A variation on my usual Friday theme for Persephone Reading Week!
‘What an extraordinary place,’ said Hilary, standing in the entrance and staring at the grass growing between the cobblestones. ‘This isn’t Paris – it’s some shabby village away from all the routes natioanales.’ He added with a kind of delight, ‘It’s a splendidly romantic place to begin a search from.”
From Little Boy Lost by Marghanita Laski
I wrote about it here, and I’m giving away the Persephone Classics edition.
At this time of the morning, with an hour or more to go before the shops opened and the office staffs assembled, there were few people about on the streets and most of them were solitary women in their oldest clothes. Unconscious guardians of London’s morale, the cleaners went as usual to their work.
I wrote about it here and I’m giving away the original Persephone edition.
Both books are used, but in excellent condition. There are some books that when I find used copies I just have to pick up from the shelves and find good new homes!
It would be lovely to help a fellow devotee’s collection along, but it would also be lovely to be able to send somebody their first Persephone Book. So I’m going to make it easy. All you need to do to be in with a chance is leave me a comment telling me how you first discovered Persephone books …
Entries close Sunday 10pm BST. And could you mention if you’d like to go in both draws or, if not, which one please?
Fleur in her World 
Thank you so much for contributing so wholeheartedly in Persephone Reading Week and your generosity, Jane. I really do appreciate it.
Wonderfully give-aways; I read Little Boy yesterday and adored it.
Isn’t it wonderful. My mother loved it too!
Oo, another giveaway!
I have Doreen, so I’d like to be entered for Little Boy Lost.
I first discovered Persephone through my love of Richmal Crompton, when I spotted Family Roundabout in my local library – and have been addicted for nearly 6 years!
Simon – What a wonderful book to find by chance! Family Roundabout is in my TBR waiting for the right moment.
I discovered Persephone books this week, actually! I first heard of them a while ago at Bookgirl’s Nightstand, but it wasn’t until Claire and Verity announced Persephone Week that I finally ordered a few. I’m very much looking forward to future Persephone reads. Thank you for the very generous giveaway!
I also forgot to say that I’d love to be entered for both. Thank you!
Excellent. I’ve loved reading your words about Persephone this week.
As I don’t own either copy, could you please add my name to both draws!
I discovered Persephone through EM Delafield’s book, Diary of a Provincial Lady. I read this book last Fall and knew that I need to find more like it. There’s no looking back is there.
I have still to make the acquaintance of The Provincial Lady, but I have heard so much good about her that I really must soon!
Hello, I discovered Persephone Books through a woman Jane Brocket who frequently mentioned Persephone Books on her blog called Yarnstorm.
She mentioned them so passionately and often I thought they must be paying her! Now I know that Persephone books are addictive and you can get really quite aerated about them.
Could please put me in both draws. Thank you.
I peruse Jane Brocket’s most recent book in the library and it looks quite wonderful. I’m certainly not surprised that she’s a Persphone devotee!
What a very generous offer! I first heard of them a few years ago when I read something by a very enthusiastic magazine columnist about a lovely new edition of The Hopkins Manuscript that was coming out later that year. It sounded so good that I couldn’t wait and ordered a (literally) smelly old copy from America. I only cottoned on to blogs a couple of years ago and, of course, so many people name-dropped Persephone … and then I found a copy of Miss Pettigrew in the Oxfam shop. That was it, I was hooked. Sent for the catalogue and, counting up today, realise that over the past two years I’ve read 34, have six waiting on the pile, and two on order at the library. I do cheat because, much as I love them, I still look out for cheap, old editions. Thrilled to have discovered Dorothy Whipple and Marghanita Laski and, also, I don’t think that I’d have discovered Elizabeth Taylor if it wasn’t for Persephone.
I’d love to enter the draw for Doreen, which I haven’t read – Little Boy Lost is already a big, big favourite. (Well, strong contender with World That was Ours, Someone at a Distance, They Knew Mr Knight, Saplings, hard to have favourites, isn’t it? )
I love my Persephones, but I have a fair sized colletion of older editions too. I like to feet I’m resuing books in danger of being homeless and I hope one day to find a gem that hasn’t been republished yet.
I have Doreen (and highly recommend it), so I’d like to be entered for Little Boy Lost.
I’ve been racking my brain to recall where I came across Persephone. I think it may have been on the Chicklit forums – http://www.chicklitforums.com
Isn’t Doreen wonderful?!
Thanks to you I now know what a Persephone book is. It would be lovely to read one, so put my name in for either book.
Thanks for sponsoring the giveaway. That’s very generous of you. I’ve enjoyed your Persephone week. I’ve actually read a couple of the other blog’s post on their books as well. I’ve noticed everyone has a great passion for the books.
Good luck Margot – I know you would love either of these.
I first discovered Persephone books because I collected Noel Streatfeild and, having read her autobiographical books, wanted to read her novels for adults.I was delighted when I saw Saplings was being published and have bought others since when able to afford them. So glad to have been introduced to Dorothy Whipple. Please put me in the draw for Doreen – I do have a copy of Little Boy Lost.
After loving Ballet Shoes and White Boots as a child I was delighted to find that Noel Streatfield wrote for adults too. I’ looking forward to Saplings.
Hello,
I followed a link from Claire’s website. I discovered Persephone books while searching for books written by women. I’d been reading a lot of books about gender and class and wanted something a bit lighter. A search of Library Thing found a pretty influential group who reads Persephone. I resisted for a while but everyone raved about these marvelous books. I tried one because really what is the worst that could happen. And I have been raving ever since.
Thank you for hosting this giveaway.
I’d like to be entered for Doreen please.
I found Persephone via LT too. I resisted briefly, but once I read the first one I was hooked.
I love giveaways!
I first heard about Persephone Books on LibraryThing. And then one day I was walking down Kensington Church Street on my way to work and noticed a new bookshop had moved in…Persephone Books! I recognized the name and planned to go in on my next early afternoon off and I did. The woman who works at that location is very friendly and helpful and I purchased Mariana as my first persephone book.
I discovered Persephone via LibraryThing too. That Virago group has a lot to answer for!
They are trouble aren’t they? Two addictions to answer for!!!
My mother introduced me and many others to Persephone. For anyone who hasn’t found it their daily post is a joy. Please enter me for both. Thank you.
I introdued my mother to Persephone, and now she has abandoned the library and is picking her reading material from my Persphone and virago collections.
I believe that I first encountered Persephone Books late last year whilst reading a book blog (can’t recall which now but it may have been Stuck in a Book) where the blogger raved about Persephones.
I fell in love with the aesthetics of the books and promptly visited their website and requested a catalogue. The Biannually and catalogue came through the door days later (with a free bookmark!) and I read it cover to cover. Thus was it so in the beginning…
I only have a handful of Persephones at the moment (as purchases need to be rationed) but my wish list has swelled this week!!!
May I please be entered into both draws? Thank you for your generosity!
I love the Biannually. I was stunned for days when I was quoted in it!
I found Persephone through Darlene at roses over a cottage door. She posted about them prior to her London trip and I popped over to their website…a whole new world of books was open to me and I have so enjoyed my time.
I would love to be entered into both drawings. Thank you for hosting such a great giveaway.
Isn’t it a wonderful website – I spend ages browsing and reordering my wishlist!
What a fantastic giveaway!
I only have two Persephone books. The first I found in a charity shop, can you imagine my disbelief when I spotted it?? And the second was a gift from my husband for our 12th anniversary after months of not-so-subtle hints from me. Fair do to him, he did make an effort, he called Persephone and talked to them about what I was like and apparently read out titles from my bookshelf out to them! I was touched he went to all that trouble. And what title did he buy? The Victorian Chaise Longue by Marghanita Laski, which I LOVED!
What a wonderful husband! Persephones in charity shops are indeed rare – I was amazed to find these two in a short space of time.
I think I discovered Persephone when I was trying to find a copy of a book by Monica Dickens – I eventually stumbled upon the Persephone website and was so delighted with it!
Please enter me for Doreen – my email is bastet57 (at) gmail (dot) com.
I loved Monica Dickens as a child, but it was only when I saw her on the Persephone list that I realised she wrote for adults too.
Oops, forgot to mention, I’d like to be entered into both draws, thanks!
Forgot to say, I’d like to be entered in both draws please.
You are the reason why I know about Persephone books!! I loved your beautiful reviews and the pictures of the end papers. These books are gorgeous and to own one would be a real thrill!!
Excellent! I hope you get to hold a Persephone book in your hand before too long.
Hello! I first discovered Persephone when looking up photos of Mr Rochester from the BBC production with Toby Stephens (he is hot stuff- so much so he became known as Mr Ro-hot-chester) to lust over. Instead of Mr Rochester in dashing riding boots and a surly expression, I found a picture of an orange penguin book, Tea with Mr Rochester. Intrigued, I looked it up on amazon, the Persephone version came up in the search, I googled Persephone…and three hours later, after many cries of delight, I had thoroughly explored the website, ordered my first books, told everyone I knew who liked books about it, and found a new love…that was..ooh..maybe four years ago now. And the love hasn’t faded!! I’d love to be entered into both draws, thanks very much!
Hello! What a wonderfully appropriate way to discover Persephone. I’m reading Tea With Mr Rochester right now and I an quite besotted.