by Pip Williams
First published 2021
In 1920s Oxford, young Esme begins an apprenticeship at the city's venerable dictionary publishers. As she delves into the dusty archives, Esme discovers a trove of discarded words - terms deemed too obsolete, unwomanly, or unsavory for inclusion. Inspired, she begins curating her own secret collection, a rebellion against the forces that would erase the rich, unruly vocabulary of the past. But as Esme's attachment to her hidden hoard deepens, she must decide whether to preserve the words she loves or expose them to an unforgiving public.
Genres: literary-fiction, historical-fiction, 20th-century, 21st-century, books-about-books, academic
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, rebellion
Setting: Oxford
Period: 1920s
391 pages · Paperback · Ballantine Books