Book Notes | ‘The Dictionary of Lost Words’
“Some words are more important than others—I learned this, growing up in the Scriptorium. But it took me a long time to understand why.” Spoken by the protagonist Esme, the author sets up the main theme of The Dictionary of Lost Words.
The novel begins In the late 18th century when a young motherless girl, the fictional Esme, spends her days under the sorting table in the scriptorium or “Scrippy,” a garden shed in Oxford where her father works along with other lexicographers, all male, to review and define the thousands of words sent in by volunteer readers. After one slip of paper is discarded and comes fluttering down under the table, Esme discovers that the first edition of the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) being created excludes some words determined to be unimportant.
A front-row seat
Spanning the Victorian era, the women’s suffrage movement, World War I, and beyond, this historical novel gives the reader a front-row seat for the making of the first edition of the OED, referring to actual places while weaving in real and fictional characters. The reader follows Esme as she comes of age and begins her own collection of words, consisting of ones discarded by the OED lexicographers along with words of the uneducated and poor, including many words referring to or used by women and considered to be vulgar and, thus, not fitting for the morals of the time.
The vast majority of the UMRA Book Club members liked the book, saying it was very interesting and readable. Many enjoyed learning about the process of how the OED was developed, which the author vividly details. Others commented on the integration of the English suffrage movement and it’s impact on the story line. As Esme grows up, she becomes increasingly aware of the morals of the time and their impact on women’s lives, including her own. Several readers felt the story was tedious and hard to get into.
Overall, this novel is a thought-provoking look at the development of the OED and how the morals of the time impacted what is considered important.
—Mary Jane Towle, UMRA Book Club member
'The Dictionary of Lost Words'
Fri, Oct 20 2023, 2pm
Mary Jane Towle will lead the discussion of The Dictionary of Lost Words, a debut novel by Australian writer Pip Williams, when the UMRA Book Club meets via Zoom at 2 p.m. on Friday, October 20. This book combines fact and fiction in a tale based on a true event: the creation of the Oxford English Dictionary.
Email Pat Tollefson for more information, including suggestions for starting a new book club. To read summaries of the book club members’ discussions, go to “Book Notes.”
Upcoming Events
We are fortunate to have UMRA member and former Minnesota Landscape Arboretum director Peter Moe to lead this approximately 3.7-mile hike at the Arboretum on Monday, May 6. Plan to have lunch together after the hike at the Eatery café inside the Oswald Visitor Center.
This session will continue the discussion begun in the May 8, 2023 session. See that article for details.
If you currently live in your own home or apartment, have you looked ahead to when you might want to consider a senior living option? Do you have any idea what those options might be? How much they cost? What they provide? UMRA’s May 14 workshop will provide an overview of the world of senior living and the basic information you need.
You’re invited to join the final Family History Interest Group meeting for 2023–24. This will be an opportunity to ask questions related to family history, share insights, talk about recent projects, and suggest topics for next year.
Stephanie Daily will lead the discussion of Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law by best-selling author Mary Roach when the UMRA Book Club meets via Zoom at 2 p.m. on Friday, May 17.
The May 20 hike will start at the Historic Lift Bridge in Stillwater and go along the river to the new bridge, cross over and then back on the Wisconsin side, a total of approximately 5 miles. Most of the route is paved. We will eat lunch after at Brian's Bar and Grill in Stillwater. Car pooling will be available.
Climatologist and meteorologist Mark Seeley joined the U of M faculty in 1978 and has been a weekly commentator on Minnesota Public Radio since 1992. We are honored to welcome him as our guest speaker for UMRA’s May Luncheon Forum and 2024 Annual Meeting. He is always entertaining and informative.
UMRA’s Fourth Friday Book Club welcomes back, for the second time, author Julie Schumacher, U of M Regents professor of creative writing and English, for a conversation about her novel The Shakespeare Requirement.
We are in for a treat on June 3! Lynn Anderson, will lead us on trails at two parks near her Monticello home. Bring a bag lunch and we will gather in Lynn's yard along the Mississippi River for eating and socializing after the hike.
Get out to the ballpark with fellow UMRA members for the annual U of M Day at Target Field as the Minnesota Twins take on the Oakland Athletics on June 14 at 7:10 p.m.
Please join us at 9:30 on June 17, 2024 for a walk around Lake Como in St. Paul before attending the UMRA Summer Social and Picnic starting at 11 at the Como Pavilion. A perfect opportunity to get in a walk before we gather to celebrate summer.
Picnic under the covered, open-air Como pavilion, gaze at the water, spy some birds, catch up with friends and former colleagues, and meet new members. We’ll have lunch with plenty of time for visiting and then compete in teams as we are challenged by our Quiz master(s)!
Healthy aging, mindfulness, fighting ageism, and more will be the focus of the third annual Age-Friendly University Day to be held on the U of M Twin Cities campus.