| Subtitle | How a group of women set out to change the world |
| By | Jane Cholmeley |
| Published By | |
| Non-Fiction Genre | Gender studies, literary criticism, memoir |
| Publication Date | 02/29/2024 |
| Price | 7.20 |
Synopsis
A Bookshop of One’s Own is a fascinating slice of social history from the heart of the women’s liberation movement, from a true feminist and lesbian icon. Written with heart and humour, it reveals the struggle and joy that comes with starting an underdog business, while being a celebration of the power women have to change the narrative when they are the ones holding the pen.
Authors Biography
Jane Cholmeley is a key figure in the history of British feminism. She co-founded Silver Moon Women’s Bookshop, which became the largest of its kind in Europe and a vibrant centre of women’s writing, hosting prestigious events with authors such as Toni Morrison, Maya Angelou, Alice Walker, Jeanette Winterson and Margaret Atwood. Sandi Toksvig nominated Jane Cholmeley as a Gay Icon in the National Portrait Gallery’s exhibition of that name in 2009 and Jacqueline Wilson named Jane her feminist icon in Stylist, 2018.
Reviews
‘Funny and warm’ Independent
‘Cholmeley is an energizing riot, full of humour and grit, and her story is well worth telling’ TLS
‘[Jane] has always taken a back seat, but I think it’s time that younger women knew what a part she played in making the feminist movement, and also the role of women in society in general, a talking point… I can’t go down the Charing Cross Road now without a little feeling of regret for where the bookshop used to be.’ Jacqueline Wilson
‘A vivid and wonderful evocation of the feminist bookshop on Charing Cross Road that was a home to so many of us. A story both of the shop itself and those inspiring women’s liberation movement campaigning days of the 1980s, it’s a slice of social history and a much-needed reminder of how women always have to fight for space – to get it, and to keep it. Bravo “Silver Moon”, you are much missed.’ Kate Mosse
‘Silver Moon was the place where literature fed my life. Bookshops are always places of power; Silver Moon was a place of pilgrimage. I still dream of making my way there.’ Sandi Toksvig
‘Essential reading, both for those of us who remember Silver Moon fondly and those who were barely born when it closed but whose lives were shaped by its being.’ Manda Scott
‘A gem of a book about a gem of a bookshop – this was my go-to for the best books!’ Lesley Thomson
‘Tells the fascinating story of the legendary bookstore which became the epicentre of feminism in the UK for almost 20 years.’ Cheryl Robson
‘Delightful … conveys a real love of books, bookselling and the joys of shared-reading.’ Rev’d Professor Alison Baverstock
‘Treasured history from a pivotal era rises from every page of this vivid, marvelous recreation of a magic carpet of a women’s bookstore on legendary Charing Cross Road’ Katherine Forrest
‘What a treasure! … an important historical record’ Lisa Alther
Delighted this title is included in this great collection of books and authors. Buy, read, comment and vote for it.
This maybe a cliche but I really could not put this book down.
We so need to record our history. This is a very valuable contribution to that history
Fabulous book about a wonderful emporium!
Written with wit and self-knowledge.
Jane C has documented the pleasures and difficulties of setting up a pioneering feminist bookshop in central London in Thatcher’s Britain. Informative, honest and witty it is a homage to all the women who worked there and all the customers who supported it, including all those nationally who travelled to be there or ordered their essential reading by mail order.
This book is so important since so much of our lesbian history has been lost or erased from historical records.
Fabulous book!
Wonderful writer!
A must read, an important piece of our history wonderfully narrated with clarity and passion.
Fascinating content.
Beautifully written.
I’m so proud of all the hard
work. Thank you Jane.
Of course it’s going to be a classic, wouldn’t expect anything less from Jane.
A bookshop for women: how DID this happen?
Great book; great author.
An important book. Both tough and tender. Both proud and humble. All the balances feel true and right.
A hugely important story, wonderfully and wittily told. What a joy to revisit Silver Moon!
I was a regular customer of this wonderful lesbian feminist bookshop, it was a joy to visit. This book is such an evocation of that time, but it is also so much more. No words are wasted, in bringing us inside the running of a very particular kind of business at that time. Engaging, fun and informative read, love this book.
A very important book.
Such an enthralling, interesting, witty and important book. I would urge anyone of a younger generation to read this, as our lives today are so different and better for what those at the bookshop stood for and achieved.
Not only the story of how this wonderful bookshop was set up and run in the face of huge challenges and antagonism but an immensely readable and enjoyable account of an important and pivotal place and time, told with great honesty and wit.
Silver Moon was a safe sanctuary for women, and a place of female strength. To go there was to be included in the comfort of bright minds, and affectionate respect.
Keep on writing Jane. Brilliant.
Jane Cholmeley’s book is a wonderful contribution to the history of the women’s movement in the 1980s and 1990s. A historian herself, Jane sets the story of the founding of the Silver Moon bookshop (the first feminist-lesbian bookshop in the UK) firmly in the political environment of the times while also making it a very personal story. Critically, Jane manages to demonstrate the extraordinary achievement of running a viable business while keeping a clear political line. Filled with wry humour, this book is a complete joy to read.
A wonderful reconstruction of an important time in our history made fresh and direct in Jane’s connecting the personal with the political. Come back Jane! We need you now too.
An immensely absorbing and entertaining read of an important time in the history of women’s rights. The story of an amazing achievement, old with wit and humour.
Such an important book in which Jane tells the story of the trials and tribulations – and the joys – of setting up and running a feminist bookshop in the heart of London.
The book is an interesting, witty and very readable personal account the extraordinary achievement of this remarkable woman and her partner and friends.
Everyone should read this important contribution to the history of the feminist movement – and then vote for it!
Such an enjoyable account
A terrific book. I used to visit Silver Moon bookshop during the working week as a way of escaping the then predominantly male, conservative world of the City and memories of those visits came rushing back.
Beautifully and engagingly written; and a vivid reminder of the profoundly unsympathetic political landscape of the Thatcher years and the challenges of operating within it. A superb and absorbing social and personal history. Jane is indeed one of the unsung feminist heroines.
A fabulous book that deserves to be widely read – a document of an important time in our history, and important place and of the communities that grew in and around it. An engaging, entertaining and informative read.
A vividly personal account of an independent bookshop claiming its space in 1980s London. Also an overdue reminder that we had such expertise long before Amazon.
A brightly memorable and vivid account of the life of this bookshop, the book trade and London in the 1980s and 90s; told not only with invaluable insights but also with such honesty and openness. A real pleasure to read.
Great memories of calling on Silver Moon which all came flooding back when I read this book since I can lay claim to being the publishers rep who was kept up all night !
A very interesting book about setting up the bookshop Silver Moon and is well worth reading about the difficulties of setting up a bookshop
This is a gem of a book. It’s vividly reminiscent of a really interesting period in feminist, and UK, politics. Some of the anecdotes are hilarious, and it feels like it should be made into a tv series. It is also full of warmth, and love for the various characters involved in the bookshop. And, of course, it is very well written.
A scintillating, lucid and humorous account of a specific time and place in London’s literary and feminist history.
I really enjoyed this book, which documents a very important period in feminist history, and has a lot of laughs. I gave it to my sister and recommended it to many others who have all enjoyed it.
Thanks to the author for sharing an important milestone in feminist history. I enjoyed reading every word.
I remember Silver Moon well and fondly. But still it’s good to have this reminder.
A special book with a very special author
A hugely enjoyable and rewarding book on many levels.
An important book detailing the contribution that The Silver Moon made to feminist history.
an excellent and important book about Lesbian history in London, well written by a very good author.
A wonderful romp through the 1980s and 90s which blends politics and social history in the context of the practical struggles of establishing and also managing a small business.
This book is riveting. Not only does it detail the practical problems of setting up a bookshop and how to overcome them, it focuses on a number of the books that it sold, bringing to our attention the importance of feminist and lesbian writing. It reminds us of the gap that we now have in our history. Beautifully written and compelling.
As an old friend I am biased, but this is a valuable book that all youngsters should be encouraged to read.
An incredibly important part of the history of women. Written in a style so easy to read.
A delight to meet Jane and find out about her brilliant bookselling career. A very important book, which celebrates women and their achievements.
One of my favourite books of last year. A joy to read – an excellent history of feminist and lesbian politics in the 1980s and 1990s and a superb account of the joys and tribulations in setting up and running a bookshop. But not just any bookshop. Silver Moon became the largest women’s bookshop in Europe and achieved iconic status. This special book is beautifully written and a worthy history of Silver Moon. Destined to become a future classic.
A fascinating, informative, well-written, honest and entertaining account of life at the sharp end of the book trade. A must for anyone interested in the world of books.
I very much enjoyed reading this book, for it made me discover a world I knew little of, and get a better grasp of this period in the UK and in London in particular. I enjoyed every chapter of it, from learning about Jane’s background to the closing down of the bookshop through seeing the project being dreamt by Jane and Sue, then step by step becoming true, seeing all the obstacles they faced along the years, but also the extraordinary community they had created, which persists in many other ways. It gives incredible insights into the politics of the 80’s and 90’s. The fact that Jane also gets into the details of the accounting makes it quite special because people rarely speak about the financial aspects of their projects, and when they do it sometimes looks very mythical, or idealistic (People have ideas, plan, make the project, done. Hahaha! Never so simple.) The author is also very open about her mistakes and possible failures: it is so empowering to read of somebody who can do that! This is a very important book, testifying on the creativity and tenacity of mainly two free and powerful women, surrounded by a team they had the vision to create and animate. Humankind at its best.
As a retired bookseller, I found this book fascinating. But it should appeal to a much wider market, being full of amusing anecdote and character. Most importantantly, it is very readable.
So much fun to read and an important reminder of how restricted things were back then and the albeit limited progress that has been made since.
Dive into the amazing tale of a unique shop run by two absolute legends whose passion for literature has transformed the lives of countless individuals. This isn’t just a story about a bookstore; it’s an inspiring journey that showcases how the written word has the power to change the world for the better.
Within the pages of this book, you will meet the dynamic duo behind the shop, whose dedication and love for books bring a warm and welcoming atmosphere to everyone who steps through their doors. Their incredible story is woven with lessons of resilience, creativity, and the profound impact that literature can have on communities.
The author delivers a brilliantly captivating audio experience, drawing you in with a voice that brings the characters and their stories to life. You’ll find yourself transported into their world, feeling every emotion and understanding every challenge they face. The audio format adds an intimate touch, allowing you to connect deeply with the narrative as if the author is sharing this unforgettable journey directly with you.
As you read and listen to this essential tale, you’ll discover the profound importance of storytelling and how it binds us together. Whether you are a lifelong book lover or someone looking to rekindle your relationship with literature, this book and its exceptional audio counterpart are indispensable tools for empowerment and inspiration.
Join the adventure, celebrate the power of words, and let the remarkable changes brought by these literary legends spark your own journey. Don’t miss the chance to be a part of this extraordinary experience that encourages us all to believe in the transformative magic of stories. This is not just a book; it’s a celebration of life, hope, and the boundless possibilities that literature offers. Grab your copy today, and be inspired to change the world, one word at a time.
A great read and an important record of a particular time in our history.
Part memoir, part social and cultural history, A Bookshop of One’s Own is an engrossing cross-genre book that reminds us of the hard-fought battles that took us so far towards achieving gender equalities and LGBT+ rights. Brutally honest, brimming with pathos and hilariously funny, this book could not be more timely. An important and thoroughly enjoyable read.
Great book.
Sheer joy! Feminist history with a wicked sense of humor. Just the way I remember it all.