Persephone Books is unique bookshop dedicated to ‘neglected classics’. Stocked with intelligent, thought-provoking and stylishly re-printed works, it’s a wonderful place to discover forgotten masterpieces.
Based alongside gift shops, delicatessens and florists in London’s Lamb’s Conduit Street, the store itself is elegantly designed and laid out, making it a great place to browse. Entering the store is like stepping into a bygone era, as everything is done the old-fashioned way.
The same is true of the books: beautiful items in their own right, they are all carefully designed with a clear typeface, a dove-grey jacket, a ‘fabric’ endpaper and bookmark. Persephone puts a great deal of care and attention to the look and feel of its books, and while the outside of each title looks the same, the inner fabrics have been chosen to match the date and mood of the book.
The titles themselves are carefully chosen to be ‘impossible to forget’, and only books that have potential classic status are selected. They have all been over-looked for one reason or another, but the most common reason is having been written by a woman at a time when women novelists were not given the same recognition as men.
As well as novels, Persephone Books stocks diaries, cookery books, poetry, short stories and non-fiction. Their rarity and beauty makes them ideal for gifts.
If you’re not in London or prefer to order online, Persephone has an online store here.
