The Dictionary of Lost Words (Pip Williams)

This book is a delight for word lovers. The story takes place in Oxford at the time the Oxford Dictionary was being researched and published. 
Esme’s father works for the respected Jame Murray, the first editor of the dictionary. As a little girl, sitting under the table in the Scriptorium, Esme discovers that all the words are not considered worthy of entering the dictionary, and in particular those related to the lives and experiences of women, and they find their way in her pockets. As she grows up and lives a very unconventional life influenced by the movement of the suffragettes and the First World War, she continues to collect these special words. Her life is not the happiest, but her joy is the Dictionary of Lost Words, printed specially for her by her beloved husband. A legacy that will live beyond her short life. 
As a book and word lover, I really enjoyed this book for its story, its style and all the research that went into it. It made me curious about the Oxford Dictionary and how it was created. It also challenged me to think of the way bias and culture shape the words that are considered the right ones to use. A really interesting topic which novels don’t often take on. The acknowledgements section has got to be one of the most original I have read. And so, there is only one way I could conclude, with the Oxford Dictionary.
PRAISE : The expression of approval or admiration for someone (Pip Williams) or something (The Dictionary of Lost Words).