. The other is Peggy's lack of education, having quit school to be with her sister at work. And how would she pay for college? Fortunately for her, her intelligence and drive come to the attention of some well-placed women who have befriended her and she learns there is a possibility she can get a full scholarship to Somerville IF she can pass the entrance exams.
As we know, the history of the world is seldom told through women's experiences but here we have the chance to see what it was like on the home front during WWI. The women not only keep the home fires burning, cooking, cleaning, raising children, but fill many of the jobs that are vacated by the men who have gone off to the war.
In her spare time, Peggy volunteers to read and write letters for some of wounded soldiers in the hospital and there she meets a soldier from Belgium whose face has been badly disfigured. Soon a little romance is blooming between the two but would she be willing to give up her dream for him? And what about Maude?
Any lover of books might enjoy learning more about the process of printing and binding books in those days. So fascinating! And there's also the backdrop of the war and the women's suffragette movement, strangely only meant for some.
I received an arc of this novel from the author and publisher via NetGalley. Many thanks! My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.
A companion book to Pip Williams' first book about Oxford University Press, The Dictionary of Lost Words, this one deals with the bookbinding girls at the press. The story is set at the beginning of WWI, where we meet twin sisters, Peggy and Maude Jones. The girls began working at the bindery at the age of 12, as had their mother and grandmother before them. Peggy longs to take the time to read the pages that pass through her hands but is constantly reminded that her job is to fold them, not read them. Still, a sizable collection of pages and books have found their way to the narrowboat on the Oxford canal where they live. Peggy has a dream: to someday cross the street and study at Somerville. 'There's something about being told you can't have access that makes you long for a place.'
One of the things holding Peggy back is her sister Maude who is a bit different and needs minding. The other is Peggy's lack of education, having quit school to be with her sister at work. And how would she pay for college? Fortunately for her, her intelligence and drive come to the attention of some well-placed women who have befriended her and she learns there is a possibility she can get a full scholarship to Somerville IF she can pass the entrance exams.
As we know, the history of the world is seldom told through women's experiences but here we have the chance to see what it was like on the home front during WWI. The women not only keep the home fires burning, cooking, cleaning, raising children, but fill many of the jobs that are vacated by the men who have gone off to the war.
In her spare time, Peggy volunteers to read and write letters for some of wounded soldiers in the hospital and there she meets a soldier from Belgium whose face has been badly disfigured. Soon a little romance is blooming between the two but would she be willing to give up her dream for him? And what about Maude?
Any lover of books might enjoy learning more about the process of printing and binding books in those days. So fascinating! And there's also the backdrop of the war and the women's suffragette movement, strangely only meant for some.
I received an arc of this novel from the author and publisher via NetGalley. Many thanks! My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.
May 8, 2023
1914 and as the men of Britain go off to fight, jobs fall to the women to keep business running.Among the workforce are twins Peggy and Maude. They are employed on the bindery of Oxford University Press in Jericho. Peggy dreams of attending Oxford University but she is a bindery girl. Her job to bind the books not read them. But read them she does and pages that are deemed not right she brings home tot ha narrow boat wher she and Maude live. Maude, is content it appears in her life and Peggy watches over and cares for her,as Maude is a little different.
Refugees arrive from Belgium causing different reactions among the British population.
Peggy begins to eye off another future for herself. But she needs to be there for Maude until one of the refugees starts spending time with Maude, allowing Peggy a little more freedom to pursue her own dreams. And in among all of this Peggy falls in love. What changes will that bring?
This is a fascinating read as it deals with the binding of books, devastating effects of war, loss, friends and family relationships, and the limitations imposed on women, especially those less educated. It also deals with a love of reading and books. Meanwhile women are seeking the vote.the story progresses from 1914-1918.
It is the companion volume to acclaimed The Dictionary of Lost Words, which I have not read yet. Still, it was easy enough to settle in with these hardworking women, their lives of hardship but glimmers of hope. The love and care of Peggy for her twin is beautiful as is the way she responds to one of the severely injured Belgian soldiers.
While overall I really enjoyed it immensely, there were times when in seemed to move slowly and went on a bit long. But maybe that has more to do with me and my frame of mind as most everyone else seems to have loved and acclaimed it. And I understand that response too. Definitely a thought provoking book and well worth reading.
Refugees arrive from Belgium causing different reactions among the British population.
Peggy begins to eye off another future for herself. But she needs to be there for Maude until one of the refugees starts spending time with Maude, allowing Peggy a little more freedom to pursue her own dreams. And in among all of this Peggy falls in love. What changes will that bring?
This is a fascinating read as it deals with the binding of books, devastating effects of war, loss, friends and family relationships, and the limitations imposed on women, especially those less educated. It also deals with a love of reading and books. Meanwhile women are seeking the vote.the story progresses from 1914-1918.
It is the companion volume to acclaimed The Dictionary of Lost Words, which I have not read yet. Still, it was easy enough to settle in with these hardworking women, their lives of hardship but glimmers of hope. The love and care of Peggy for her twin is beautiful as is the way she responds to one of the severely injured Belgian soldiers.
While overall I really enjoyed it immensely, there were times when in seemed to move slowly and went on a bit long. But maybe that has more to do with me and my frame of mind as most everyone else seems to have loved and acclaimed it. And I understand that response too. Definitely a thought provoking book and well worth reading.
February 14, 2024
The Bookbinder by Pip Williams had a much better storyline than her previous novel Dictionary of Lost Words. This novel took place during WW1 in England. The reader goes through the Great War, suffragette movement and the Spanish Flu. Along with women not being treated as equals. The discriminations that took place in the workplace of that time. It is the story of two sisters as they move through each obstacle life hands them at that time.
June 27, 2023
I finished this book over lunch and wanted to review it while I'm still experiencing that post-book glow.
The Bookbinder is related to The Dictionary of Lost Words, but is neither sequel nor a prequel, and the two titles can be read in either order. I very much enjoyed The Dictionary of Lost Words. The Bookbinder left me floating in a sea of ideas and language that I'd like to remain in for the indefinite future, though I suppose life will interfere with that.
The Bookbinder is set in and near Oxford during WWI. England has just joined the war, young men are eager to sign up, young women find themselves moving into new territory that was previously male. Refugees from Belgium have just arrived in town and receive a mixed review: some are welcoming; others resent them because they represent a war that England has joined—and "our boys" are being killed "over there," even though England itself has not been attacked.
This is a book with a rich ensemble cast. At the center of it are twin sisters, Peggy and Maude, who work as "folders" at Oxford University Press. Maude has difficulty communicating, so she uses a repertoire of phrases she's heard others using to express her own feelings and ideas. Peggy is smart and desperately frustrated spending her days folding pages instead of reading them. Somerville College at Oxford has been opened for female students. These women can't earn degrees—even if they take all the courses and pass all the exams—but at least they're getting to read and think. Peggy dreams of being able to enroll at Somerville, but it seems impossible for any number of reasons: money; the fact that she's "town," not "gown"; the extent to which she focuses her life on protecting Maude now that their mother has died; the general hostility toward anyone trying to move "above their station."
Other members of the cast include
• Tilda, Peggy and Maude's mother's best friend (and lover?), who has little time for social norms, winds up working as a medical aid in France, close to the fighting, and is balancing the pride she takes in her own work with the grief and sense of wastefulness that is inevitable in a war zone
• Lotte, a refugee from Belgium and former librarian, now working at the Press as a Folder, who seems to have an intuitive sympathy with Maude, that Peggy both appreciates and resents
• Bastiaan, a badly wounded and disfigured soldier from Belgium, who Peggy befriends as she does war-related volunteer work at the local hospital
• Gwen, a well off young woman at Somerville, also a volunteer at the hospital, and Peggy's friend—when Peggy isn't resenting Gwen's privilege and the fact that Gwen is completely blind to the ease with which her life has unfolded
• The small, three-generation family living on the canal boat moored next to the canal boat on which Maude and Peggy have grown up
• The staff at the Press, both on the "men's side" and the "women's side"
• And books—books, books, books, books, books—at the press, in conversation, at the colleges, piled up in every possible niche on Peggy and Maude's canal boat.
Spending time with this crew is a pleasure, even when they're frustrated or grieving. I was simultaneously aware of both the ordinariness of their lives and the extraordinariness of the time in which they're living. There's some romance—but it's never more important than friendships or the goals of individual characters, which delights me because I have limited patience with novels built around cis pairings-up.
I ended the book weeping tears of hopefulness, full of longing for so many of the characters.
And Pip William's (the author) prose style! Reading her words is like feasting on something deeply nourishing, but also a bit decadent, that never leaves one feeling bloated, if that makes sense. After reading The Dictionary of Lost Words, I knew I wanted to keep Williams on my radar. Having now read The Bookbinder, I'm longing for her next novel in the way one does with a favorite writer. She is (quite literally) now on the list of writers I google on a regular basis because next book, next book, next book, when, when, when... The Bookbinder is coming out on August 1 (2023) and it's the kind of title that's worth buying in hardback on day one.
I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley; the opinions are my own.
The Bookbinder is related to The Dictionary of Lost Words, but is neither sequel nor a prequel, and the two titles can be read in either order. I very much enjoyed The Dictionary of Lost Words. The Bookbinder left me floating in a sea of ideas and language that I'd like to remain in for the indefinite future, though I suppose life will interfere with that.
The Bookbinder is set in and near Oxford during WWI. England has just joined the war, young men are eager to sign up, young women find themselves moving into new territory that was previously male. Refugees from Belgium have just arrived in town and receive a mixed review: some are welcoming; others resent them because they represent a war that England has joined—and "our boys" are being killed "over there," even though England itself has not been attacked.
This is a book with a rich ensemble cast. At the center of it are twin sisters, Peggy and Maude, who work as "folders" at Oxford University Press. Maude has difficulty communicating, so she uses a repertoire of phrases she's heard others using to express her own feelings and ideas. Peggy is smart and desperately frustrated spending her days folding pages instead of reading them. Somerville College at Oxford has been opened for female students. These women can't earn degrees—even if they take all the courses and pass all the exams—but at least they're getting to read and think. Peggy dreams of being able to enroll at Somerville, but it seems impossible for any number of reasons: money; the fact that she's "town," not "gown"; the extent to which she focuses her life on protecting Maude now that their mother has died; the general hostility toward anyone trying to move "above their station."
Other members of the cast include
• Tilda, Peggy and Maude's mother's best friend (and lover?), who has little time for social norms, winds up working as a medical aid in France, close to the fighting, and is balancing the pride she takes in her own work with the grief and sense of wastefulness that is inevitable in a war zone
• Lotte, a refugee from Belgium and former librarian, now working at the Press as a Folder, who seems to have an intuitive sympathy with Maude, that Peggy both appreciates and resents
• Bastiaan, a badly wounded and disfigured soldier from Belgium, who Peggy befriends as she does war-related volunteer work at the local hospital
• Gwen, a well off young woman at Somerville, also a volunteer at the hospital, and Peggy's friend—when Peggy isn't resenting Gwen's privilege and the fact that Gwen is completely blind to the ease with which her life has unfolded
• The small, three-generation family living on the canal boat moored next to the canal boat on which Maude and Peggy have grown up
• The staff at the Press, both on the "men's side" and the "women's side"
• And books—books, books, books, books, books—at the press, in conversation, at the colleges, piled up in every possible niche on Peggy and Maude's canal boat.
Spending time with this crew is a pleasure, even when they're frustrated or grieving. I was simultaneously aware of both the ordinariness of their lives and the extraordinariness of the time in which they're living. There's some romance—but it's never more important than friendships or the goals of individual characters, which delights me because I have limited patience with novels built around cis pairings-up.
I ended the book weeping tears of hopefulness, full of longing for so many of the characters.
And Pip William's (the author) prose style! Reading her words is like feasting on something deeply nourishing, but also a bit decadent, that never leaves one feeling bloated, if that makes sense. After reading The Dictionary of Lost Words, I knew I wanted to keep Williams on my radar. Having now read The Bookbinder, I'm longing for her next novel in the way one does with a favorite writer. She is (quite literally) now on the list of writers I google on a regular basis because next book, next book, next book, when, when, when... The Bookbinder is coming out on August 1 (2023) and it's the kind of title that's worth buying in hardback on day one.
I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley; the opinions are my own.
February 21, 2023
“Your job is to bind books, not read them…”
Pip Williams blends history with imagination, weaving a captivating, poignant tale of desire, duty, grief and love in The Bookbinder of Jericho, a companion novel to her award winning fiction debut, The Dictionary of Lost Words.
Set within the bindery of the Oxford University Clarendon Press, we are introduced to Peggy, who, wielding her late mother’s bonefolder, gathers and folds the pages of books she dreams of studying at University, but as a Town, with the added responsibility of her vulnerable twin sister, Maude, such ambition has always seemed impossible. Then World War I breaks out, heralding change that seems to bring the future Peggy wants within her grasp, but war always calls for sacrifice.
Told in five parts, beginning in 1914 and ending in 1918, The Bookbinder of Jericho is well grounded in historical fact, exploring the gatekeeping of education and knowledge, womens suffrage, the horrors of war, post traumatic stress, and the devastating spread of Spanish Flu. It’s also a thought provoking and emotional story, rendering longing, romance, heartache, and loss with sincerity.
Peggy is a complex central figure, intelligent and dutiful but prickly, her resentment of all she is denied, by her gender, her social status, and her responsibilities, is never far from the surface. Though they are identical in looks, Maude’s contented nature and simple needs contrasts sharply with that of her twin. The supporting characters, including family friend Tilda (who appeared in The Dictionary of Lost Words), and Belgian refugees Lotte and Bastiaan, are well drawn and enrich the story.
Evocative prose effortlessly conjures movement and place. I found it easy to visualise the sisters crowded narrowboat lined with books and manuscripts, the balletic grace of the bindery women sweeping pages into their arms, the intimidating architecture of Oxford University, and Maude carefully folding her array of colourful paper stars.
The Bookbinder of Jericho is a rich, lyrical, beautifully crafted novel, I won’t hesitate to recommend.
Pip Williams blends history with imagination, weaving a captivating, poignant tale of desire, duty, grief and love in The Bookbinder of Jericho, a companion novel to her award winning fiction debut, The Dictionary of Lost Words.
Set within the bindery of the Oxford University Clarendon Press, we are introduced to Peggy, who, wielding her late mother’s bonefolder, gathers and folds the pages of books she dreams of studying at University, but as a Town, with the added responsibility of her vulnerable twin sister, Maude, such ambition has always seemed impossible. Then World War I breaks out, heralding change that seems to bring the future Peggy wants within her grasp, but war always calls for sacrifice.
Told in five parts, beginning in 1914 and ending in 1918, The Bookbinder of Jericho is well grounded in historical fact, exploring the gatekeeping of education and knowledge, womens suffrage, the horrors of war, post traumatic stress, and the devastating spread of Spanish Flu. It’s also a thought provoking and emotional story, rendering longing, romance, heartache, and loss with sincerity.
Peggy is a complex central figure, intelligent and dutiful but prickly, her resentment of all she is denied, by her gender, her social status, and her responsibilities, is never far from the surface. Though they are identical in looks, Maude’s contented nature and simple needs contrasts sharply with that of her twin. The supporting characters, including family friend Tilda (who appeared in The Dictionary of Lost Words), and Belgian refugees Lotte and Bastiaan, are well drawn and enrich the story.
Evocative prose effortlessly conjures movement and place. I found it easy to visualise the sisters crowded narrowboat lined with books and manuscripts, the balletic grace of the bindery women sweeping pages into their arms, the intimidating architecture of Oxford University, and Maude carefully folding her array of colourful paper stars.
The Bookbinder of Jericho is a rich, lyrical, beautifully crafted novel, I won’t hesitate to recommend.
July 31, 2023
This month’s book club choice and, to be honest, contemplated with a mix of disappointment and indifference. ‘The Dictionary of Lost Words’ was one of the most forgettable books that I’ve had the misfortune of encountering and I penned a pretty savage review a few months ago (which hasn’t changed). What would it’s companion volume contribute to the debate?
Well, quite a lot because Pip Williams’ style is more focused and her material has a much larger canvas to work with. Moreover, her writing is stronger and there’s less creativity and more fact over fancy throughout. There’s still an infuriating degree of telling over showing but, overall, ‘The Bookbinder of Jericho’ is a creditable page-turner that examines the perennially popular trope of social class, education and the work and life opportunities available therein for women. It’s a well-trodden path but Williams weaves it with grace, sensitivity and compassion.
Williams fans will devour it but the sceptics like myself will hopefully be quietly astonished that the ebb and flow of ‘The Bookbinder of Jericho’ more than compensates for its over-rated predecessor.
Well, quite a lot because Pip Williams’ style is more focused and her material has a much larger canvas to work with. Moreover, her writing is stronger and there’s less creativity and more fact over fancy throughout. There’s still an infuriating degree of telling over showing but, overall, ‘The Bookbinder of Jericho’ is a creditable page-turner that examines the perennially popular trope of social class, education and the work and life opportunities available therein for women. It’s a well-trodden path but Williams weaves it with grace, sensitivity and compassion.
Williams fans will devour it but the sceptics like myself will hopefully be quietly astonished that the ebb and flow of ‘The Bookbinder of Jericho’ more than compensates for its over-rated predecessor.
August 4, 2023
This book was quite boring for me. There was no emotion in the words, every character was a name, no appearances were described and no one had a strong character except Tilda and Gwen.
Also, Peggy was really annoying. Gwen was the only likeable character because Peggy was into self pity and indignation, and also ambitious - so she was just really preachy and annoying.
I didn’t like how all the conversations were so terse, I’m not sure if that’s supposed to philosophical and deep or not? But it was boring?
Wouldn’t really recommend this book to anyone but maybe English teachers. I really liked The Dictionary of Lost Words, so actually surprised that I really disliked reading it.
The romance was also boring. I think I was truly bored. The book could have been a lot better, since it’s not a bad story, just told in the most boring and simple manner. Everyone nods. Every interaction is short. She said. He said. There’s no variation.
I wouldn’t give one star since it wasn’t a stupid book, but I just hoped it was better.
Also, Peggy was really annoying. Gwen was the only likeable character because Peggy was into self pity and indignation, and also ambitious - so she was just really preachy and annoying.
I didn’t like how all the conversations were so terse, I’m not sure if that’s supposed to philosophical and deep or not? But it was boring?
Wouldn’t really recommend this book to anyone but maybe English teachers. I really liked The Dictionary of Lost Words, so actually surprised that I really disliked reading it.
The romance was also boring. I think I was truly bored. The book could have been a lot better, since it’s not a bad story, just told in the most boring and simple manner. Everyone nods. Every interaction is short. She said. He said. There’s no variation.
I wouldn’t give one star since it wasn’t a stupid book, but I just hoped it was better.
February 19, 2023
“’Their lives are barely recorded,’ Ma had said once, when I asked what happened to the women of Troy. ‘So their deaths aren’t worth writing about’. So say the poets, I thought. The men who hold the pen.”
The Bookbinder of Jericho is a companion novel to The Dictionary of Lost Words by Australian author, Pip Williams. Since they were twelve years old, Peggy Jones and her twin sister, Maude have worked as bindery girls at Clarendon Press. The tasks can be varied, but too often, Peggy finds herself reading when she should be folding, or gathering or sewing. And she has to watch out for Maude, whose distraction can lead to spoiled copies.
It’s one of the reasons Peggy hasn’t tried to advance her position, even though she’s smart enough: she promised Ma she would look after Maude. She’s unaware of what Helen Jones used to say to her best friend Tilda, Taylor: “Peg spends so much time looking back to see where Maude is, I’m afraid she’ll never move forward.”
Maude is different, special: “She stored phrases like a printer stored plates – the words set and ready to use when needed… Maude filtered conversation like a prism filters light.” Today she might be described as on the spectrum, but in 1914, Peggy underestimates her ability to adapt.
Each time she leaves the bindery to head home to their narrowboat, Calliope, Peggy looks longingly across Walton Street at Somerville College, where she would dearly love to Read English, to, one day, write for those voiceless women. But she knows that bindery girls, no matter how many books they secretly read, are never good enough to be accepted in those hallowed halls: the separation between Town and Gown might as well be a solid wall.
Just as the Press workforce is being depleted by men enlisting to fight the Germans, a compositor named Gareth Owens comes in with a special request: the bindery forewoman looks the other way, after hours, as Peggy helps him to fold, gather, and sew the book he has printed for his beloved. Women’s Words and Their Meanings has been compiled by Esme Nicoll and, watching old Eb bind the volume and gild the title, Peggy is proud to have been part of this secret project. It galvanises her desire to write.
When she was alive, Helen Jones filled Calliope with reading matter, taught her daughters to read, and discussed the classics. Later, Peggy thinks about the books, sections, manuscripts her mother had amassed: “They made Calliope even smaller, even tighter. ‘They will expand your world’, Ma had said. But if I hadn’t read them, I wouldn’t know how small my world was.”
But Peggy is unaware that there are people working behind the scenes to help fulfill that dream. When the opportunity is put in front of her, she is, at first, uncertain, despite encouragement from all around her. She will need to pass exams, to study. Ancient Greek was never on the curriculum at St Barnabas, and A Primer of Greek Grammar will become the most hated book she opens. Can she ever become a Somervillian?
The author’s meticulous research is apparent in every paragraph, but she weaves her wealth of information into the story with consummate subtlety: it never feels like a lesson. Peggy and Maude’s daily routine describes life on a narrowboat; Peggy’s volunteer work, reading and writing for injured servicemen, highlights the suffering caused by the war when she comes in contact with a Belgian soldier, Sgt Bastiaan Peeters, whose injuries include a horrible facial disfigurement.
If the scant detail of the letters received from their narrowboat neighbour, Jack Rowntree, conforms to the official version of life in the trenches, missives from Tilda in her VAD nursing role in France, cleverly bypassing the censor’s check, offer a more realistic view of the front. Oxford’s reception of Belgian refugees, despite the trauma they have clearly suffered, is not always charitable. All this against background of the struggles for Women’s Suffrage, and the devastating effects of the Spanish ‘flu pandemic.
At all times, Peggy’s love for books shines through: “Reading was such a quiet activity, and the reader in their parlour or leaning against the trunk of a tree would never imagine all the hands their book had been through, all the folding and cutting and beating it had endured. They would never guess how noisy and smelly the life of that book had been before it was put in their hands.”
Anyone who loved The Dictionary of Lost Words will be delighted to enter that world again. Williams gives the reader wonderful characters, such gorgeous prose that it’s hard to limit the quotes, and a plot to make you laugh, make you cry, make you feel. Utterly enthralling, this is historical fiction at its finest.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by Better Reading Preview and Affirm Press.
The Bookbinder of Jericho is a companion novel to The Dictionary of Lost Words by Australian author, Pip Williams. Since they were twelve years old, Peggy Jones and her twin sister, Maude have worked as bindery girls at Clarendon Press. The tasks can be varied, but too often, Peggy finds herself reading when she should be folding, or gathering or sewing. And she has to watch out for Maude, whose distraction can lead to spoiled copies.
It’s one of the reasons Peggy hasn’t tried to advance her position, even though she’s smart enough: she promised Ma she would look after Maude. She’s unaware of what Helen Jones used to say to her best friend Tilda, Taylor: “Peg spends so much time looking back to see where Maude is, I’m afraid she’ll never move forward.”
Maude is different, special: “She stored phrases like a printer stored plates – the words set and ready to use when needed… Maude filtered conversation like a prism filters light.” Today she might be described as on the spectrum, but in 1914, Peggy underestimates her ability to adapt.
Each time she leaves the bindery to head home to their narrowboat, Calliope, Peggy looks longingly across Walton Street at Somerville College, where she would dearly love to Read English, to, one day, write for those voiceless women. But she knows that bindery girls, no matter how many books they secretly read, are never good enough to be accepted in those hallowed halls: the separation between Town and Gown might as well be a solid wall.
Just as the Press workforce is being depleted by men enlisting to fight the Germans, a compositor named Gareth Owens comes in with a special request: the bindery forewoman looks the other way, after hours, as Peggy helps him to fold, gather, and sew the book he has printed for his beloved. Women’s Words and Their Meanings has been compiled by Esme Nicoll and, watching old Eb bind the volume and gild the title, Peggy is proud to have been part of this secret project. It galvanises her desire to write.
When she was alive, Helen Jones filled Calliope with reading matter, taught her daughters to read, and discussed the classics. Later, Peggy thinks about the books, sections, manuscripts her mother had amassed: “They made Calliope even smaller, even tighter. ‘They will expand your world’, Ma had said. But if I hadn’t read them, I wouldn’t know how small my world was.”
But Peggy is unaware that there are people working behind the scenes to help fulfill that dream. When the opportunity is put in front of her, she is, at first, uncertain, despite encouragement from all around her. She will need to pass exams, to study. Ancient Greek was never on the curriculum at St Barnabas, and A Primer of Greek Grammar will become the most hated book she opens. Can she ever become a Somervillian?
The author’s meticulous research is apparent in every paragraph, but she weaves her wealth of information into the story with consummate subtlety: it never feels like a lesson. Peggy and Maude’s daily routine describes life on a narrowboat; Peggy’s volunteer work, reading and writing for injured servicemen, highlights the suffering caused by the war when she comes in contact with a Belgian soldier, Sgt Bastiaan Peeters, whose injuries include a horrible facial disfigurement.
If the scant detail of the letters received from their narrowboat neighbour, Jack Rowntree, conforms to the official version of life in the trenches, missives from Tilda in her VAD nursing role in France, cleverly bypassing the censor’s check, offer a more realistic view of the front. Oxford’s reception of Belgian refugees, despite the trauma they have clearly suffered, is not always charitable. All this against background of the struggles for Women’s Suffrage, and the devastating effects of the Spanish ‘flu pandemic.
At all times, Peggy’s love for books shines through: “Reading was such a quiet activity, and the reader in their parlour or leaning against the trunk of a tree would never imagine all the hands their book had been through, all the folding and cutting and beating it had endured. They would never guess how noisy and smelly the life of that book had been before it was put in their hands.”
Anyone who loved The Dictionary of Lost Words will be delighted to enter that world again. Williams gives the reader wonderful characters, such gorgeous prose that it’s hard to limit the quotes, and a plot to make you laugh, make you cry, make you feel. Utterly enthralling, this is historical fiction at its finest.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by Better Reading Preview and Affirm Press.
July 30, 2023
Peggy and Maud are twins, living together in Oxford on an old and shabby canal boat. Their father they never met, and their mother passed away when the girls were only seventeen. But ever since they were twelve years old, the sisters worked together binding books at the Oxford University Press. They are very good at it but they barely make enough money to survive, even thought they get help from their friendly neighbours, and their ‘aunt’ Tilda. Later in the story we learn about the connection between Tilda and the girls’ mother. Peggy and Maud may look the same, they have very different personalities. Peggy longs to go to college – in those days practically impossible for a girl of her status – but Maud sees the world a little different and Peggy feels that she must care for her.
Then, its 1914 and the world is afire with WWI. Oxford is swamped with Belgian refugees and before they know it, the safe world Peggy and Maud are used to, where everybody has their place, is no longer a reality. Peggy’s aspirations get a boost when she meets Gwen, a ‘rich’ girl that is allowed to study, but will she see her dreams come true?
This was such a great story, with lots of facts intertwined with the imaginary characters of Peggy and Maud – and later, Peggy’s struggle to find her way in a world where women had to choose between love and education. You can hardly imagine it now, but on the other hand, there are still lots of places in the world where this is still true. Halfway the book I thought that it is actually very strange to read so much about how books were once printed and bound on such a modern device as a tablet… especially because I will never be able to read small print anymore. Some parts made me laugh, some parts brought tears to my eyes.
I loved The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams, but she’s really outdone herself in this story.
Thanks to Netgalley and Random House for this review copy.
Then, its 1914 and the world is afire with WWI. Oxford is swamped with Belgian refugees and before they know it, the safe world Peggy and Maud are used to, where everybody has their place, is no longer a reality. Peggy’s aspirations get a boost when she meets Gwen, a ‘rich’ girl that is allowed to study, but will she see her dreams come true?
This was such a great story, with lots of facts intertwined with the imaginary characters of Peggy and Maud – and later, Peggy’s struggle to find her way in a world where women had to choose between love and education. You can hardly imagine it now, but on the other hand, there are still lots of places in the world where this is still true. Halfway the book I thought that it is actually very strange to read so much about how books were once printed and bound on such a modern device as a tablet… especially because I will never be able to read small print anymore. Some parts made me laugh, some parts brought tears to my eyes.
I loved The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams, but she’s really outdone herself in this story.
Thanks to Netgalley and Random House for this review copy.
July 16, 2023
This is another well-researched feminist historical fiction by English Australian author Pip Williams. It is a sequel to, or a companion volume to The Dictionary of Lost Words, set in Oxford during WW1.
Peggy and her twin sister Maude work as bindery girls at the Oxford University Press and live aboard a ramshackle canal boat Calliope, as full of books as a floating library. Peggy loves reading and dreams of attending University, although this seems an impossibility for a girl, particularly one brought up very much as “town” rather than “gown.” Maude is never given a diagnosis in the book, but possibly has some form of autism. She loves origami and struggles to express herself other than repeating fragments she has heard. The war brings many changes and new people into their lives including the very damaged Belgian refugee Lotte, the wounded Bastiaan and the high society Gwen. There are also letters from the front, including from their feisty, suffragette godmother-figure Tilda.
The book gives insight into the Belgian crisis during WWI, when over 200,000 Belgians sought refuge in Britain, the influenza pandemic, and the ins and outs of how to bind a book (probably far too much detail on the latter).
I loved the descriptions of the relationship between Maude and Peggy, and its changing dynamic. This book told a good story, although it was very slow moving in parts and tending to get bogged down in minutiae. It was good, but not as stunning as the reviews make out, and not as impacting as The Dictionary of Lost Words.
Peggy and her twin sister Maude work as bindery girls at the Oxford University Press and live aboard a ramshackle canal boat Calliope, as full of books as a floating library. Peggy loves reading and dreams of attending University, although this seems an impossibility for a girl, particularly one brought up very much as “town” rather than “gown.” Maude is never given a diagnosis in the book, but possibly has some form of autism. She loves origami and struggles to express herself other than repeating fragments she has heard. The war brings many changes and new people into their lives including the very damaged Belgian refugee Lotte, the wounded Bastiaan and the high society Gwen. There are also letters from the front, including from their feisty, suffragette godmother-figure Tilda.
The book gives insight into the Belgian crisis during WWI, when over 200,000 Belgians sought refuge in Britain, the influenza pandemic, and the ins and outs of how to bind a book (probably far too much detail on the latter).
I loved the descriptions of the relationship between Maude and Peggy, and its changing dynamic. This book told a good story, although it was very slow moving in parts and tending to get bogged down in minutiae. It was good, but not as stunning as the reviews make out, and not as impacting as The Dictionary of Lost Words.
August 6, 2023
The Bookbinder, from Pip Williams, is actually a companion piece to her earlier book, The Dictionary of Lost Words, both works of historical fiction based on much factual background. It is not necessary to have read the earlier book to enjoy this new one. Set in Oxford, England just as WWI is beginning, we experience life primarily through Peggy and Maude, twin sisters who work at the Oxford Press, on the “women’s” side, folding and, in Peggy’s case, assisting with binding. They have been working there since they were twelve, now are seventeen, and Peggy finds herself yearning for more from life. Maude has limited expectations and also some type of apparent cognitive impairment that also has served to hold Peggy in place out of responsibility.
Also occurring is women’s fight for the vote…women with property, however. And local men and boys are soon enlisting and traveling to the continent to fight. Refugees bring the reality of the war home to everyone, (including the book’s reader.) Now there are more things than work for Peggy to focus on.
Such a good book! It offers a look at the history of the time with insights into women’s thoughts, class issues, pictures of a early 20th century workplace and narrowboat living on the canals along with the realities of war, young love. I do recommend this book to those who enjoy historical fiction.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an opportunity to read this book. This review is my own.
Also occurring is women’s fight for the vote…women with property, however. And local men and boys are soon enlisting and traveling to the continent to fight. Refugees bring the reality of the war home to everyone, (including the book’s reader.) Now there are more things than work for Peggy to focus on.
Such a good book! It offers a look at the history of the time with insights into women’s thoughts, class issues, pictures of a early 20th century workplace and narrowboat living on the canals along with the realities of war, young love. I do recommend this book to those who enjoy historical fiction.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an opportunity to read this book. This review is my own.
February 11, 2023
I have some mixed feelings about this book. I loved the setting and the premise. It was a unique look at a specific population that has been underrepresented in the history of WWI. However, I didn't really like Peg, the main character. She's dissatisfied with her lot in life, and understandably so, but she treats her friends and loved ones poorly because of her frustration. Her friend Gwen benefits from the systemic sexism in society but Peg doesn't have to be so mean or angry at Gwen. The book is also longer than I felt it needed to be. I was having trouble staying interested until the end. I loved Tilda's character and would love to have seen more off her and Maude. This is very well-written and researched, despite my few complaints.
March 21, 2023
I did go into the book feeling like the luckiest for having an ARC to read. I was also completely conscious of the fact that I LOVED The Dictionary..I was expecting to come away a little anti climatic. But instead I’m a bigger Pip Williams fan. That was beautiful!!!!!!!!!!! There is so much going on in this novel; the exploration of knowledge and who has access to it. The idea that ‘the Brontes and Jane Austen were far from rich..but lived in houses where one woman cooked their meals and another made their beds’..it also brilliantly put me into oxford 1915 with Belgium refugees flooding in and the hospitals full of soldiers who have ‘barely kept their heads’…the themes running through The Bookbinder are so engrossing, but the characters are just so enjoyable..Peggy and Maud, Tilda, Lotte, Gwen and Bastiaan I think will be lifelong friends of mine, I know them so well. A captivating story so masterfully told.
This is a beautiful companion to The Dictionary. I could not have loved it more
This is a beautiful companion to The Dictionary. I could not have loved it more
July 25, 2023
*https://mrsbbookreviews.wordpress.com
3.5 stars
One of the most successful Australian novels to be published received a companion tale in late March this year thanks to the release of The Bookbinder of Jericho. This latest Pip Williams historical spectacular considers themes of war, sacrifice, trauma, displacement, gender, class, knowledge and the written word. It is one fans of The Dictionary of Lost Words will greatly appreciate.
Transporting the reader to a tumultuous period of time in our history books, The Bookbinder of Jericho travels to the years 1914 to 1918 as the world copes with the absence of men in key positions of labour due to the war. Women are thrust into the workplace and this is demonstrated through the experience of twins Peggy and Maude. This twin set work at the famous Oxford University Press building in Jericho. Both are hardworking, but while Peggy is ambitious and full of aspirations for her future, Maude is content with her life as it stands. Peggy is the stronger twin, keeping a watchful eye over her sister. As the war rages on, many changes occur. This includes the movement of many refugees from areas of Europe. The arrival of a particular group of refugees from Belgium directly impacts lives of the twins. Peggy closely observes the escalating crisis and she vows to do everything she can to help change world. But Peggy lives in time of restrictions and limited opportunities, which sees this female pioneer struggle to assert her needs. Will Peggy change the history books?
An extremely popular and well-known book hit bookstores in the year 2020. I recall spying the lovely cover of Pip Williams’ book and I took in all the positive buzz around this powerful debut. I did appreciate The Dictionary of Lost Words but I cannot claim to be a die-hard fan. However, I must say I was pleased to be gifted a review copy of this partner piece to Pip Williams’ smash hit.
I confess to not knowing anything at all about the bookbinding process. So initially I was quite interested in this pocket of Pip Williams’ novel. As I suspected based on Williams’ first novel, this latest release is soaked, or rather drenched in so much historical fact. It was slightly overwhelming for me as I think I read The Bookbinder of Jericho at the wrong time. I was rather fatigued and I did have to put it down as the factual side was so heavy but informative. I really appreciated the level of detail and commitment that Pip Williams went to as writer to bring this pocket of history to her audience. I know I came away with a much better understanding of the specific role of a bookbinder. Likewise, the houseboat in this story is vividly drawn, so the reader feels like they are positioned right on this vessel with the characters. I enjoyed the chance to step foot in Oxford, thanks to the transition in time and place. I’m quite fascinated by the 1914 to 1918 time period personally so it was good to see a book entrenched in this era. Williams makes sure that she covers themes of the front, refugees, forced migration, illness, PTSD and more in this tale. It certainly buffs out the pages of this novel.
It was a pleasure to follow the lives of the twins Peggy and Maude. Both were similar in some ways and poles apart in other contexts. I did like both women, along with the outside support cast. Williams grants us access into the lives of these characters, highlighting the various challenges each faces individually and as a collective. There is heartbreak and sadness along the way, with some specks of hope, together with a low-key romance. With wider conflicts of gender roles, employment changes, knowledge, power, education access and women’s suffrage, The Bookbinder of Jericho is a very full text.
A refined and well framed historical set piece, The Bookbinder of Jericho has already gained legions of since it’s release in March. Although I found plenty to appreciate, The Bookbinder of Jericho wasn’t quite for me, but I would more than happy to recommend this one to historical fiction readers.
*I wish to thank Affirm Press for providing me with a free copy of this book for review purposes.
3.5 stars
One of the most successful Australian novels to be published received a companion tale in late March this year thanks to the release of The Bookbinder of Jericho. This latest Pip Williams historical spectacular considers themes of war, sacrifice, trauma, displacement, gender, class, knowledge and the written word. It is one fans of The Dictionary of Lost Words will greatly appreciate.
Transporting the reader to a tumultuous period of time in our history books, The Bookbinder of Jericho travels to the years 1914 to 1918 as the world copes with the absence of men in key positions of labour due to the war. Women are thrust into the workplace and this is demonstrated through the experience of twins Peggy and Maude. This twin set work at the famous Oxford University Press building in Jericho. Both are hardworking, but while Peggy is ambitious and full of aspirations for her future, Maude is content with her life as it stands. Peggy is the stronger twin, keeping a watchful eye over her sister. As the war rages on, many changes occur. This includes the movement of many refugees from areas of Europe. The arrival of a particular group of refugees from Belgium directly impacts lives of the twins. Peggy closely observes the escalating crisis and she vows to do everything she can to help change world. But Peggy lives in time of restrictions and limited opportunities, which sees this female pioneer struggle to assert her needs. Will Peggy change the history books?
An extremely popular and well-known book hit bookstores in the year 2020. I recall spying the lovely cover of Pip Williams’ book and I took in all the positive buzz around this powerful debut. I did appreciate The Dictionary of Lost Words but I cannot claim to be a die-hard fan. However, I must say I was pleased to be gifted a review copy of this partner piece to Pip Williams’ smash hit.
I confess to not knowing anything at all about the bookbinding process. So initially I was quite interested in this pocket of Pip Williams’ novel. As I suspected based on Williams’ first novel, this latest release is soaked, or rather drenched in so much historical fact. It was slightly overwhelming for me as I think I read The Bookbinder of Jericho at the wrong time. I was rather fatigued and I did have to put it down as the factual side was so heavy but informative. I really appreciated the level of detail and commitment that Pip Williams went to as writer to bring this pocket of history to her audience. I know I came away with a much better understanding of the specific role of a bookbinder. Likewise, the houseboat in this story is vividly drawn, so the reader feels like they are positioned right on this vessel with the characters. I enjoyed the chance to step foot in Oxford, thanks to the transition in time and place. I’m quite fascinated by the 1914 to 1918 time period personally so it was good to see a book entrenched in this era. Williams makes sure that she covers themes of the front, refugees, forced migration, illness, PTSD and more in this tale. It certainly buffs out the pages of this novel.
It was a pleasure to follow the lives of the twins Peggy and Maude. Both were similar in some ways and poles apart in other contexts. I did like both women, along with the outside support cast. Williams grants us access into the lives of these characters, highlighting the various challenges each faces individually and as a collective. There is heartbreak and sadness along the way, with some specks of hope, together with a low-key romance. With wider conflicts of gender roles, employment changes, knowledge, power, education access and women’s suffrage, The Bookbinder of Jericho is a very full text.
A refined and well framed historical set piece, The Bookbinder of Jericho has already gained legions of since it’s release in March. Although I found plenty to appreciate, The Bookbinder of Jericho wasn’t quite for me, but I would more than happy to recommend this one to historical fiction readers.
*I wish to thank Affirm Press for providing me with a free copy of this book for review purposes.
March 7, 2024
The Bookbinder by Pip Williams is the second one I read by this author. To say that I was once again blown away seems a bit of an understatement in my opinion. The level of detail given to each character is amazing. I feel what they feel; taste what they taste; smell what they smell; love who they love; and grieve along with them. The Bookbinder is a remarkable work of historical fiction. Not one who usually writes in a hard cover edition of most books, I found a bit that resonated with my own thoughts and feelings. "I'm afraid this copy has been poorly treated. She showed me a page where someone had written in the margins. The people who read this book do not always think about the effort that has gone into binding them, or the expense of replacing them. . . . That too much learning will make me lonely, send me mad and keep me poor." Yes, I've been lonely, just like everyone else has at one time or another. Have I gone mad? Undoubtedly, but not because of reading. And I am wealthy beyond words for it. Readers, find your own passage that speaks directly to you, and allow Pip Williams to take you on a journey from whence you will return but not the same as when you turned the first page.
June 26, 2023
Urgh - dull and boring
July 18, 2023
From the Dictionary of Lost Words by this author the reader is taken further into the early days of the Oxford Press and into the hearts and minds of a small in-house press, The Clarendon which allowed the press workers to connect with those affected by the war and to the small community of Jericho where the author centres her characters.
Initially, I found the read slow but after the introduction of the war wounded, survivors and refugees from Poland and Belgium this gave the book more depth. The small community of those living in "narrow boats" on a canal in Jericho, a small Oxford suburb (Google described as once Bohemian, a place of the past outside the Oxford walls) is close-knit but for a time insulated from the effects of England going to war in defence of Belgium and other European countries. Their lives are not unlike many of this time, particularly for women who have yet to achieve the right to vote and is mentioned several times, only women of some social standing would have this opportunity, workers such as Peggy and Maude will not have the same right.
Peggy and Maude, twin sisters living on their "narrow" boat, Calliope on the canal, are employed by the Clarendon Press as bookbinders, meticulously preparing the pages for binding. There is an art to getting the pages folded evenly and a skilled worker was able to achieve this easily. The work would have been laborious and standing on one's feet all day extremely taxing. The twin's mother has died leaving Peggy the carer of her sister who is intellectually challenged. Their mother had tried to push her into finishing her education but Peggy used her sister's care as an excuse not to do so.
There are two momentous events that have a great impact on Peggy, volunteering to assist those after major surgery wounded in the war or, those convalescing from war wounds she meets a very liberated and well-to-do woman of a similar age. They are poles apart in personality and wealth, Gwen is privileged but she takes an instant liking to Peggy and Maude and eventually with her encouragement Peggy starts to look at the possibility of furthering her education. However, in the mix of things she becomes very attached to a Belgian Officer who has been badly wounded in this war, his disfigurement initially frightens Peggy and his physicality has been greatly impaired but it's not long before she can look beyond all of this and becomes romantically involved with Bastiaan.
There is great sadness that imposes on these two young women, Peggy and Maude, with the effects of the war on them and those around them, however, both grow in mental strength and understanding. Bastiaan returns to Belgium to restart his profession but without Peggy, as she decides that she must pursue her desire to go to university and for which her second attempt is successful.
The author has recommended a YouTube silent film on the Oxford Press which gives a remarkable account of how involved the process was in the early days of printing and bookbinding.
Initially, I found the read slow but after the introduction of the war wounded, survivors and refugees from Poland and Belgium this gave the book more depth. The small community of those living in "narrow boats" on a canal in Jericho, a small Oxford suburb (Google described as once Bohemian, a place of the past outside the Oxford walls) is close-knit but for a time insulated from the effects of England going to war in defence of Belgium and other European countries. Their lives are not unlike many of this time, particularly for women who have yet to achieve the right to vote and is mentioned several times, only women of some social standing would have this opportunity, workers such as Peggy and Maude will not have the same right.
Peggy and Maude, twin sisters living on their "narrow" boat, Calliope on the canal, are employed by the Clarendon Press as bookbinders, meticulously preparing the pages for binding. There is an art to getting the pages folded evenly and a skilled worker was able to achieve this easily. The work would have been laborious and standing on one's feet all day extremely taxing. The twin's mother has died leaving Peggy the carer of her sister who is intellectually challenged. Their mother had tried to push her into finishing her education but Peggy used her sister's care as an excuse not to do so.
There are two momentous events that have a great impact on Peggy, volunteering to assist those after major surgery wounded in the war or, those convalescing from war wounds she meets a very liberated and well-to-do woman of a similar age. They are poles apart in personality and wealth, Gwen is privileged but she takes an instant liking to Peggy and Maude and eventually with her encouragement Peggy starts to look at the possibility of furthering her education. However, in the mix of things she becomes very attached to a Belgian Officer who has been badly wounded in this war, his disfigurement initially frightens Peggy and his physicality has been greatly impaired but it's not long before she can look beyond all of this and becomes romantically involved with Bastiaan.
There is great sadness that imposes on these two young women, Peggy and Maude, with the effects of the war on them and those around them, however, both grow in mental strength and understanding. Bastiaan returns to Belgium to restart his profession but without Peggy, as she decides that she must pursue her desire to go to university and for which her second attempt is successful.
The author has recommended a YouTube silent film on the Oxford Press which gives a remarkable account of how involved the process was in the early days of printing and bookbinding.
May 20, 2023
"Every poem and poster would have you think that their march toward death is a willing sacrifice. But it's not like that. It's nothing like that. They're all the same, and nameless, like the men in those stories your ma liked so much. The men who died and died and died so Odysseus could be a hero. Haig is out Odysseus now, and the Somme offensive is his bloody journey to glory."
Oh Pip Williams, I do not want this narrative to be over! I adored The Dictionary of Lost Words, and this companion novel, The Bookbinder of Jericho, is now one of my fave historical reads.
Twin sisters, Peggy and Maude, work in the book bindery. Peggy has dreams of attending the local university but is resigned to her lot in life as a woman at the lower end of the socio economic scale. When war breaks out in 1914, and women begin filling the occupational roles of men, Peggy sees light at the end of the tunnel. Refugees from Belgium are brought to England and Peggy takes up a helping role in her spare time, she is unprepared for the changes they will bring to her life. Peggy will only reach for her dreams with the help of the people around her who love her, but will that be enough?
This is well written feminist historical fiction - it gazes at the stories in the margins, the lives of women who were a part of important parts of society, but who are generally missing from the history books. All the characters are endearing. The plot is perfectly paced. Make sure to have tissues at the ready!
“Every town will have a memorial for the men,” she said, lifting the pot to pour. “But I don’t think there will be one for women.”
Oh Pip Williams, I do not want this narrative to be over! I adored The Dictionary of Lost Words, and this companion novel, The Bookbinder of Jericho, is now one of my fave historical reads.
Twin sisters, Peggy and Maude, work in the book bindery. Peggy has dreams of attending the local university but is resigned to her lot in life as a woman at the lower end of the socio economic scale. When war breaks out in 1914, and women begin filling the occupational roles of men, Peggy sees light at the end of the tunnel. Refugees from Belgium are brought to England and Peggy takes up a helping role in her spare time, she is unprepared for the changes they will bring to her life. Peggy will only reach for her dreams with the help of the people around her who love her, but will that be enough?
This is well written feminist historical fiction - it gazes at the stories in the margins, the lives of women who were a part of important parts of society, but who are generally missing from the history books. All the characters are endearing. The plot is perfectly paced. Make sure to have tissues at the ready!
“Every town will have a memorial for the men,” she said, lifting the pot to pour. “But I don’t think there will be one for women.”
July 9, 2023
Lovers of “The Dictionary of Lost Words” will be so happy that “The Bookbinder” is just as good: perhaps even better. Set during the years of World War I, the novel covers the lives of Peggy Jones and her twin Maude, bookbinders in Oxford, right across the quad from Sommerville College where Peggy’s longs to go.
Peggy narrates the story, in the voice of so many women who hoped for more than a circumscribed life of drudgery. Her mother was also a bookbinder who was allowed to take damaged books home, sharing her love of reading with her daughters. They live in a tiny houseboat, and when their mother dies she charges Peggy with caring for Maude who appears to be autistic. Peggy has embraced that future.
But the war gives her opportunities to mix with people of different classes and nationalities. The closest Oxford college—a women’s college, of course—is taken over for a hospital, and there Peggy will meet people who open doors for her. In that classist world, just meeting people of a different class means knowledge and opportunity.
There are a few spots in the novel when you think it will fall into predictability, but don’t worry, it won’t. I didn’t know how close British soldiers came to rebelling against indifferent officers sending them to slaughter. You’ll learn a lot from this novel, not only about the art of bookbinding, but about the time period and women’s aspirations. Wonderful.
Gratitude to the publisher and NetGalley for asking me to read and review "The Bookbinder."
Peggy narrates the story, in the voice of so many women who hoped for more than a circumscribed life of drudgery. Her mother was also a bookbinder who was allowed to take damaged books home, sharing her love of reading with her daughters. They live in a tiny houseboat, and when their mother dies she charges Peggy with caring for Maude who appears to be autistic. Peggy has embraced that future.
But the war gives her opportunities to mix with people of different classes and nationalities. The closest Oxford college—a women’s college, of course—is taken over for a hospital, and there Peggy will meet people who open doors for her. In that classist world, just meeting people of a different class means knowledge and opportunity.
There are a few spots in the novel when you think it will fall into predictability, but don’t worry, it won’t. I didn’t know how close British soldiers came to rebelling against indifferent officers sending them to slaughter. You’ll learn a lot from this novel, not only about the art of bookbinding, but about the time period and women’s aspirations. Wonderful.
Gratitude to the publisher and NetGalley for asking me to read and review "The Bookbinder."
July 9, 2023
What a lovely read! This was particularly interesting to me as my family are originally Belgian and were evacuated to Britain during the WW1 and never left. This is a companion piece to The Lost Words novel. It highlighted the loss from both War and influenza and showed how everyone was changed by those years. I loved all the characters too, particularly the twins. Many thanks to Netgalley for an arc of this book.
January 20, 2024
I really wanted to love this but I felt like the characters weren’t super fleshed out and I was waiting for some action to happen the whole time
May 25, 2024
Having read this author's prior book The Dictionary of Lost Words, I was excited to read Pip Williams' latest
The Bookbinder
!
Set in the year WWI began (1914), as men begin to drain into that dark war cloud, it is to women the buy-and-sell community turns. In Oxford, England two sisters who are devoted to each other find work in a bindery at the university. The two girls caught me by the heart strings - for they are twins, and my family is full of them. The author deftly captured and pinned to the page the truths I know about twins. . .how they often are bonded in a way their other siblings are not, how one steps forward and one hangs back (but don't think that's a measure of intelligence or savvy) - they each have a gift (or two), and Maude and Peggy fit every model with which roll through my memories.
Between the war, growing from girls into women (which has its very own rocky path in society - then and now!) they also come to discover their differences in yearnings, expectations, duties they embrace and ones they hang (metaphorically) 'round their necks, burdens that hold them down.
Set in Oxford, England, deep in historical buildings and grounds, Maude and Peggy and their circle of supporters work through challenges that tear their worlds apart. Sometimes that's the best way to make a change in a way that previously would never have presented itself. It's a time when women's work had been entirely different in previous generations, and for their time - their war time - they experienced a freedom in a work-a-day world that had been the domain of men. It was still the domain of men, but seemed to feel like women had gained a foothold on that slippery slope.
A read full of books, the physical building of books, loving words, authors, writers and what they chose to write when and why. . .even the gratifying palpabilities of folding papers in a repetitious rhythm. . .origami-like. . . .there's a compelling rocking sway to this read - maybe it's the houseboat they live on. Overall this book was a comfy, bookish read.
*A sincere thank you to Pip Williams, Random House - Ballantine, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review independently.*
Set in the year WWI began (1914), as men begin to drain into that dark war cloud, it is to women the buy-and-sell community turns. In Oxford, England two sisters who are devoted to each other find work in a bindery at the university. The two girls caught me by the heart strings - for they are twins, and my family is full of them. The author deftly captured and pinned to the page the truths I know about twins. . .how they often are bonded in a way their other siblings are not, how one steps forward and one hangs back (but don't think that's a measure of intelligence or savvy) - they each have a gift (or two), and Maude and Peggy fit every model with which roll through my memories.
Between the war, growing from girls into women (which has its very own rocky path in society - then and now!) they also come to discover their differences in yearnings, expectations, duties they embrace and ones they hang (metaphorically) 'round their necks, burdens that hold them down.
Set in Oxford, England, deep in historical buildings and grounds, Maude and Peggy and their circle of supporters work through challenges that tear their worlds apart. Sometimes that's the best way to make a change in a way that previously would never have presented itself. It's a time when women's work had been entirely different in previous generations, and for their time - their war time - they experienced a freedom in a work-a-day world that had been the domain of men. It was still the domain of men, but seemed to feel like women had gained a foothold on that slippery slope.
A read full of books, the physical building of books, loving words, authors, writers and what they chose to write when and why. . .even the gratifying palpabilities of folding papers in a repetitious rhythm. . .origami-like. . . .there's a compelling rocking sway to this read - maybe it's the houseboat they live on. Overall this book was a comfy, bookish read.
*A sincere thank you to Pip Williams, Random House - Ballantine, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review independently.*
July 26, 2023
Loved the characters, historical details & heart at the center of this story. Pip Williams has become a favorite author for me.
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