Lolly Willowes

Sylvia Townsend Warner (1893–1978) grew up in rural Devonshire before moving to London and writing her debut novel, Lolly Willowes (1926). With her partner, Valentine Ackland, she was active in the Communist Party and served in the Red Cross during the Spanish Civil War. Her novels include Mr. Fortune’s Maggot, The True Heart, Summer Will Show, After the Death of Don Juan, The Corner That Held Them, and The Flint Anchor.

Coralie Bickford-Smith (cover illustrator) is an award-winning designer at Penguin Books, where she has created several highly acclaimed series designs. She studied typography at Reading University and lives in London.