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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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About this listen

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 dramatises three months of intense activity when locals fought outsiders, professionals thwarted amateurs and love and rivalry flourished in equal measure.

©2020 John Preston (P)2020 Penguin Audio 20th Century Fiction Historical Fiction

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All stars
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I listened to this and was transported to a world I hadn't thought of much previously. I felt I was there with the characters experiencing their world alongside them.

Excellent indeed

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Enjoy this story about english history and the people who worked on the site. will visit the museum to see the treasure one day.

Great story and film.

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Beautiful narrative. I was totally immersed in the story, diary style. Utterly beautiful book. If you need a gentle read, this is it.

Like a hug

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I thought this would not add much to the film I enjoyed but it’s very different. The book’s characters seem so much more engaging and real.

A gentle and subtly beguiling story which will be loved by every fan of “Time Team”, “The Detectorists” and Michael Wood.

A joy

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This audible book is better than the movie. I really enjoyed it and would recommend it highly.

Excellent

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After watching the film I thought the audible would be a bit flat, but how how wrong was I?
It is a beautifully written book, transformed into a spectacular listen, different voice overs keep you entertained throughout and the story line is a never dull moment.
Personally, I found it is a welcome addition to the film.

Excellent listen

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A beautifully crafted tale about an extraordinary archaeological discovery in the shadow of looming war.

Extraordinary

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This is a lovely book to listen to, every narrator brings each of the characters to life. Thoroughly enjoyed this book. It’s also puts the current day difficulties of lockdown into context, the generations before us had a far harder set of circumstances to deal with. Delighted to discover that the nightingale story is true as well!

Beautiful, gentle depiction of a real historical event

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I was initially put off by the sample and once I started listening, the monotonous and dirge-like tones of the performer in the first chapter were a struggle. While the reader's hooded and reserved tone suits the character and her recent history, as revealed by the story, it was very off-putting in its unreieved repetitiveness as a way to lead into the book, with apparently no let-up or variation. It was a relief to move on to other performers at the start of each chapter. The story itself is well and vividly told. I felt I could visualise the scenery, interior and exterior, and the characters, at every turn. My pre-existing interest in the story itself kept me going and that was rapidly repaid as I advanced through the telling. In the end, I found this a good listen.

Glad I persevered

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Having seen the film I decided to delve deeper into the story and I wasn't disappointed. I loved the extra detail and the subtle dialects. A fascinating story, well told, and a real feel good look back at life before the war. Thoroughly recommended.

A Real Feel Good Story!

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