
Based on your book
by Natalie Jenner
"Delightful." --People, Pick of the Week *Named a Most Anticipated Book of 2022 by Katie Couric Media, the CBC, the Globe and Mail, BookBub, POPSUGAR, SheReads, Women.com and more!* Natalie Jenner, the internationally bestselling author of The Jane Austen Society, returns with a compelling and heartwarming story of post-war London, a century-old bookstore, and three women determined to find their way in a fast-changing world in Bloomsbury Girls. Bloomsbury Books is an old-fashioned new and rare book store that has persisted and resisted change for a hundred years, run by men and guided by the general manager's unbreakable fifty-one rules. But in 1950, the world is changing, especially the world of books and publishing, and at Bloomsbury Books, the girls in the shop have plans: Vivien Lowry: Single since her aristocratic fiance was killed in action during World War II, the brilliant and stylish Vivien has a long list of grievances--most of them well justified and the biggest of which is Alec McDonough, the Head of Fiction. Grace Perkins: Married with two sons, she's been working to support the family following her husband's breakdown in the aftermath of the war. Torn between duty to her family and dreams of her own. Evie Stone: In the first class of female students from Cambridge permitted to earn a degree, Evie was denied an academic position in favor of her less accomplished male rival. Now she's working at Bloomsbury Books while she plans to remake her own future. As they interact with various literary figures of the time--Daphne Du Maurier, Ellen Doubleday, Sonia Blair (widow of George Orwell), Samuel Beckett, Peggy Guggenheim, and others--these three women with their complex web of relationships, goals and dreams are all working to plot out a future that is richer and more rewarding than anything society will allow.
10 recommendations similar to Bloomsbury Girls
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As the debut novel by the same author, this book shares the same gentle, intellectual tone and focus on a group of disparate individuals brought together by a shared love of literature. It explores themes of grief and recovery in a post-WWII setting, much like the atmosphere of Bloomsbury Books.
by Pip Williams
This novel mirrors the feminist undertones of Bloomsbury Girls by focusing on a woman's place within a male-dominated intellectual project—the compilation of the Oxford English Dictionary. It celebrates the power of words and the hidden history of women's contributions to literature.
by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
This beloved epistolary novel captures the same post-war British spirit and the idea of books as a lifeline during difficult times. The ensemble cast and the focus on literary community will resonate deeply with fans of the staff at Bloomsbury Books.
Set during the Blitz, this story focuses on the resilience of a small bookshop and the community it fosters. It shares the 'bookshop as sanctuary' motif and features a female protagonist who discovers her own strength through literature.
by Helene Hanff
This real-life collection of letters between a New York writer and a London antiquarian bookseller is the ultimate read for bibliophiles. It captures the specific charm of London's bookish culture and the enduring friendships that form around a love of rare volumes.
While set in the scientific world rather than a bookstore, this novel shares the 1950s setting and the sharp focus on women challenging the patriarchal status quo in the workplace. It matches the 'smart women getting things done' energy found in Jenner's writing.
by A.J. Pearce
Set in London during the 1940s, this novel features a plucky female protagonist navigating the workforce and the complexities of female friendship. It has a similar 'keep calm and carry on' British charm mixed with genuine emotional depth.
This story follows the lives of two women working on the embroidery for Princess Elizabeth's wedding gown in 1947. It captures the same post-war London atmosphere and the meticulous detail of a specialized trade that is central to Bloomsbury Girls.
This novel features an ensemble cast of women who find their voices and independence during WWII. Readers who enjoyed the rotating perspectives and the themes of female solidarity in Jenner's book will find this equally engaging.
Set in 1957 South London, this novel perfectly captures the quiet, restrained, and slightly melancholic atmosphere of the era. It focuses on a female journalist's life and her search for meaning, echoing the character-driven depth of Bloomsbury Girls.
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