Conversations from Byron
The Dictionary of Lost Words: Pip Williams in conversation with Nicole Abadee
In this Byron Writers Festival X BooksBooksBooks podcast collaboration, Pip Williams talks with Nicole Abadee about her novel, The Dictionary of Lost Words. They discuss the history of the Oxford English Dictionary, and how the exclusion of particular words inspired Williams’ sweeping story of Esme as she sets about collecting the discarded vernacular of the English lexicon.
Set when the women’s suffrage movement was at its height and the Great War loomed, The Dictionary of Lost Words reveals a lost narrative, hidden between the lines of a history written by men. It’s a delightful, lyrical and deeply thought-provoking celebration of words, and the power of language to shape our experience of the world.
Thanks to Delta Kay, Arakwal Bundjalung woman, for the Welcome to Country on this podcast.
Purchase the Book
The Dictionary of Lost Words is available to purchase online via The Book Room Collective.
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About the authors
Pip Williams
Pip was born in London, grew up in Sydney and now calls the Adelaide Hills home. She is co-author of the book Time Bomb: Work Rest and Play in Australia Today (New South Press, 2012) and in 2017 she wrote One Italian Summer, a memoir of her family’s travels in search of the good life, which was published by Affirm Press to wide acclaim. Pip has also published travel articles, book reviews, flash fiction and poetry. In her debut novel The Dictionary of Lost Words she combines her talent for historical research with beautiful storytelling. Pip has delved into the archives of the Oxford English Dictionary and found a tale of missing words and the lives of women lived between the lines.
Nicole Abadee
Nicole Abadee writes about books for Good Weekend, has a literary podcast, Books, Books, Books, and appears regularly as a moderator at writers’ festivals.
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