I’ve mentioned a couple of times that I had a secret project I was waiting to share – and I can finally share it. I shan’t bury the lede: I am the Series Consultant for a new British Library Women Writers reprint series!! Here’s what the first four look like… [they’re out in March and April]
Announcing our new Women Writers series, which will be available from March. We are very excited to bring back these forgotten authors and reintroduce them to a new generation of readers! @thebookseller #womenwriters #britishlibrary #forgottenfictionhttps://t.co/m6QpWfhwg1 pic.twitter.com/07mU03GXDa
— Brit Lib Publishing (@BL_Publishing) January 29, 2020
And now for a bit more detail.
It must be about two years ago that I first got an email from Liz at the British Library, asking if I’d be interested in helping find books for a tentative, might-not-happen series reprinting women writers from the first half of the century. I’ll be honest, I thought it could be a hoax. Because surely it was too good to be true? It was basically my dream come true, and of course I leapt at the opportunity – and had some lovely phone conversations with Liz. She sadly left the British Library before the series came to full fruition, but I know she is cheering on from the sidelines.
The idea was, and is, to reprint about four every six months – I suppose for as long as it does well. Liz had already put together suggestions for three of the first titles – The Tree of Heaven by May Sinclair, Bad Girl by Vina Delmar, and My Husband Simon by Mollie Panter-Downes. I’d read and enjoyed My Husband Simon; I really liked May Sinclair but hadn’t read that particular one, and I’d never heard of Delmar. Luckily all the books are great – and, when I was asked to suggest something for the 1940s, it wasn’t long before I landed upon E.H. Young’s Chatterton Square. I definitely thought that needed to be back in print.
To be a candidate for inclusion in the series, the book has to be by a woman, completely out of print, and have something interesting to say about women’s lives in the period. And – eek – I got to write afterwords to each of them! They were going to be introductions, but we decided they’d fit better at the end because then I could write about the plot – and we all hate introductions that give away the ending.
For each afterword, I linked themes from the novel with something affecting women’s social, political, or private life in the decade that the novel was written – exploring it through a reading of the book. For instance, I wrote about how the books people read linked with their class in my afterword to My Husband Simon.
I’ve already suggested the four books I’d like to see in the autumn batch of the British Library Women Writers series, and am waiting to hear what the editorial team think. Obviously I have MANY books I’d like to see back in print – but if you have any suggestions that match the criteria, let me know and I’ll see what I can do :D
I do hope you enjoy this series – and can you believe how lucky I am??
I’ve said it before on Twitter and I’ll say it again: such an exciting venture and you are the perfect person for the job! I’ve already learnt so much from you and look forward to discovering much more in the future. Obviously, I am not buying any books this year, so I may have to make arrangements for them to be given to me as presents…
Thanks Marina! That’s so lovely. And hope your arrangements work out :D
well done Si. Maybe I’ll write My Son Simon!
Ha, go for it!
It’s wonderful news Simon – such a great initiative and you’re exactly the right person to be involved. I love the idea of afterwords too – I hate spoilers. Great stuff – can’t wait to read them! :D
Thanks so much Karen!
How fabulous — an absolute dream job! I’ll have to buy them all so I can read your afterwords (and THANK YOU for not having spoilers in introductions, I hate that.) Congratulations and keep us posted!
Thanks Karen!! ANd yes, taking down spoilery introductions one book at a time
Such exciting news! So looking forward to the release of these. I can’t think of a more perfect person to bring these back to print, congrats Simon!
Thanks so much, Catie!
Absolutely fabulous! Well done, Simon.
Thanks Gillian!
Fabulous! V proud of you – and more skill than luck, surely :) What gorgeous covers.
Thanks Malie!! Let’s say a little of both ;D
Fantastic news, Simon! How exciting!
Thanks Maren!
Such amazing news! Amazing news for you – terrible news for me as it is further evidence that BL Publishing are determined to see me die penniless, smothered under towering piles of their books :-D
Is it too early to put a request in for Margery Sharp? I’d love for there to be an affordable paper copy of Rhododendron Pie…
I have no doubt in my mind you’ll do a brilliant job Simon!
Sharp was definitely on my list! I think there were some complications, but fingers crossed… and apologies for our death by book ;D
Oh my gosh. This is brilliant! I will be purchasing them all. Well done xxxxx
Wonderful news Simon. You are the ideal person for this job. I would also like to see some of the ‘lost’ Margery Sharp’s back in print.
Thanks Michelle Ann! I’d love some Sharp back in print too – she was on my wishlist, if possible.
How exciting! For you and for us. :-) Congratulations! I can’t wait to read all four of the first batch.
Thanks Anbolyn!!
This is so fabulous, congratulations on your part in it. I am excited about the Mollie Panter Downes especially. I agree about Chatterton Square, such a brilliant novel.
Thanks Ali! Yes, this MPD is quite different from the ones Virago and Persephone have done, but great to have back in print.
I thought this was exciting news before I knew you were involved with it but now it is even better. What a dream job for you. Mollie Panter-Downes and E. H. Young are two favorites of mine. I can’t wait to see what else is selected.
Thanks Jennifer! It still feels rather too good to be true.
Wow, what wonderful news, both for you personally and for all the books that will be back in print due to your influence! Well done Simon!
As you can imagine, I have a long list!!
Can only echo Jennifer.
Way to go, Simon!
Thanks :D
What fab news! I’m so happy the books are being published and that you recommended them. I am particularly interested in reading the Mollie Panter-Downes-Downes title and I can’t wait to read your essays for all the books.
Thanks Grier! I had great fun researching and writing them.
What a perfect alignment of the literary stars, for you, for the British Library, and definitely for all the readers who will now be exposed to these titles!
Aw lovely, thanks Claire! I’m so excited.
wow, congratulations, what a fascinating project!
Thanks Emma!
Fantastic! Congratulations to you, Simon!
Thanks Andrea!
What fun! These sound like books I would enjoy. Congratulations!
Thanks Constance!
Congratulations! The perfect fit for you. Can’t wait to see these, even if they’re not my usual reading fare.
Yay, thanks Annabel!
Hearty congratulations Simon, what an exciting venture in propect.
If I was to make a recommendation for this series it would be Margery Sharp’s The Innocents, the only book that I’ve read three times!
I think it fits the bill in most repects but recently it was published as part of a Kindle quartet so not sure if this still counts strictly as ‘out of print’.
Thanks Helen! I love Sharp and she was one of my first suggestions, but I think the ebooks being published has made it more complex. I’ll keep trying!
Just saw it on twitter and it’s so exciting – well done, you! And yes, afterwords are the way forward, so to speak!
Haha! Nicely put.
Congratulations, Simon! This is a fascinating project, and now I am looking forward to read all these gems! :)
Thanks JUliana! I’m so excited.
My congratulations as well!
Thanks Linda!
How exciting Simon! Congrats and can’t wait to see what future titles you’ll choose!
Thanks Scott! I’ll certainly be inspired by your handling of a similar role :D
You are absolutely the perfect person for this job! Congratulations!
Thanks Ruthiella!!
Sneaky for not telling me! :) How fabulous – you lucky thing! I’m so proud of you – what a fantastic opportunity! The new books sound amazing. Now I’m cross I can’t buy any of them…until next year. I’m sure I’ll have some suggestions…once I’ve read some of the unread books on my shelves!
I await them eagerly!
I am so happy for you! Perfect, perfect!!
Thanks Nan!
What a perfect job! I loved Chatterton Square, good choice!
Thanks Mary! I had fun reading about 30s divorce law in my research for the afterword…
This is so exciting, Simon! Chatterton Square has been the book to find during my last two trips to London and I’m still empty-handed. All the best in this new venture….my CC is on stand-by!
Oh wonderful, Darlene – it’ll definitely be worth the wait.
oh Simon, they could not have found a finer fellow for this … I know that I am not the only one who is going to buy them all as soon as they hit the shelves … I am sure you will keep us up to date so that we know when we can have them … I had been thinking of buying fewer books but it must be some winter flu because now I am enthused about purchasing all of the British Library Women Writers reprint series!!
Thanks Anne! I will certainly keep everyone up to date :D
Whaaaaaaaaaaaat! This is incredible news! I think you are perfect for this and I’m so so happy for you and I can’t WAIT to give these books a go. Well done you! Congratulations!
Thanks Jenny!! I still can’t quite believe it’s going to happen.
OMG This is FANTASTIC! I can’t think of anyone better suited to help with this, and such a great project too! (Oh well, there goes my savings!)
Thanks so much Davida!
How wonderful! But you are leading me astray (again). Catching up on your posts – this is Number Three and I now have five books on the wish list, after resolving (yet again) that there would be No New Books this year!
Such wonderful and exciting news, Simon! Congratulations!!!! I’m looking forward to the list.