--- product_id: 35623293 title: "The Dig: A Novel Based on True Events" price: "€ 30.62" currency: EUR in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.at/products/35623293-the-dig-a-novel-based-on-true-events store_origin: AT region: Austria --- # The Dig: A Novel Based on True Events **Price:** € 30.62 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** The Dig: A Novel Based on True Events - **How much does it cost?** € 30.62 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.at](https://www.desertcart.at/products/35623293-the-dig-a-novel-based-on-true-events) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description desertcart.com: The Dig: A Novel Based on True Events: 9781590517802: Preston, John: Books Review: Hard to put down - 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. Review: An Earthbound Story - 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. ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #296,147 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #535 in Biographical Historical Fiction #3,364 in Mystery Action & Adventure #12,871 in Literary Fiction (Books) | | Customer Reviews | 4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars (4,059) | | Dimensions | 5.5 x 0.68 x 8.25 inches | | ISBN-10 | 1590517806 | | ISBN-13 | 978-1590517802 | | Item Weight | 1.04 pounds | | Language | English | | Print length | 272 pages | | Publication date | April 19, 2016 | | Publisher | Other Press | ## Images ![The Dig: A Novel Based on True Events - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71C3RPpxi4L.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Hard to put down *by T***C on October 14, 2024* 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. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ An Earthbound Story *by D***E on April 29, 2016* 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. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Recommended *by R***E on February 15, 2025* 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. --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.at/products/35623293-the-dig-a-novel-based-on-true-events](https://www.desertcart.at/products/35623293-the-dig-a-novel-based-on-true-events) --- *Product available on Desertcart Austria* *Store origin: AT* *Last updated: 2026-04-23*