The Mermaid Collection

Mermaid Collection from Penguin Michael Joseph. This is a curated a list of ‘vintage commercial’ titles featuring unjustly neglected works of popular mid-to-late-twentieth-century novels written by women who address issues that remain relevant today. It’s an absolute joy to be rediscovering authors who have been under celebrated for too long.

Each Mermaid is introduced by a contemporary writer, reflecting on the author and book’s importance to the world in which it was published and its continued relevance today, how the author excels on character and plot, and why the book still feels like a fresh read in 2025. The books are beautifully curated paperbacks with flaps and gorgeous inside cover printing ensuring they are as covetable and collectable as they are brilliant reads.