The Dig

Now a BAFTA-nominated motion picture starring Ralph Fiennes, Carey Mulligan and Lily James

By: John Preston

Narrated by: Simon Vance, Kate Reading, Fiona Hardingham, Derek Perkins

Brought to you by Penguin.

A brilliantly realised account of the most famous archeological dig in British history, now a major motion picture starring Ralph Fiennes, Carey Mulligan and Lily James.

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, 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.

© John Preston 2007 (P) Penguin Audio 2020

Critic reviews

'Very fine, engrossing, exquisitely original' (Ian McEwan)

'An enthralling story of love and loss, a real literary treasure. One of the most original novels of the year' (Robert Harris)

'You don't need to be in archaeology - this is a tale of rivalry, loss and thwarted love. It's so absorbing that I read right through lunchtime one day, and it's not often I miss a meal' (Nigella Lawson)

'A rich vein of dry humour runs throughout' (Evening Standard)

'Intriguing, tender and entertaining ... easily Preston's best' (Independent)

'A delicate, quietly affecting human drama' (Daily Mail)

'A moving novel that coheres wonderfully as it progresses' (Spectator)

'A delicate evocation of a vanished era' (Sunday Times)

Wonderful, evocative. From this simple tale of dirt, Preston has produced the finest gold. He keeps an iron grip on the reader's attention (Observer)

'Beautifully written...there is a true and wonderful ending to the story' (Bill Wyman)

Loved it

I saw the movie and thoroughly enjoyed it so decided to read the book. It’s not often that one enjoys both the movie and the book but this was definitely the case for me. I don’t think it matters which way round you enjoy them. It’s a really interesting true story about an exciting archeological discovery.