Overview
This website is an brief introduction to The Sunwise Turn Bookstore and the bookselling activities of its two founders, Madge Jenison and Mary Mowbray-Clarke. The project grew out of a History of the Book course at Simmons University taught by Professor Katherine Ruffin with the assistance of Meghan Constantinou.
Jenison and Mowbray-Clarke opened The Sunwise Turn in April 1916. It’s first location, pictured above, was at 2 East 31st Street in Manhattan, on the corner of 5th Avenue. It is considered the prototype of the small, personal bookshop, the independent bookstore that is so beloved today.
Some of the questions I had going into this project were:
- What was the bookstore scene like in 1916?
- Who were Jenison and Mowbray-Clarke?
- What did they do differently with their bookstore and why?
Acknowledgments
I wish to thank the following people for their support without which this budding project would not have gotten off the ground.
- Katherine Ruffin, Professor of History of the Book at Simmons University
- Meghan Constantinou, PhD student and TA at Simmons University
- Justin Duerr, Biographer of Mary Mowbray-Clarke
- Jolie Braun, Curator of Modern Literature and Manuscripts at The Ohio State University Libraries, Rare Books & Manuscripts Library
- Lanora Haradon, Bookstore Historian
- Tal Nadan, Reference Archivist, New York Public Library
- Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library staff
- Laurie Welch, Book woman & former bookseller
Thank you for checking out my website. If you have questions or comments, please email me at C.L.Wolak@gmail.com.
Women Booksellers 