Hannah Chukwu, Lennie Goodings and Bidisha discuss the importance of bringing forgotten literary gems to light.

This event is available to view as a recording until 13 June. Tickets can be purchased below.

When Virago Books first began in the 1970s, its founders scoured The London Library’s shelves searching for forgotten literary gems by women, to bring them back into the light and into print. This was a political project, which championed women’s voices and changed the literary landscape. Almost half a century later, Virago are still doing the work as other publishers have risen up alongside them to join the cause. This year, Bernardine Evaristo spearheaded a similarly political publishing project with her Black Britain: Writing Back series for Hamish Hamilton.

Hannah Chukwu, who edited that series with Evaristo and Lennie Goodings, author of A Bite of the Apple, a history of Virago, who has been with the publishing company since its early days, speak to writer and broadcaster Bidisha about the political nature of publishing, the importance of bringing forgotten works to new generations and why institutions such as The London Library are essential as treasure troves full of literary wonders just waiting to be discovered.

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Hannah Chukwu is Assistant Editor at Hamish Hamilton and editor for the Black Britain: Writing Back series, from which six novels were published in February 2021, with six non-fiction works forthcoming. Curated and introduced by Bernardine Evaristo, with cover artwork by Black British artists, the novels display a vast array of Black storytelling talent from writers including Jaqueline Roy, CLR James and Judith Bryan.

Lennie Goodings is Chair of Virago Press for whom she has worked in various roles since 1978. Her authors include, amongst many others, Margaret Atwood, Maya Angelou, Sarah Waters, Natasha Walter, Sandi Toksvig and Marilynne Robinson. A Bite of the Apple: A Life with Books, Writers and Virago was published in 2020 by OUP. She won A Lifetime's Achievement at WOW, London's Southbank Women of the World festival in 2018.

Bidisha is a broadcaster, journalist and film-maker, specialising in international human rights, social justice, gender and the arts. She writes for broadsheets and presents for the BBC, Sky News, Channel 5 and CNN. Her most recent book, Asylum and Exile: Hidden Voices of London, is based on her outreach work in UK prisons, refugee charities and detention centres. Her most recent film project is the Aurora series, which follows her film debut An Impossible Poison. 

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Your link will be sent to you via Eventbrite. If you do not receive it, please check your junk file or email litfest@londonlibrary.co.uk. Please note the event starts with a slide show listing the festival events which lasts approx 1 minute.

Transcription for this event will be available 1hr after the livestream ends.

Ticket holders will receive a 10% discount to buy all festival books from Hatchards until 13 June with their ticket.

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