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The Dig
The Dig | John Preston
18 posts | 15 read | 20 to read
In the long hot summer of 1939 Britain is preparing for war. But on a riverside farm in Suffolk there is excitement of another kind: Mrs Petty, the widowed farmer, has had her hunch proved correct that the strange mounds on her land hold buried treasure. As the dig proceeds against a background of mounting national anxiety, it becomes clear though that this is no ordinary find ... And pretty soon the discovery leads to all kinds of jealousies and tensions. John Preston's recreation of the Sutton Hoo dig - the greatest Anglo-Saxon discovery ever in Britain - brilliantly and comically dramatizes three months of intense activity when locals fought outsiders, professionals thwarted amateurs, and love and rivaly flourished in equal measure
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review
Oblomov26
The Dig | John Preston
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Pickpick

Yes the movie was based on a novel… fascinating retelling of the Sutton Hoo dig. As war approaches the owner of Three barrows seeks the assistance of a professional digger to investigate what they contain. It quickly becomes apparent they have located the greatest Anglo-Saxon ship burial ever found. A site which redefines the dark ages. On a more personal level a interesting picture of the tension between professional and academic archaeologists.

JazzFeathers Needs!!!!! 3y
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Kimberlone
The Dig | John Preston
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Pickpick

Good narration by a full cast, including Simon Vance (one of my favorite narrators, who also does the Red Rising series audiobooks). Short but sweet, and informative narrative non-fiction. However, I did prefer the recent movie adaptation.

susurran Love me some Simon Vance. I'd listen to him read a phone book. 4y
Kimberlone @susurran he is so good at accents!! 4y
Freespirit I loved the TV adaptation!! 4y
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Kimberlone @Freespirit yes, me too! Such a great cast 💜 4y
sisilia I loved the movie 💕 4y
Tanisha_A Oh this was a beautiful watch 4y
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Bookboss
The Dig | John Preston
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Pickpick

I bought this book several years ago while on vacation. I never got around to reading it until I saw that Netflix was making a film based on the novel. Of course I had to read the book before I watched the movie, but I couldn‘t find enough time to sit with the paperback. I ended up getting the audiobook. I enjoyed the story of the discovery of an archeological dig as England is preparing for WWII. The film was lovely, but the book is better!

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Ksvz
The Dig | John Preston
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Mehso-so

April 2021 - read after watched - enjoyed. Not sure if watching before reading spoiled it a bit but the story was still interesting and it was well read.

alisiakae How was the audiobook narration? 4y
Ksvz Personally, I usually dislike multiple narrators. In this case it worked alright. I think because I watched the Netflix movie I was a little more forgiving because I knew what was happening and wasn‘t really hard core listening. I am a super snob when it comes to the voices allowed to whisper stories in my ears - lol :) 4y
Ksvz Also, being completely honest - because the book and film were so similar I ended up listening at warp speed which makes everyone sound ridiculous and as it‘s only seven hours long at regular speed was a ridiculously fast listen. 4y
Ksvz Also realizing today‘s word of the day is ridiculous. Sorry I am usually more articulate than this 4y
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Kimberlone
The Dig | John Preston
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Of course I am juggling way too many books at the same time. Top row are Kindle/ebooks, bottom row are audiobooks. #currentlyreading #currentlylistening

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alisiakae
The Dig | John Preston
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I had no idea until I saw the end credits tonight that this movie was based on a book!

Has anyone read it? The movie was so good! I‘m curious how similar it is to the book.

Christine I loved the movie too and am also curious about the book! 4y
CrowCAH I watched the film; it was only okay. I was disappointed, because I wanted to learn more about the dig and the archeology, not their personal lives. I have not read the book. 4y
Jari-chan A beautiful movie! Haven't read the book, though... 4y
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LeahBergen I enjoyed this book! 4y
Gogobooks Agree. Great film on astonishing event 4y
alisiakae @CrowCAH I loved the cinematography and atmosphere of it, but I did go into expecting a drama more so than a focus on the archaeology. And I‘m ashamed that I am a former anthro major who never heard of Sutton Hoo! (My archaeology undergrad courses were all focused on the Americas or the Fertile Crescent)😲. There are some great YT videos I plan on watching about Sutton Hoo for the archaeology side. And this book: 4y
Vansa The book is a fictionalistation,it's a great read. Very moving, apparently from managing to read almost like a thriller 4y
CrowCAH @4thhouseontheleft that is so cool you‘re an anthro major! I find the study fascinating! 4y
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Shamzi
The Dig | John Preston
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#notbookrelated
I didn't realise till the end credits that this was based on a book. Its about an archaeological dig in 1939 in Suffolk and about the people related to it. Its such a beautiful movie that binds the past, present and the future, it's worth every moment you spend with it.
Don't know how the book is but the movie is spectacular, a warm hug on a cold winter night.Do watch it over the weekend, highly recommended.

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Vansa
The Dig | John Preston
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Vansa
The Dig | John Preston
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Quite a moving description.

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Mitch
The Dig | John Preston
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Pickpick

Loved the movie - the book didn‘t quite match up (a rarity for me!). Prestons language is sparse and he has created a compulsive story that explores the 3 months that surround the discovery of the greatest Anglo Saxon discovery of our age. It‘s fashioned on a true story and is a great launch pad to learn more around this event. What the movie did - that I was longing for in the book - was really capture the suffolk landscape.

Kimberlone I am watching the movie right now! 4y
Mitch @Kimberlone enjoy! 4y
AmyL We stumbled onto the movie last night and really enjoyed it— did not know it was based on a book!! 4y
Mitch @AmyL it was published in 2007 4y
CoverToCoverGirl Just finished watching it! Fascinating and well done! Fiennes was amazing! 4y
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Mitch
The Dig | John Preston
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Oops...I've done this the wrong way around......
Just watched the Netflix adaptation and loved it - so hoping the book is good too! It set in Suffolk (UK) - a part of the world I know well and a watery landscape that I absolutely love. Th film really captured the marshlands, forests and creeks - I really loved it and can't wait to read how the landscape is described in Prestons words.

arubabookwoman I liked the book when I read it several years ago-not great but good. Looking forward to the Netflix adaptation tonight. When my art history friends and I visited London a few years ago, one of the first things we visited were the Sutton Hoo treasures at the British Museum. 4y
Mitch @arubabookwoman the site in Suffolk is really interesting to visit and it‘s in the most beautiful landscape 4y
LeahBergen I loved this book and I‘m looking forward to watching the film! 4y
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Mitch
The Dig | John Preston
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Lots of TV here to supplement your 2021 reading. I‘m really looking forward to The Dig and Death On The Nile. 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

https://www.bookbub.com/blog/book-to-movies-2021?position=0&source=multicontent&...

AmyG Oooooo Dune, The Nightengale and The Underground Railroad for me. The Nightengale better not suck. 4y
Mitch @AmyG I‘m in need of some good TV. 4y
AmyG Me, too. I started a few things on Netflix and just can‘t “get into them”. (edited) 4y
mom2bugnbee Ack! I have to read Dune by October! 😂 4y
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KikiLovesBooks
The Dig | John Preston
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Pickpick

This was an enjoyable fictionalized account of the 1939 explorations of the tumuli at Sutton Hoo. I have always been fascinated by archeological finds such as this one. It immediately went on my TBR pile. I love the juxtaposition of the dark cloud of the impending world war over the ancient and bright finds being discovered and all the various personalities involved. Great little read--I only wish it was longer at only 259 pages.

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KikiLovesBooks
The Dig | John Preston
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This is Edith Pretty who was the owner of the Sutton Hoo house and land, and who hired Basil Brown and commissioned the excavation of the mounds there on the property. Mrs Pretty was quite pretty--I love this charming photo.

Sydsavvy God can you imagine being trapped in that neck do. Eek. Pretty and charming and so glad it's not me lol!!! 8y
KikiLovesBooks Yes, The outfit is very My Fair Lady l la Audrey Hepburn! 8y
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KikiLovesBooks
The Dig | John Preston
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Happy Book Lovers Day!
{Maid Reading In. A Library by Edouard John Mentha (late 19th - early 20th century}

BookBabe Omg, I am so in love with this painting! 😍🎨 8y
BookBabe Look, @MrBook , look! 😍 8y
KikiLovesBooks I love her. I AM her, reading instead of doing a million other things! I'd love to be her friend. 8y
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LauraBeth Best picture ever 😀 8y
LeahBergen I LOVE this! ❤️ 8y
MrBook @BookBabe Yes, I see! Lol 8y
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KikiLovesBooks
The Dig | John Preston
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This was one of my #miinimalistcovers from earlier today and I was reminded that I wanted to read it! So I picked it up and I really like it so far. {A note about my reading habits: I work in an Indie bookstore so I read a "real" book there...at home I mostly read on a Kindle. Sometimes I have a Kindle copy of my work book, oftentimes I don't.}

LeahBergen I really enjoyed this and ended up reading a history of the Sutton Hoo finds immediately afterward. 8y
KikiLovesBooks @LeahBergen I love the setting of the novel, but I also really love the archeological aspects and find it fascinating! I might have to do the same! 8y
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PatriciaU
The Dig | John Preston
Pickpick

This fictionalized account of the pre-WWII discovery of an Anglo-Saxon ship and king buried at Sutton Hoo in Suffolk is a pleasant, interesting story. The author has fashioned likable characters who come together over one of the most fascinating archaeological finds of the 20th century. I do wish, however, that some of the characters were fleshed out more. While I enjoyed the book, it read like a draft of a longer, more complicated tale.

LeahBergen This was a spontaneous buy for me at a used bookstore and I ended up reading a whole history of the Sutton Hoo finds afterwards. It was a cool little book journey (as they so often are! 😀) 8y
PatriciaU @LeahBergen I did the same thing! 8y
5 likes2 comments
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BethFishReads
The Dig | John Preston
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Hello, Saturday. Let's get reading. In pre-World War II England a rich and important archaeological site is found on a widow's Suffolk farm. Inspired by true events. Takes me back to my archaeology field school days.

shawnmooney Sounds fantastic! 8y
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