Collected's 24in24 - Emma recommends... A Bookshop of One's Own - Jane Cholmeley

Emma recommends... The fascinating, often funny, and completely vital story of the beginning, life, and sad end of Silver Moon Bookshop - a feminist bookshop, open on London's Charing Cross Road from 1984 to 2001. Full of inspiration, determination, and the hard lessons of running an independent bookshop in Thatcher's Britain and still today, this is an important story, brilliantly told. Jane was with us in March and gave a sell-out crowd at Durham Distillery a fantastic evening of literary anecdotes, behind the scenes glimpses, and giggles galore.

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The captivating true story of an underdog business – a feminist bookshop founded in Thatcher’s Britain – from a woman at the heart of the women’s liberation movement. An Independent and Stylist Best Non-Fiction Book for 2024 What was it like to start a feminist bookshop, in an industry dominated by men? How could a lesbian thrive in Thatcher’s time, with the government legislating to restrict her rights? How do you run a business when your real aim is to change the world? Silver Moon was the dream of three women – a bookshop with the mission to promote the work of female writers and create a much-needed safe space for any woman. Founded in 1980s London against a backdrop of homophobia and misogyny, it was a testament to the power of community, growing into Europe’s biggest women’s bookshop and hosting a constellation of literary stars from Margaret Atwood and Maya Angelou to Angela Carter.

While contending with day-to-day struggles common to other booksellers, plus the additional burdens of misogyny and the occasional hate crime, Jane Cholmeley and her booksellers created a thriving business. But they also played a crucial and relatively unsung part in one the biggest social movements of our time. 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.