The Bookbinder BY Pip Williams

In The Bookbinder’s Daughter, a compelling new novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Dictionary of Lost Words, readers are transported to wartime Oxford in 1914. As World War I pulls young men away from home, women are left to uphold the nation’s daily functions. Among them are twin sisters Peggy and Maude, who live aboard a narrow boat and work at the university press’s book bindery.

Peggy, the more ambitious and intellectual of the two, has long been relegated to the role of a bookbinder—her tasks limited to folding and gathering pages, with her aspirations stifled. Yet, her thoughts frequently wander to the female students across Walton Street, who are granted the educational opportunities she yearns for.

As the war progresses, Peggy’s world is turned upside down, offering her unexpected chances to pursue both knowledge and love. Her journey becomes a testament to resilience and the pursuit of dreams amidst societal constraints. Balancing her duties with her desires, Peggy must navigate a rapidly changing world where her personal ambitions and the tumult of war intersect. The Bookbinder’s Daughter is a rich, evocative tale of self-discovery, ambition, and the transformative power of love and learning in a time of great upheaval.