Persephone Books

Persephone Books is a fantastic book publisher and I heart them something fierce. They are based in London and publish out-of-print or neglected books written by women. Most of their books are from the earlier part of the 20th century and before. Their hardcovers come with a simple plain grey cloth cover and a cream label with the title & author of the book. When you open the book you get hit with a magnificent shock of color. The endpapers (those thicker decorative pages inside the front and back covers) are based on vintage fabrics. They chose the fabrics to suit the book. Their paperbacks have full-color covers featuring a related piece or artwork. They have french-flaps and contain the same fabric design in the endpapers as the hardcovers, except in black-and-white. These are gorgeously designed books but they also happen to contain great writing.

Persephone Books is most well-known for reissuing Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day by Winifred Watson (it was a major movie in 2008 starring Amy Adams and Frances McDormand). It's No. 21 in their series and the endpaper comes from a 1938 furnishing fabric.

Even though Persephone Books is based in London, they are willing to send you their wonderful Biannually newsletter and catalog to wherever you are in the world. You can buy their books from their online shop or order them from your local bookstore.

from top left to bottom then top right to bottom

1st Panel
1. A New System of Domestic Cookery 2. Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day 3. The Victorian Chaise-lounge 4. Consider the Years 5. Mariana 6. Family Roundabout

2nd Panel

1. Farewell Leicester Square 2. The Children who lived in a Barn 3. The Far Cry 4. Cheerful Weather for a Wedding 5. The Priory 6. The Shuttle