To Say Nothing of the DogTo Say Nothing of the Dog
Score Modern
What it's about
Ned Henry, a time-traveling historian from the 21st century, badly needs a rest. He's been shuttling to the 1940s in search of a Victorian atrocity called the bishop's bird stump, for a project to rebuild Coventry Cathedral. But when a fellow time traveler, Verity Kindle, accidentally brings something back from the past, Ned has to go to the Victorian era to put things right, before history unravels.
Why it's worth reading
It won the Hugo Award for Best Novel and was a Nebula finalist. It's a comic romp in the spirit of Three Men in a Boat, with a mystery and a love story.
You'll love it if you liked
Good Omens
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
The Thursday Murder ClubGood to know
It's light and funny, unlike Willis's darker Doomsday Book, set in the same world. It helps to like Victorian England.
By the numbers
- Readers63 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics67 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller26 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #58 of the 313 science fiction books we rank
- #80 of the 459 fantasy books we rank
- #320 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #640 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Adventurous
More by Connie Willis
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Quick answers
Is To Say Nothing of the Dog worth reading?
Yes. It won the Hugo Award for Best Novel and was a Nebula finalist. It ranks #640 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 76.6 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is To Say Nothing of the Dog about?
Ned Henry, a time-traveling historian from the 21st century, badly needs a rest. He's been shuttling to the 1940s in search of a Victorian atrocity called the bishop's bird stump, for a project to rebuild Coventry Cathedral. But when a fellow time traveler, Verity Kindle, accidentally brings something back from the past, Ned has to go to the Victorian era to put things right, before history unravels.
How long does it take to read To Say Nothing of the Dog?
About 13 hours (514 pages), or about 4 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What awards has To Say Nothing of the Dog won?
Hugo Award winner (1999).
What should I read after To Say Nothing of the Dog?
If you liked it, try Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams or The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman.