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As London gears up for exciting feminist discussions and events throughout March – see some highlights below – we bring you a double celebration, combining International Women’s Month with World Book Day UK, with news from the feminist library, a focus on specialist bookshops and some top feminist reads!
Rooms of our own
I’ve just finished reading Virginia Woolf‘s 1928 classic, A Room of One’s Own, a feisty polemic which dragged me right back to a time when women were not permitted to the Oxford University library without being escorted by a Fellow of the College and when it was almost unconceivable for women to be able write decent books. For, according to Sir Egerton Brydges, “women rarely possess men’s healthy love of rhetoric. It is a strange lack in the sex which is in other things more primitive and more materialistic.”[i] Really?
Well, this is certainly a stark reminder of the progress we have made over the last century with regards to equality. Not only are there some incredible female and feminist authors and books, but we have our own libraries and some delightful bookshops dedicated solely to female authors.
London’s feminist library is back … with a new dragon logo !
This is the story, herstory, of a journey. It is also herstory of resilience, survival – and a story about love.
Gentrification is taking its toll on London. Increasing rents have meant that many grassroots organisations and community projects have been forced to close down or relocate. In 2016, after 32 years in its Westminster Bridge Road home, the feminist library faced the same fate – eviction!
But somehow the planets aligned. What could have been an outright catastrophe, quickly turned into an opportunity and as soon as a suitable venue was identified, an amazing team of feminist architects, designers and makers sat around the ‘feminist table’ (as described by author Sarah Ahmed[i]) and helped ‘create an accessible feminist public space that feels like a truly loving home for the collection of books and ephemera, as well as staff and visitors.’
It took four years of dedication, passion and hard work to find, redesign, catalogue, pack, store, fundraise and finally relocate the beloved archive – a mammoth project that would have been impossible without scores of committed volunteers and supporters. The story of how the feminist library was saved from closure is carefully recorded in a wonderful ‘zine’, keeping feminist tradition alive!
The library was officially inaugurated on 31st January with not one, but two opening parties at its new home – the Sojourner Truth[i] Community Centre in Peckham, South London. And what pleasure it was to browse the packed shelves and impressive collection of fiction, non-fiction and periodicals – including lots of precious women’s liberation movement, second wave materials – as well as posters and banners.
Check out the feminist library for information about herstory, archive, events, opening hours and more or click here to become a friend.
Perfect day out perusing feminist bookshops
Persephone Books was set up in 1998 and the name inspired by the daughter of Zeus, the symbol of female creativity, spring and new beginnings. It is situated on Lambs Conduit Street, probably one of central London’s quirkiest little streets, alongside the Perseverance Pub, the People’s Supermarket. You sense the lovely vibe as soon as you step into Persephone Books and as you look around, you realise that all the books have the same soft (to the eyes and the touch) grey cover and each one has its own ‘fabric’ endpaper with matching bookmark.
Books are numbered, e.g. #1 (the first book they ever published) is Cicely Hamilton’s William the Englishman, and the latest, #135, is One Woman’s Year, by Stella Martin Currey (full list available online). As an independent publisher, Persephone chooses to focus is predominantly on ‘forgotten’ or ‘lost’ books by women in the interwar period. They also reprint some classics – such as A Room of One’s Own – and I definitely recommend it!
Next on the list is The Second Shelf. Tucked away in a gorgeous little courtyard in sassy Soho – it is a wonderful location to hang out, with a wide choice of pubs, cocktail bars and restaurants nearby. Behind the cute red shop front hides an impressive collection of over 3,000 titles – from affordable collectible paperbacks, literary classics, works on a wide range of subjects to very unique pieces, such as Jane Austen’s best friend’s personal copy of Sense & Sensibility. It provides a very unique space, to browse, chat, learn, share and inspire.
While both shops are quite different, they share the same passion put women writers front and centre and ensure they are more valued and recognised.
Shout out to feminist booklovers!
As a special feature for World Book Day UK and International Women’s Day, I spoke to two inspiring, independent feminist bookworms about feminism, literature and their favourite books.
Meet Martha and Alexia:
Martha_is_reading … and writing brilliant, straight to the point reviews, which have attracted quite a following on instagram. She spoke to me about loving books since she was a child and her penchant for beautiful covers – check out her flatlays. Martha discovered feminism through Laura Bates’ Everyday Sexism but her take on feminism has changed since, moving from white female authors to a more intersectional reading list, with books by women of colour and disabled women. She was keen to mention the issue of the white, heteronormative, middle class bias of the publishing industry and the outrage of the last year’s joint booker prize which Bernadine Evaristo had to share with Margaret Atwood.
In addition to Bernadine Evaristo’s booker prize Girl, Woman, Other, Martha also recommends Yaa Gyai’s Homegoing and Three Women by Lisa Taddeo. Looking for inspiration and ideas?
Check out her book ratings on instagram and blog !
Alexia – @alexianotalexa on twitter – is a feminist activist. She started Back To Books Brum last year, as a way to start a gentler career, try her own business. It is an opportunity for her to have the space to continue her feminist activism through sharing thought-provoking and diverse books. She calls it booktivism! Her book choices, like Martha’s, focus on feminist experiences and analysis and resist the lens of an all-white and middle class cast. This drew from her #aidtoo campaigning on sexual violence and oppression in the international charity sector.
She is looking forward to Girl, Woman, Other coming out in paperback on world book day and loved Kit de Waal’s Common People: An Anthology of Working Class Writers.
Check out her twitter and instagram accounts for more recommendations and to support a feminist start up!
Réf :
[i] Sir Egerton Brydges, New Criterion, June 1928
[i] Living a Feminist Lfe, Sarah Ahmed, Duke University Press, 2017
[i] Sojourner Truth was an outspoken nineteenth century African American advocate for abolition, temperance, and civil and women’s rights (1797 – 1883)
And finally – dates for the diary!
International Women’s Month 2020 here we come:06 March She grrrrowls – the poetry café 06 – 08 March 07 March Million Women Rise (women only march) 08 March Bread and Roses: a socialist feminist Convention 12 March Toni Morrison: The Pieces I am + Q&A with gal dem 14 March Feminist Library AGM and Birthday Party 14 – 20 March 19 March Oxford House Feminist Quiz Night 21 March Volatile Women – a celebration of women artists Feminist Voices in Technology Workshop 24 March HOWL – reclaiming 50 years of Women’s Liberation 25 March Outspoken 2 – in conversation with Lola Olufemi 27 March Feminist Fight back Film Club (tbc) 28 March Burn it Down! Feminist Manifesto Reading Group 31 March Revolting prostitutes (sex workers rights event) |
Practical Info
The Sojourner Truth Community Centre
161 Sumner Road – London SE15 6JL
Nearest stations:
- Oval underground (Northern Line) and 36 bus (Harris Academy stop)
- Peckham Rye and Queens Road Peckham over ground stations
Check website for opening hours and events
The Feminist Library is trans-inclusive and welcomes visitors of all genders
59 Lamb’s Conduit Street – London WC1N 3NB
Nearest station: Russell Square
Opening hours: 10am-6pm (Mon to Fri), 11am-5pm (Sat), 12-4pm (Sun).
14 Smiths Court – London W1D 7DW
Nearest station: Piccadilly Circus Opening hours: 11am-6pm (Mon to Sat), 12-5pm (Sun)
2 comments
Writed in an extraordinary way and very interesting content.
I recommend to everyone who wants to visit the earth differently and to all those are convinced of the power of women 🌺⚘🌸🌼
Hi Cécile, Thank you for your comment !