One hundred is such a nice round figure and always represents a benchmark or an achievement and, in this case, I am simply delighted to say that Persephone Books, has just published their latest two books which takes them up to this magic figure.
I look back pre-Persephone and cannot imagine how I managed without them. The kind of books they publish are MY kind of books, books which had vanished from book and library shelves and could only be tracked down my rummaging in second hand bookshops or putting in a request at the local library and praying. Internet searches would sometimes throw up an odd copy or two but they were pretty thin on the ground and always expensive.
So when I discovered Persephone (from a newspaper article I came across by chance) and telephoned and were put on their mailing list and then bought the first book, William an Englishman by Cicely Hamilton and gobbled it up, secure in the knowledge that there were more delights to come, it marked the start of a wonderful venture. So many unexpected discoveries, so many authors I had never heard of, some authors I had but had dismissed as being 'old lady reads' when I saw them on the shelves when I worked in the library system, but all of them with one thing in common, they were worthy of being rediscovered and placed in front of the public once again.
I have my favourites and I am sure you have too. These are mine listed below and I have linked, where I have reviewed, to my earlier posts. There are many others which I also love, but these really are the top choices. They are:
- The Homemaker by Dorothy Canfield Fisher
- Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day – Winifred Watson
- The Making of a Marchioness – Frances Hodgson Burnett
- The Shuttle – Frances Hodgson Burnett
- Little Boy Lost – Marghanita Laski
- Fidelity – Susan Glaspell
- Someone at a Distance – Dorothy Whipple
If I had to pick just one out of all the Persephone list it would be The Homemaker – I have lost count of the number of times I have read this since I purchased it several years ago – it is read at least once a year and every time I read it I love it all over again.
My congratulations to Persephone Books (do check out their new website) on reaching 100 Books. This publishing house has given me hours of pure reading pleasure and delight, not only in the content of the book, but the sheer joy of looking at the end papers and the beautiful dove grey covers. Persephone also has a delightful shop in Lambs Conduit Street in London, hosts lunches with great speakers and other events throughout the year.
Here's to the next 100 and many more wonderful delights and discoveries to come.
Don't forget to let me know which are your favourite titles….
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Here are links to posts on other Persephone books which I have enjoyed:
http://randomjottings.typepad.com/random_jottings_of_an_ope/2008/11/home-maker-and.html
http://randomjottings.typepad.com/random_jottings_of_an_ope/2007/12/dorothy-whipple.html
Not quite sure why that last link is so long and hope they all work OK.
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