In 1901, the word Bondmaid was discovered missing from the Oxford English Dictionary. This is the story of the girl who stole it.
Esme is born into a world of words. Motherless and irrepressibly curious, she spends her childhood in the 'Scriptorium' — a garden shed in Oxford where her father and a team of dedicated lexicographers are compiling the very first Oxford English Dictionary. Unseen beneath the sorting table, Esme rescues a slip of paper containing the word 'bondmaid' before it flutters away forever. From that moment, she begins collecting words that are misplaced, discarded, or neglected by the dictionary men — words that help her make sense of the world, and words that belong to women's experiences left unrecorded by history.
Set against the backdrop of the women's suffrage movement and the looming shadow of the Great War, The Dictionary of Lost Words is a lyrical, deeply thought-provoking celebration of language and the power of words to shape our world.
Trending among book lovers for its bookish nostalgia, feminist themes, and emotional storytelling around lost voices in history. Perfect for fans of Madeline Miller's Circe, Kate Quinn's The Alice Network, and Jojo Moyes' The Giver of Stars. Pairs beautifully with Pip Williams' The Bookbinder of Jericho for a thematic set.
A paperback (2020, Affirm Press) in Good condition.
