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The Dig

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The Dig

By: John Preston
Narrated by: Simon Vance, Kate Reading, Fiona Hardingham, Derek Perkins
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Reimagining the Sutton Hoo dig, the greatest Anglo-Saxon archaeological discovery on British soil, John Preston brilliantly dramatizes three months of intense activity on a small estate when locals fought outsiders, professionals thwarted amateurs, and love and rivalry flourished in equal measure.

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. Pretty, a widowed farmer, has had her hunch proved correct that the strange mounds on her land hold buried treasure. As an archaeological dig proceeds against a background of mounting national anxiety, it becomes clear that this is no ordinary find, and the discovery leads to a host of jealousies and tensions.

Elegantly crafted with great tenderness and a poignant attention to detail, The Dig is more than a novel about archaeology. At its very core, this is a novel about the traces of life we all leave behind.

©2007 John Preston (P)2016 Blackstone Audio, Inc. Literary Fiction Discovery Genre Fiction Fiction Biographical Fiction Biography Action & Adventure

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Compelling Story • Intriguing Characters • Fascinating History • Beautiful Imagery • Interesting Plot • Realistic Voices

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This was a nicely paced story with intriguing characters and plot. I enjoyed it very much and am hesitant to see the film because the images in my mind are so rich. I also loved the performances!

Beautiful story and imagery

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I enjoyed this story. found it very interesting. I understand there is also a movie though I have not seen it.

interesting

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What precisely is “a satisfying read”? To me, it needs to tell an interesting story, contain characters you like and dislike with varying intensity, and probably most importantly, be written with a linear pace, not necessarily agonizing over each detail one after the other, but manages to answer questions that arise in the readers head completely but in due course.
“The Dig” is just such a book.

Very Satisfying Read

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Loved it. Fascinating story, beautifully told. Narration good although I thought the actor who voiced Peggy leant to much into making her sound like a 12 year old. But the other 3 narrators were excellent.

Lovely, mournful book

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Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I found the language usage to be very effective, and reminiscent of Thomas Hardy.. A great cast of characters which were well developed, each with a different voice.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Dig?

When the first archeologist is replaced by a "big shot." That made me mad.

Have you listened to any of the narrators’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No I have not.

Unusual story bracketed by the WW I and WWII.

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