A Bite of the Apple: A Life with Books, Writers and Virago

A Bite of the Apple is a memoir, history, and reflection on over forty years of feminist publishing by Lennie Goodings, who has been with Virago Press since its inception. It explores the press's evolution, the authors it has published, and the challenges and victories of feminist publishing.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 336 pages
Publication date: 11 August 2022
Publisher: Oxford University Press

The moment I secured my position at Virago in 1978, I knew that my tenure there would be a considerable duration. At that age, just twenty-five, and having recently arrived in Britain, the audacity to envision myself as the Publisher was far from my grasp. Nevertheless, I did discern that I had found my true abode: a sanctuary where books, ideas, politics, imagination, feminism, and business permeated every breath.

A Bite of the Apple blends elements of memoir, historical account, and reflections on over forty years of feminist publishing. It unfolds the captivating story of the authors and staff who, fueled by passion, conviction, and exhilaration, have transformed Virago Press into one of the most significant and influential English-language publishers globally. Lennie Goodings has been an integral part of the iconic press since its inception, initially serving as a publicist and subsequently assuming the roles of Publisher and Editor for over twenty years. During this tenure, she has collaborated with an extraordinary array of authors, including Margaret Atwood, Marilynne Robinson, Sarah Waters, Linda Grant, Natasha Walter, Naomi Wolf, and Maya Angelou, among numerous others.

Virago has had a profound impact on Lennie Goodings' life, but its influence extends far beyond her. Tracing the chronology of the press and the vast array of Virago titles published throughout the years, she contextualizes her narrative within the framework of feminism and seamlessly transitions into contemplations on editing, post-feminism, reading, pushing boundaries, and the Virago Modern Classics. Virago navigates the delicate balance between idealism and pragmatism, sisterhood and celebrity, and the simultaneous observation of feminism's waxing and waning while recognizing that many battles remain to be fought. This book delves into the visceral experience of being present during these pivotal moments.

A Bite of the Apple serves as a joyous celebration of writing, publishing, and reading. It pays tribute to the transformative power.

Weight: 288g
Dimension: 128 x 196 x 31 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780198828747