Persephone Books: Rediscovering Forgotten Classics
Often, pieces of writing are quietly forgotten, left out of print, considered out of fashion, or simply overlooked. But some still have something vital to say, and Persephone Books exists to give them a second life. This remarkable British publisher is devoted to reviving lost voices with care, warmth, and a deep love for literature.
The very name Persephone holds their ethos. Referencing the Greek goddess of spring and vegetation, it suggests both rebirth and quiet strength - apt symbols for what this publisher does. Persephone is also a figure of female creativity and complexity, and that spirit runs through their catalogue. Many of their publications revive women’s writing from the interwar years: witty, moving, full of everyday beauty. Their best-known release, Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, proves that forgotten stories can still bloom.
What sets Persephone Books apart is the personal story behind each title. They only publish books they truly love and which they find through friends, in second-hand shops, or by word of mouth. Cassandra first discovered them this way too: via a client’s recommendation, the kind of literary serendipity the publisher is built on.
Their project is both romantic and rigorous. Nothing feels accidental, from the titles they choose, to the signature grey covers, to the feminist, inclusive lens through which they curate their collection. It’s an approach that feels both deliberate and deeply kind. Their books aren’t just beautiful to read; they’re beautiful to hold, to gift, to live with.
Like the publishing house, Cassandra also draws on Persephone’s myth for inspiration. Her Persephone jewellery collection features bangles and rings inspired by the pomegranate seeds the goddess ate, trapping her in the underworld. Persephone’s cyclical return to earth was seen by the ancient Greeks as responsible for the changing of the seasons and the return of spring. In tribute to Persephone’s association with colour and renewal, Cassandra created her Persephone bangle with pearl, coral, turquoise and lapis ‘seeds’.
You can browse their collection online or visit their charming Bath shop: 8 Edgar Buildings, Bath BA1 2EE.
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