2025 Reading Challenge discussion

This thread is to discuss The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams.

Pages: 384 pages

Length: 1 month (May)

Participants:Rosalyn, Rebecca, Rachael, Krysti

Everyone reads at their own pace during a Buddy Read. Because participants can be at different parts of the book at different times, it is extremely important to mark spoilers so that the book is not ruined for someone who is not as far along as others!!!

Mark spoilers by placing {spoiler} before the text and {/spoiler} after the text but use the < and > instead of the { and }.

i took these questions off the official publisher's book club kit, the link below is for the full kit, which has useful info such as the real life timeline of the making of the OED.

I previously read "the professor and the madman" by simon winchester, which was about the real life story of James Murray, the editor of the 1st edition of the OED, an amazing book, and i'm excited to read about the same events but this time from a woman / feminist perspective.

1. What does The Dictionary of Lost Words tell us about power?
2. How do you think not having a mother influenced the trajectory of Esme’s life and her character?
3. While this book is based on the true events surrounding the publication of the first Oxford English Dictionary, Esme herself is a fictional character. Why do you think Williams chose to have Esme grow up on the precise timeline she did?
4. Is the ending of the book just? Do the characters get what they deserve?
5. Do you think this is a hopeful story? Consider arguments for and against.
6. Consider Esme and Lizzie’s relationship. In what ways are the women similar? How are they different? Consider the extent to which nature/nurture shapes their expectations and behaviors.
7. Pip Williams is a celebrated author because of her ability to establish a compelling sense of time and place. How do the changing settings influence the tone of the narrative?
8. Why do you think Esperanto comes to play such an important role in Esme’s life, given she grew up with a love of the English language?
9. The Dictionary of Lost Words explores linguistic inequality —the idea that not all words are equal. To what extent do you think this phenomenon exists in modern English? Consider the word like and its place in modern speech. Who uses it? How is it used? How has its use changed?
10. Can the evolution of language ever be a bad thing?
11. Williams depicts the lexicographers at the Scriptorium as the gatekeepers to the English language. Should the English language have gatekeepers? Should the dictionaries we use today help us to define our language, or should they reflect it back at us?

https://www.randomhousebooks.com/wp-c...

I am hoping to start reading this in a few days

Me too. I'm behind this month.

i'm getting my eyes dilated tomorrow at my eye exam tomorrow and won't be able to see the rest of the day, so i'll be listening to the audiobook of this LOL

I've read the first few chapters so far. Bit early to answer any of the questions above but I was wondering if you have a favourite word?

Mine is: popinjay (noun. Dated, a vain or conceited person, especially one who dresses or behaves extravagantly. Or archaic, a parrot). I like this word not really for the meaning but it sounds nice when you say it