Anastasiia discusses ~ Women writers in our Reading Rooms

Reading works by female authors is an exceptional process for me. It is like a dialogue with someone whose questions and concerns relate to your questions and concerns. With someone who can inspire you to move forward to your dreams and give you sisterhood support. Let's meet some of those who live in the vintage section of our Readings Rooms above the bookshop.

When you are just entering the rooms, you can meet Daphne du Maurier — a mysterious author whose books inspired some of Hitchcock's films. On her writing table, you will find her bestselling novel "Rebecca," the first UK edition of "Mary Anne," and a beautiful collection set by Heron Books: "The King's General," "Hungry Hill," "The Scapegoat," "The Flight of the Falcon," and "The progress of Julius."  

When exploring further onto the bookshelves in the next rooms, you can find that our vintage fiction collection shows a wide range of women's writing, from spy novels to musical biographies.

Mrs. Henry Wood was a well-known Victorian adult mystery romance writer whose fame surpassed Charles Dickens in Australia. Our book's collection includes three of her novels: "Danesbury House," "The Red Court Farm," and best-seller "East Lynn."

Helen MacInnes was famous for her espionage novels. Her well-known spy novel "The Salzburg Connection" lives on our "Fiction" shelves.

Throughout her life, Clare Hoskyns-Abrahal went through entirely different roles: graduate of the Royal College of Music, parachute section driver at the Women's Royal Air Force, and commandant of the British Red Cross. She is known as a young adult historical fiction and biography writer in the literature world. Her opus magnum "Prelude" about pianist Eileen Joyce is among the books in our collection.

Friederike Victoria "Joy" Adamson had an adventurous life as a naturalist but also an artist and author. In her book "Born Free," she writes about her experience raising a lion named Elsa. You can meet Joy Adamsons on our vintage bookshelves as well.

Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette (or Colette) was prominent among the intellectual and artistic circles in Belle Époque — mime, actress, journalist, author, woman of letters, and a Nobel prize nominee due to her work. Collete's novelle "Ripening Seed" is among our Vintage Penguin books.

I can imagine how these authors gather in our cafe, having coffee and leading dialogues on their life adventures, exchanging ideas they found, and discussing the books they read.

Why not join us? Our Reading Rooms are open 10am to 5pm Thursday- Saturday and 11am to 4pm on Sundays, with final orders 30 minutes prior to closing. We serve a range of hot drinks including tea, coffee, hot chocolate, and some delicious vegan brownies.