In conjunction to Waterstones, Penguin will mark International Women’s Day by opening up a pop-up shop store in East London, selling literature that has been produced only by female authors.
The pop-up shop called Like a Woman will be open from March 5-9 on Rivington Street in Shoreditch to mark International Women’s Day and the 100th anniversary of the Representation of the People Act, which extended the women’s right to vote. The shop will stock books from more than 200 writers, which will “celebrate the persistence of women who have fought for change: those who fight, rebel and shout #LikeaWoman,” according to Penguin.
The pop-up shop will include authors such as the likes of Malorie Blackman, Jacqueline Wilson, Elena Favilli, Francesca Cavallo, Malala Yousafzai and the creators of Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls. The shop is also extending literary names, including Kate Atkinson and Elif Shafak, which will be shelved alongside classic authors such as Mary Wollstonecraft and Anne Frank.
Set up in partnership with Waterstones, the pop-up shop will group titles by “the impact the author gas had on culture, history or society,” which will include categories ranging from “essential feminist reads” to “inspiring young readers,” “women to watch” and “change-makers.”
A series of literary events will be held at the pop-up shop, with the proceeds going to Solace Women’s Aid, a London-based organization dedicated to supporting women and children by helping them build lives free from domestic violence.
“Women’s voices being heard and taken seriously is the key to achieving gender equality, and with the Like a Woman bookshop, we’re making room for those voices to be elevated and celebrated,” Penguin Random House Creative Manager Zainab Juma said.
“We’re creating a space where readers can look to incredible writers, activists, and pioneers for the inspiration to go forward and make change like a woman.”
“To create a unique bookshop and event space that is dedicated to a full range of women’s voices, experiences and ideas is tremendously exciting,” Waterstones’ Festival Manager Lucy Grainger said.
