The Words In My Hand
- Author Guinevere Glasfurd
- Narrator Abigail Hollick
- Publisher John Murray Press
- Publish Date 14 January 2016
- Run Time 10 hours and 10 minutes
- Format Audio
- Genre Fiction: general and literary, Historical fiction.
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What to expect
For fans of The Miniaturist and Girl With a Pearl Earring, The Words in My Hand is the re-imagined true story of Helena Jans, a Dutch maid in 17th-century Amsterdam, who works for Mr Sergeant the English bookseller. When a mysterious and reclusive lodger arrives - the Monsieur - Mr Sergeant insists everything must be just so. It transpires that the Monsieur is René Descartes.
Helena's life, like that of so many women in history in history, is scarcely recorded. In The Words in My Hand she is a young woman who yearns for knowledge, who wants to write so badly she makes ink from beetroot and writes in secret on her skin - only to be held back by her position in society as a servant, and as a woman.
Weaving together the story of Descartes' quest for reason with Helena's struggle for literacy, their worlds overlap as their feelings deepen; yet remain sharply divided. For all Descartes' learning, it is Helena he seeks out as she reveals the surprise in the everyday world that surrounds him.
When reputation is everything and with so much to lose, some truths must remain hidden. Helena and Descartes face a terrible tragedy and ultimately have to decide if their love is possible at all.
(P) 2016 John Murray Press
| Author | Guinevere Glasfurd |
|---|---|
| Narrator | Abigail Hollick |
| Duration | 10 hours and 10 minutes |
| Release Date | |
| ISBN | 9781473633308 |
| Format | Audiobook |
| Publisher | John Murray Press |
| Genre | Fiction: general and literary, Historical fiction |
| Availability | AU, GB, IE, US |
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