The Dig: A Novel Based on True Events

This is an entrancing book, well written and researched, all about the finding of an Anglo-Saxon ship in Suffolk, England shortly before the start of World War II. The characters are beautifully drawn, making the reader wish that she or he had known them In real life. It's not always that I give a book five stars but "The Dig" deserves it.

The plot of this novel is firmly anchored in the historical facts relating to the incredible finds at the Sutton Hoo shipburial. This quiet, magisterially told story manages to develop characterizations that are complex, involving and moving despite their being based on real people. The drama in the story comes from the archeological discoveries (again, sourced in the real, almost unbelievable, facts). While the plot is far from being a thriller in conventional terms, and the characters are not given easy or romantic lives, the novel's realism gives it a modern resonance despite its historical setting. The writing is usually simple and direct, rising to near poetic passages. In one passage, two characters. who in another novel would fall in love and run away with each other, stroll into the night and listen to the plaintive lovecall of a Nightingale, a call which goes unanswered. I enjoyed reading this imaginatibe and believable depiction of a famous excavation and found the evocation of the people involved almost heartbreaking. This novel is an easy read, but is likely to haunt the reader long after the last page is turned.

I really enjoyed this novel based on the true story of the discovery of an Anglo-Saxon ship burial in Sutton Hoo, England. As war approached Europe in 1939, Basil Brown was hired by a landowner, Edith Pretty, to excavate the mounds on her property, long assumed to be ancient burial sites. He's unsuccessful with the first few mounds, but strikes it rich on the largest mound in the field, unearthing what appears to be a ship burial. The wood used to build the ship was long decomposed, but left its shape in the sand of the mound along with all of the metal rivets used to build it and the items that were buried with it. Before long, Brown is pushed aside by men from the British Museum who take over the excavation and relegate Brown to a subordinate role. This novel brings the characters to life, including Mrs. Pretty, widowed and with a small son, Robert, as well as the cast of archeologists who descend on the dig such as Stuart Piggotty, a college professor and archeologist and his wife, also an archeologist but also his former student. The book shows the excitement of such a find, which changed the historical narrative about England after the end of Roman rule. Previously thought to be an uncivilized and barbaric time, the find made clear that there was a sophisticated trade network in existence in the 6th-7th centuries. Based on the amount of gold and silver artifacts found in the burial chamber, it's likely that the ship burial was for a king, possibly King Raedwald, King of the East Angles. The 2021 Netflix film based on this book and starring Ralph Fiennes and Carey Mulligan hews closely to the book with a little added drama and romance to spice it up.

The continuing story is told from the viewpoint of several different characters. It was an okay read, I thought, but there were loose ends. I wanted more from the story than the author chose to impart. The bottom line is that "The Dig" is interesting but not emotionally satisfying.

I really enjoyed reading The Dig. The descriptions of The Dig are so well written. I felt like I was right there digging with them. I enjoyed the descriptions of the artifacts, as well. I love books written about the 1930s and 1940s. The Dig told a story of the impending war, the urgency to get the dig completed, and the artifacts safely stored . A great true story told from the view point of several characters that participated in The Dig. I could feel the sand in my hands and the weight of the gold objects as they removed from the site.

Having watched The Dig on Netflix (a total accident while movie surfing and hitting the wrong button), I so thoroughly enjoyed the movie that I thought I would give the book that prompted the movie a try. Generally speaking books are books and movies based on books generally fall flat, not because they aren't entertaining, but because they often stray far afield from the original. The movie does somewhat the same in this case, but it is only because there is no way it could have retained the original magic of the book. John Preston does a masterful job in developing this fascinating and true story of one of the greatest archeological finds of all time. I leave it to the reader to discover Preston's magic, but I promise, dear reader, that you will not be disappointed. The only reason for witholding the 5th star is only because the book does not ascend to the heights of a Crime and Punishment or War and Peace, but a 4+ star is a worthy rating for a worthy and well-told account.

I first stumbled across the audio version because one of my favorite narrators had a part. I immediately fell in love with the story. I was familiar with the Sutton Hoo discovery but this added such great detail.

Story of the Sutton Hoo dig. Really interesting for art history buffs and those interested in English history.

The book is as good as the picture and is a fascinating account of a little know story. Clear and well written.

Gostei muito do livro, muito delicado e sutil, uma boa ambientação de época, mas confesso que o filme foi muito mais rico e completo.

Good

A must if you are interested in the history of the unearthing of the treasure of Sutton Hoo by Basil Brown in Suffolk.

A lovely book to read after watching the film of The Dig. With much more information on the excavation and people involved. A real page turner with never a dull moment