The Bookbinder Of Jericho: A Novel

Description

As World War One draws in over Oxford, it brings women unexpected new freedoms. Peggy, working as a bookbinder, has the chance of a new future. But will the chaos of war force her to choose between duty and her dreams?

A wonderful book, whose vividly-drawn characters tell the story of a pivotal period in women s history Fiona Valpy, author of The Dressmaker s Gift

Your job is to bind the books, not read them.

When the men of Oxford University Press leave for the Western Front, Peggy, her twin sister Maude and their friends in the bookbindery must shoulder the burden at home. As Peggy moves between her narrowboat full of memories and the demands of the Press, her dreams of studying feel ever more remote. She must know her place, fold her pages and never stop to savour the precious words in front of her.

From volunteer nurses to refugees fleeing the horrors of occupation, the war brings women together from all walks of life, and with them some difficult choices for Peggy. New friends and lovers offer new opportunities, but they also make new demands - and Peggy must write her own story.

Vivid and moving ... I absolutely loved it! Ruth Hogan, author of The Keeper of Lost Things

Charming, original and beautifully researched Rachel Hore, author of A Beautiful Spy

A fresh, exciting new voice in historical fiction Paula McLain, author of The Paris Wife

A compelling homage to the transformational power of books Daisy Wood, author of The Forgotten Bookshop in Paris

About the Author

Pip Williams was born in London, grew up in Sydney and now calls the Adelaide Hills home. She is the author of the international number one bestseller, The Dictionary of Lost Words, described by The Times as an extraordinary, charming novel . It was also a New York Times bestseller, a Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick and has been translated into over thirty languages to worldwide acclaim. Pip s second novel, The Bookbinder of Jericho, sprang from her discovery of archival footage of women who worked in the bindery of Oxford University Press during the early twentieth century. When she tried to find out more about them, there was almost nothing. Despite their important role in the production of books, barely a word has been written about them until now.