What was the first book you bought for your collection?
The first book I bought with a collector's mindset was a tome about modern women's reclamation of a revolutionary Winnie Mandela. I bought this in Cape Town because it was an activist author, a small run, and a foreign publisher. I knew it would be hard to find anywhere else, and that started my journey of always finding it worth it to lug around a heavy suitcase full of books.
How about the most recent book?
The most recent addition to the collection was Margaretta D'Arcy's 1981 political memoir Tell Them Everything.
And your favorite book in your collection?
Impossible to say. I'd recommend Angela Davis' Women Race & Class to anyone anytime, and Audre Lorde's Sister Outsider to anyone who's deeply seeking. I've handed multiple copies off the shelves into the hands of loved ones and had to replace.
Best bargain you’ve found?
A memoir of a Malaysian fighter sold in Singapore, still just under $100, but a true victory for the rarity of the book which was censored for years.
How about The One that Got Away?
There was a volume of Constance Markievicz's letters that I could never find again after passing it by in a Belfast bookshop. I'll always wonder!
What would be the Holy Grail for your collection?
I would love to add revolutionary journals and letters from the Rani of Jhansi collection, but those belong in a museum more widely accessible than my shelf, so I'll content myself with visiting whichever documents we can find!
Who is your favorite bookseller / bookstore?
One of my favorite booksellers is The Book Lounge in Cape Town. They strike a heartfelt balance of activist, intellectual, historical, and still thirsty for multilayered fictional worlds and manifold futures.
What would you collect if you didn’t collect books?
I would gather an ocean of wine, almost as complex and escapist as a good book.
