A radical idea

The written word has long been a tool for inciting change, and while Britain’s first radical booksellers opened their doors hundreds of years ago, they’re still an important fixture of the publishing world. And with the current political landscape threatening the rights and integrity of individuals around the globe, it’s clear that we now need radical booksellers more than ever. Despite this, the Association of Radical Booksellers reports that such bookshops are on the decline.

One of the earliest radical booksellers was John Doherty; a trade unionist who opened his bookshop, coffee shop and newsroom in Manchester in 1832. Here he sold a wide variety of titles including his own left wing publication, The Poor Man’s Advocate. And he was far from alone in selling literature as a catalyst for change. Christopher Tinker opened his shop in Huddersfield in 1822, where he sold illegal radical newspapers, and Daniel Isaac Eaton founded his printer and bookshop selling radical working class journals in 1790s London.

Today, Britain’s longest running radical bookshop is Housmans, which was established in 1945 and moved into its current premises in 1959. They are a not-for-profit specialising in "books, magazines, and periodicals of radical interest and progressive politics." Although London is a mecca of independent booksellers you’ll find these radical organisations right across the UK, from Cornwall through to Glasgow, and many places in between. 

If you’re struggling to define what it is to be a radical bookseller, then you’re not the only one. Ross Bradshaw, owner of Five Leaves bookshop in Nottingham, has been "wresting with this question for many years." His shop is radical, but with full general service. "On any given day our priority might be getting our library orders out, chasing some outstanding customer orders or dealing with a plumbing problem, just like everyone else. Here you’ll find popular commercial titles alongside a display of books commemorating the miners’ strike and - at the moment - a lot of books on Israel and Palestine." Though the number of radical bookshops declined in the 1980s and 1990s, the number has been steadily riding again, with around ten new members of the Alliance of Radical Booksellers in the last five years.

Radical booksellers give customers the chance to vote with their feet, by purchasing books in solidarity with the causes that are meaningful to them

The Alliance of Radical Booksellers defines their membership criteria on their website, specifying that booksellers must "be informed by socialist, anarchist, environmental, feminist or anti-racist concerns, and also stock or sell books which inspire, support or report on political and/or personal change in the global, national or local sphere."

While some radical bookshops are also general retailers, other establishments prefer to focus on a particular area or niche. Round Table Books in Brixton is a Black owned bookshop which specialises in selling books that are diverse and inclusive, while Edinburgh’s Lighthouse Books is Queer owned and prides itself in being an activist, intersectional, feminist, antiracist and LGBTQ+ space. 

Others shops reflect the interests and concerns of their local communities. In Brighton, The Feminist Bookshop opened in November 2019 after running a successful crowdfunding campaign. "We owe our existence to our local community and their support for radical independent bookshops," its founders say. "Our mission is to offer resources, recommendations, support and motivation to people who are looking to challenge existing conditions and explore different ways of understanding the world and being in it. At the bookshop we seek to support, celebrate and promote women, non-binary and marginalised writers, creatives and entrepreneurs in all that we do. We stock a range of books written by and about women, non-binary and marginalised people, host events and provide a space to talk about issues and ideas that are important to us."

Most importantly, radical booksellers give customers the chance to vote with their feet, by purchasing books in solidarity with the causes that are meaningful to them. Many organisations also publish their own works, and Five Leaves Bookshop recently published a collection titled One Woman’s War: Essays Written in War, for Peace, by the Israeli Jewish peace activist Dana Mills, with an introduction by the Palestinian feminist and socialist Sally Abed.

The Falmouth based radical bookshop, Rubicund, also has its own press. Founded in 2020, and in the midst of a worldwide pandemic, the shop’s vision was to share knowledge outside of a more formal setting. It "offers alternative narratives to those in mainstream spaces and books are often the starting point of political conversations. For example, many people that come to our shop have informed themselves about the real history of Palestine through books and conversations, and are now interested in getting active joining support groups."

As book lovers and publishing professionals navigating turbulent times it’s up to us to keep the tradition of radical bookselling alive. So speak up, rise up, and put your money where your mouth is — after all, the revolution is in the bookshop.