First published in 1888, “The Romance of a Shop” is a novel by Amy Levy that tells the story of the Lorimer sisters who, following the death of their father, decide to open a photography business to avoid a life of poverty. An interesting exploration of the vagaries and vicissitudes of life for the “New Women” in the late 1900s that will appeal to those with an interest in history and feminism. Contents include: “In the Beginning”, “Friends in Need”, “Ways and Means”, “Number Twenty B”, “This Working-Day World”, “To the Rescue”, “A New Customer”, “A Distinguished Person”, “Show Sunday”, “Summing Up”, “A Confidence”, etc. Amy Judith Levy (1861–1889) was a British poet, novelist, and essayist. She was notably the first Jewish woman to study at Cambridge university, and she became well-known for her feminist positions as well as her romantic relationships with both male and female political and literature figures. Other works by this author include: “Xantippe and Other Verse” (1881), “Reuben Sachs” (1888), and “Miss Meredith” (1889). Read & Co. Classics is proudly republishing this classic novel now in a new edition complete with an introductory biography of the author by Richard Garnett.
