Author guide

Pip Williams Books in Order

Pip Williams is an Australian author and social researcher who was born in London, grew up in Sydney, and lives in the Adelaide Hills. She co-authored Time Bomb: Work, Rest and Play in Australia Today, a study of work, family, and time pressure in Australia. Her memoir One Italian Summer recounts her family's search for a better life through travel and work in Italy. She is best known for the historical companion novels The Dictionary of Lost Words and The Bookbinder of Jericho.

historical fictionliterary fictionmemoirnarrative nonfictionsocial research

Catalog record updated August 25, 2026.

Pip Williams's Newest Book

The Bookbinder of Jericho

novel · First published 2023

As World War One brings women unexpected new freedoms, bookbinder Peggy has the chance at a new future. 'A wonderful book' Fiona Valpy, author of The Dressmaker's Gift 'Your job is to bind the books, not read them.' When the men of Oxford University Press leave for the Western Front, Peggy, her twin sister Maude and their friends in the bookbindery must shoulder the burden at home. As Peggy moves between her narrowboat full of memories and the demands of the Press, her dreams of studying feel ever more remote. She must know her place, fold her pages and never stop to savour the precious words in front of her. From volunteer nurses to refugees fleeing the horrors of occupation, the war brings women together from all walks of life, and with them some difficult choices for Peggy. New friends and lovers offer new opportunities, but they also make new demands - and Peggy must write her own story. 'Vivid and moving ... I absolutely loved it!' Ruth Hogan, author of The Keeper of Lost Things 'Charming, original and beautifully researched' Rachel Hore, author of A Beautiful Spy 'A fresh, exciting new voice in historical fiction' Paula McLain, author of The Paris Wife

Not sure where to begin?

Start with one of these

One Italian Summer

Best starting point for readers interested in Williams's memoir and narrative nonfiction.

The Dictionary of Lost Words

Best starting point for readers interested in Williams's historical fiction and her most widely known novel.

Outside the series

Bibliography by category

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Novels (3)

Time Bomb: Work, Rest and Play in Australia Today
nonfiction · 2012
The Dictionary of Lost Words
novel · 2020

In 1901, the word ‘Bondmaid’ was discovered missing from the Oxford English Dictionary. This is the story of the girl who stole it. Esme is born into a world of words. Motherless and irrepressibly curious, she spends her childhood in the…
The Bookbinder of Jericho
novel · 2023

As World War One brings women unexpected new freedoms, bookbinder Peggy has the chance at a new future. 'A wonderful book' Fiona Valpy, author of The Dressmaker's Gift 'Your job is to bind the books, not read them.' When the men of Oxford…

Nonfiction (1)

One Italian Summer
memoir · 2017

Pip and Shannon dreamed of living the good life. They wanted to slow down, grow their own food, and spend more time with the people they love. But jobs and responsibilities got in the way: their chooks died, their fruit rotted, and Pip…

Frequently asked questions about Pip Williams

Who is Pip Williams?

Pip Williams is an Australian author and social researcher. Born in London and raised in Sydney, she now lives in the Adelaide Hills.

Source: hachette.com.au (opens in a new tab)

What did Pip Williams do before becoming a novelist?

She worked as a social researcher and co-authored research on work, family life, and time pressure in Australia before publishing fiction.

Sources: unisa.edu.au (opens in a new tab)hachette.com.au (opens in a new tab)

What inspired Pip Williams’s historical fiction?

Her historical fiction was partly inspired by Simon Winchester’s account of the Oxford English Dictionary. Williams explored the subject from a female perspective, focusing on whose words and experiences history leaves out.

Source: sl.nsw.gov.au (opens in a new tab)

What is Pip Williams best known for?

She is best known for historical fiction that explores language, books, women’s lives, and access to knowledge, as well as for combining archival research with storytelling.

Sources: hachette.com.au (opens in a new tab)sl.nsw.gov.au (opens in a new tab)

What awards has Pip Williams received?

Her novels have won major Australian book awards: The Dictionary of Lost Words won the 2021 ABIA General Fiction Book of the Year, and The Bookbinder of Jericho won the same category in 2024.

Sources: abiawards.com.au (opens in a new tab)abiawards.com.au (opens in a new tab)