Tuesday 8 December 2009

Persephone evening


As you may have read yesterday, I was very excited to be going to see Nicola Beauman speak at the Woodstock Bookshop about Persephone books last night! I had a wonderful evening and had to blog about it today while it is still fresh (bake of the week will follow tomorrow...).

We were very lucky to have the opportunity to see Nicola because apparently she doesn't do very many events, which is a shame as she was a good speaker and extremely interesting. There were only about 20 people there, but you could not have shoehorned another booklover into the shop! Nicola spoke about how she established Persephone books, and how she was motivated to reprint titles which she had written about in A very great profession. She said that the difference between Persephone and Virago, although they could both be considered feminist, was that Persephone was more interested in domesticity. The title which had made their business viable was Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day; an absolute bestseller, it meant that they could keep republishing books. It, like a handful of their other titles, has been republished as a "classic" with a coloured cover; apparently this is also to make them more appealing to the American market. The uniform grey covers were inspired by Nicola's love of uniformly designed french books, but apparently these don't sell so well overseas! We heard about plans for future books, including the Nemirovsky short stories due out next, and a wonderful book about madness planned for next Autumn. Nicola wouldn't say what her favourite title is, but it was obvious that Dorothy Whipple is probably her favourite author and we were all encouraged to read her if we hadn't already.

The event cost £4, which could be redeemended against a book from the shop, so it was not surprising that I treated myself to a Persephone book. I bought The world that was ours in the original grey edition (I kind of wanted the classic edition, but this does have a lovely bookmark); it's in my bag today and I hope I will write about it later this week if it interests people. I took along a friend who loves Virago Modern Classics, but who had yet to read a Persephone book. She came away with To bed with grand music, and we plan to discuss it soon as I already have my copy!

I'd not been to the Woodstock bookshop before; it was small with an impressive mix of books - pile them high, but not multiple copies. I could have come away with armfuls of books, but I merely made a note that I definitely want to read Toibin's Brooklyn before too long

28 comments:

  1. Oh it sounds lovely! You forgot to mention your outfit...

    Nicola is very interesting in person with a lot to say about books and her vision for Persephone. I will definitely be interested in reading about The World that was Ours, which is on my own immediate TBR pile.

    I know that the Classics covers were to appeal to a wider audience but I didn't know it was the United States! I prefer the cost of Classics and will buy those from online retailers (no bookmark to miss out on) for discount and convenience and for those lovely covers, some of which I cannot resist. The bibliophile and aesthetic in me, however, adores the grey.

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  2. Hi Claire :) I agree about the cost of the classics, which was why I was a little disappointed that I had to buy the Bernstein in the original version... What I like most is the grey combined with the beautiful endpapers; the grey would be just dull on its own I think.

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  3. Oh agreed - it's the whole complementing package of the greys that sell them!

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  4. What an interesting evening and how lucky you were to be able to attend, Verity! I am jealous! I have met Nicola a couple of times and she has always been very kind and generous with her time.

    How interesting that the Americans want a more decorated cover - this does make plenty of sense when looking at the US editions of books I have on my shelves - they are always much more eye catching and well put together than their English counterparts. Personally I prefer the grey just because they are SO Persephone and I like them to look uniform on the shelf!

    I do adore Persephone for its focus on domesticity - in a world so obsessed with careers and material gain and striving to be 'somebody', the books they publish dare to show that the true value and beauty to be found in life is amongst one's family and friends, in the home, not in the boardroom or on a TV screen. They are radical in their ordinariness!

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  5. Rachel - she did come across as very kind and generous. I wish I hadn't been too shy to actually chat to her afterwards, particularly as I am doing a vox pop in the Bookseller next week which highlights Persephone! I think you are right about the domestic focus; it is refreshing and provides something comforting.

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  6. That sounds like such a lovely event. And I've got to read Dorothy Whipple!

    I love what she said about domesticity. It saddens me that stories about women's domestic lives are often dismissed as irrelevant or non-literary (perhaps a reason why these became forgotten classics to begin with), and I'm glad that Persephone is here to oppose that notion.

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  7. Nymeth - you have a real treat in store! I too am glad for novels about domesticity.

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  8. Sounds like a very fun evening. I am envious.

    It doesn't surprise me about the US market and the book covers. However, I have never seen a Peresphone in a US store, so perhaps it was for nought. I love the Persephone grey covers but I must agree with Rachel that US covers (at least of literary fiction and trade paperbacks) tend to be better designed, not always, Penguins are better in the UK, but often.

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  9. Thomas - am interested to hear that that doesn't surprise you. It's years since I've been in a bookshop over the pond, so I've no idea what things look like! Am sorry you've not ever seen a Persephone in a shop though :(

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  10. What an fantastic evening! It's interesting to know that the classic covers are meant to appeal to Americans...they are the only ones I ever see in stores. Hope you get to Toibin's Broolyn soon - I thought it was excellent.

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  11. JoAnn - frustratingly there are only 8 copies in the library system and 8 reservations ahead of me :(

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  12. It's post like these that make me wish I could transport myself in the blink of an eye to England. This just sounds like a perfect evening. My two cents as an American...I much prefer the grey covers. I regret my purchase of the classic Saplings and wish I would have stuck with the grey. I have never seen a Persephone in a bookstore here but I have seen one at the library (Miss Buncle's Book).

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  13. Hi Book Psmith - it's so interesting getting all of the feedback on what Americans think! I think I want to have both classic and newer editions...that is a bit addictive and not something that I will do in reality!

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  14. As an American I have only seen some of the classic editions in a large chain bookstore. Booksellers generally have no idea what I’m talking about when I mention the publisher. I admit I’m guilty of taking second looks at flashy covers. i have a mix of both grey and classic covers. The grey covers are sleek and I prefer them but I'll take what I can get :)

    I'm glad you had a wonderful evening, it sounds just lovely. I have read about the debates concerning the differences in Persephone and Virago and I think domesticity is a good way to illuminate what some folks have previously seen as the unimportant minutia of women's lives.

    I have The world that was ours waiting on my TBR pile (in the classic edition as well). I am interested in your thoughts. The story of Mandela and the fight against Apartheid is a good one and this seems especially interesting to hear it from a different point of view.

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  15. More interesting feedback - thanks! I can't wait to get home and start my copy of The world...

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  16. Such a wonderful and intimate event! So glad that you had a lovely time of it. I'd be interested to know what your friend thought of her first Persephone title.

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  17. How strange. Americans like the classic covers? We do??? I'm American and I do not. Have never purchased one and never will. I like the grey originals. Perhaps I'm biased because I lived in England?

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  18. While the colourful Classics certainly appeal to me too, I still do prefer my Persephones in grey for uniformity. Have never seen a grey one here in Canada though, only the Classics.

    Would love to read the Hilda Bernstein as well! Enjoy!

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  19. Nice blog, Verity. I am an American, a Bookseller and a Persephone reader and collector. I much prefer the grey covers; however, I own some Persephone titles in the classic editions. The bookstore which employs me carries all the classic editions as well as Beauman's Elizabeth Taylor bio and sales are what one would expect for books such as Persephones which appeal to a specialized market. I don't believe that Persephone makes the grey covered editions available to American bookstores, or British ones for that matter. Perhaps I am mistaken, but I don't recall seeing them in bookstores, other than the Persephone shops, in London where I visit several times a year. By the way, as a book addict, I more than understand the impulse to save a little $ on book purchases; however, I strongly believe in supporting small publishers so that readers will continue to have the opportunity to buy books that appeal to the vast world of taste out there.

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  20. What a great evening - thank you for sharing so I could vicariously live it! Yet another reason for me to move to London!

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  21. Heather - I guess there are exceptions to everything!

    Claire - I think both appeal in some ways. I am really enjoying the Bernstein.

    Beeb - thanks for stopping by, and I'm interested to hear your views. Nicola said that the grey copies are predominantly mail order, although I have seen them here in a couple of independent shops (such as the one the talk was held in) and in Borders (before its demise).

    Karen - it is good to be able to live vicariously - not quite as good as the real thing but nice too!

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  22. So jealous of your evening, Verity! I've just caught up over at VVV and I'm looking forward to trawling through your older posts here.

    I lived in Edinburgh for 3 years and developed a love for Persephones. Now that I'm back in the US it's much harder to get Persephones and VMCs, though I have found both in used bookshops. I was back in Edinburgh in November - ashamed to admit I bought upwards of 20 books while there. Was happy to find several grey Persephones at Waterstone's, as well as the classics.

    For my fellow Americans, the classics can be ordered from my new favorite website www.basbleu.com

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  23. I am very jealous to hear of your wonderful evening. I recently bought my first Persephone (Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day) which is now top of my TBR pile.

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  24. Hi Lindsey - thanks for popping in and I'm glad you're enjoying both blogs. I'm impressed that you've found used Persephones stateside - I never see used ones here!

    A bookish space - thanks for coming over - I've just found your blog too! I look forward to hearing what you think of Miss Pettigrew.

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  25. I completely forgot this was happening... oops. Sounds like I wouldn't have fitted anyway! I love that little shop, it's so friendly, and has a fantastic selection of books.

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  26. Simon - you wouldn't have fitted anyway as everyone was female!

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  27. OK, to be honest I've found ONE used Persephone over here (Consequences). But it was in a used bookshop, so it counts!

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  28. Lindsey - I would have snapped that up as it is one that I had from the library!

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