Wednesday, February 01, 2017

The Dig by John Preston



In my last post I mentioned a book I had been reading last week and how I hadn't been able to put it down.  The book in question was called The Dig and was written by John Preston.

It is a novel about a true story and set in those hot summer months in 1939 just before the outbreak of the second world war.

Whilst the country prepares itself for war a battle of another kind is happening in farm land in Suffolk near the village of Rendlesham at the site of Sutton Hoo.

It is a battle of wills between local and national interests.

The author writes from the viewpoints of three of the main characters involved with the dig.   Basil Brown is a local, self taught freelance archaeologist who is an expert on Suffolk soils.  Edith Pretty, a widow with a young son,  is the landowner who hires him to excavate the intriguing mounds on her land.  Peggy Piggot along with her then husband Stuart Piggot is brought in to take over the dig by Cambridge archaeologist Charles Phillips and much to the dismay of both Mrs Pretty and Mr Reid Moir representative of Ipswich Museum, Mr Brown is relegated to just helping instead of leading the excavation.  The first finds are sent to the British Museum and then they become involved too.

I just loved the way this book was written.  Each of the characters came to life, their thoughts, feelings, excitements, concerns and dismays as the dig progresses and the boat is uncovered.  I loved the descriptions of the land, the woods, the trips to the local town of Woodbridge, the shepherd's hut used by Mr. Brown and his helpers, Mrs Pretty in her chair watching them work whilst her hat, scarf or parasol shielded her from the sun.  Even more I loved the descriptions of the characters and their interactions with each other, descriptions of few words which paint wonderful, colourful observational pictures.

The Dig is a short book, my version just 230 pages long, and in the way the author brings you straight into the situations he has created reminds me very much of my most favourite book J L Carr's A Month in the Country.

The wonderful illustration on the front cover of the book I borrowed from the library is by Clifford Harper.

Coincidentaly in his 'A Bit about Britain' blog Mike has recenty written about his visit to Sutton Hoo here is a - link - to his post.


19 comments:

  1. Hello Rosie, this sounds like a very interesting read. I'm going to request it from the library - thank you for the recommendation. Marie x

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  2. Sounds great Rosie. I don't know how you get to hear about all these interesting books. 😊

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    1. I can't remember where I heard about it now but I'm glad I did:)

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  3. Love the sound of this book Rosie. I'm off to see if I can reserve it at the library. B x

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  4. Sutton Hoo has been on our list of places we want to visit for ages, I'll go looking for this book.

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    1. I'd like to visit Sutton Hoo one day too, I've seen some of the finds in the British Museum but never been to the site:)

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  5. Sounds right up my street, now on my list to get from the library once we have moved.

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    1. It is a well written book, I really enjoyed it, hope you do too:)

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  6. Both books look superb Rosie - thanks so much for the recommendations. Have just checked both out on Amazon - see they do Kindle editions :) Have recently rejoined Solihull Libraries (after my old card was stolen) mainly to do family history research but I will have to start checking out what books are available too :)

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    1. I love A Month in the Country and re-read it every so often. The film made from it was wonderful but not available on DVD. Colin Firth as Birkin and Kenneth Brannah as Moon. We saw a stage adaptation of it a couple of years ago which was wonderful. The Dig is so well written, I loved it and would like to have my own copy one day soon to re-read it:)

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  7. This sounds like an interesting read.

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  8. I read Mike's post and it was fascinating, so I am sure this book is too! I can imagine why you liked it so much!!

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    1. Mike's post was wonderful wasn't it? It has made me want to visit the site when I can get own that way:)

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  9. That book does sound fascinating. Thanks for the mention, Rosie - and the flattering comment above! A bit of a coincidence, eh? I think you'd enjoy Sutton Hoo; you can SMELL the past there, even though there isn't, actually, that much to see outside the exhibition and the house. It's just wonderful to walk round...and...something Do a weekend and take in Flatford Mill at the same time!

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    1. Thanks, Mike. It is a place we must visit. Have been to many places in Sufolk, especially along the coast but not Sutton Hoo:)

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  10. Hi Rosie, I just popped back to say that I'm reading this book and enjoying it enormously. I don't want to put it down! Thanks again for the recommendation. Marie x

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