I have a new post up at Shiny New Books today which I’d like to share with you, and it focuses on a fascinating new range of books being issued by Gallic Books. The series is called Revolutionary Women, and the publisher has initially released three titles, by Violette Leduc, Renee Vivien and Marie-Louise Gagneur. The first two authors are ones I’m familiar with; but it’s the second two I cover in my piece, and both these books are fascinating reading from a pair of intriguing and often transgressive authors!
As you can see from the image above, as well as the Gallic editions, I already owned some collections of Renee Vivien’s poetry; I picked these up back in the heady days of the 1980s, from the much-missed Silver Moon women-only bookshop in Charing Cross Road. (I do also own several Leduc books, not shown in the picture!) It’s wonderful to see these writers back in print, and also to be able to discover new authors too! My thoughts on the books are here – do pop over and have a read! 😀
(Interestingly, Juliana at the (blank) garden, who always covers such a fascinating range of women authors, has published a post on Vivien today – it’s here, if you want to read more about this intriguing woman!)
Kaggsy's Bookish Ramblings 
Dec 10, 2020 @ 14:05:44
I usually don’t point out editing errors, but this one caught me:
“The publisher has initially released three titles, by Violette Leduc, Renee Vivien and Marie-Louise Gagneur. The first two authors are ones I’m familiar with; but it’s the second two I cover in my piece.”
2 + 2 = 3?
Dec 10, 2020 @ 14:08:44
LOL. Me being unclear. I’m familiar with Leduc and Vivien; I cover Vivien and Gagneur. The middle one overlaps! 😀
Dec 10, 2020 @ 14:45:15
I did indeed pop over to read your review & am very glad I did so. What fascinating women, totally unknown to me, I might add. One of my great regrets is that my reading has been so very confined to anglophone works; one of the great rewards of recent years is discovering how very much more is out there (one of the great frustrations, as well! So much to read, so little mental energy/time). On a more specific note, I do so admire the determination & imagination of a Pauline Mary Tarn, who decides she’d much rather be Renée Vivien and decamps for a life in Paris!
Dec 10, 2020 @ 14:53:01
You know what? Me too – what a wonderful leap to freedom! I guess that it helps if you have the financial freedome to do that, but living your life the way you want it is the thing to do. And yes, reading works in translation is such a joy – but it does make the TBR so much larger!
Dec 10, 2020 @ 16:15:44
Another brilliant sounding publishing initiative. This is a writer I don’t think I know anything about.
Dec 10, 2020 @ 16:17:20
Marie-Louise Gagneur that is, Vivien I have vaguely heard of but not read. 😅
Dec 10, 2020 @ 17:46:38
Vivien and Leduc are the best known of the three names, but Gagneur’s unjustly forgotten in my view!
Dec 10, 2020 @ 17:46:07
It’s a great initiative and some fascinating writers featured!
Dec 10, 2020 @ 16:56:20
I did go and have a look and Vivien does sound wonderful, I like the sound of this series as well – so much to explore!
Dec 10, 2020 @ 17:46:59
She was a fascinating woman and it’s a great initiative!
Dec 10, 2020 @ 17:10:25
Oh dear, I’ve just been to have a look at Gallic Books – this is going to be expensive!
Dec 10, 2020 @ 17:47:39
LOL! Gallic produce some wonderful books (the Perec I read for Shiny New Books was excellent). When life is back to normal I do want to visit their shop too!
Dec 11, 2020 @ 23:31:33
This sounds like a great series and how fun that another bookish friend was also thinking of this writer at the same time.
Dec 12, 2020 @ 12:41:09
It’s certainly a wonderful idea – these authors deserve to be back in print, so I’ll be following their releases with interest!
Dec 12, 2020 @ 15:46:49
I’ve just read this collection by Renée Vivian, too! it’s great that they are bringing her back into print. I will check your review. Thank you for linking my post, Karen! 🙂
Dec 12, 2020 @ 16:01:27
No worries! Intriguing that we posted on the same day!
Dec 17, 2020 @ 17:26:54
I had taken a little break and I am so glad I didn’t miss reading this post on coming back. I read your review too. Thanks! I’ll have to read these authors. You’re right that when we think of French women writers, the same two or three come to mind. It’s refreshing to cast a wider net.
Dec 17, 2020 @ 18:50:44
Most welcome, and I so agree! I don’t know how well these authors are known in their native language, but they’re a welcome addition to the world of translations to English!