About

Gothic Literature, Crafted with Care

About Vanitas Press

Vanitas Press is a small independent UK bookseller and publisher dedicated to gothic literature, bringing together authors and readers who take their darkness seriously. Every title in the online bookshop is chosen for its gothic sensibility or themes, with the selection curated from major publishers and smaller independent imprints. The publishing arm produces beautifully crafted re-editions alongside new works.

The Story So Far

Gothic literature can be misunderstood and underrepresented. Even the best local bookshops may only have space for a few editions of Dracula outside of Hallowe’en promotions or blockbuster film releases.

In founding Vanitas Press, I have combined my professional background in publishing with my passion for the gothic to create a destination dedicated to these books. It feels right to help bring them out of the shadows and better reflect the richness and diversity of the genre.

In the online bookshop, that means curating curiosities, from the classic genre-defining works to the newest and most notable gothic novels and short stories from this century.

In publishing re-editions and new works under the Vanitas Press imprint, it means respecting and celebrating the craft and the creatives who make beautiful and important books that deserve to endure.

If you have found this site and read this far, you must be feeling at least a wee bit goth-ish. Please explore the shelves and find something suitably strange to unsettle you...

Browse gothic books

Why 'Vanitas'?

The name Vanitas comes from art history and the tradition of memento mori associated with Dutch still life paintings. These works often depict skulls, books, flowers, time pieces, gold and candles, acting as symbolic reminders of our own mortality, the transience of worldly pleasures and meaninglessness of gathering wealth. (Image left: Steenwyck’s ‘Still Life’, National Gallery (London, UK))

I have always been drawn to the hauntingly beautiful aesthetic of these paintings. I care deeply about the enduring craft of publishing done well and this resonates with my sense of written works outlasting their makers and continuing their legacy after their passing.