At Persephone Books we are trying to accept (but will we ever?) that America has rejected a woman, a mother, a grandmother, an experienced and kind politician, in favour of a misogynist who does not believe in universal health care or racial equality or religious tolerance or paying taxes (for the good of all) or trying to limit CO2 emissions or, apparently, any of the things we care about. If you want to send Hillary Clinton a card thanking her for all she did over the long election campaign the address is PO Box 5256 New York New York 10185 – 5256. We shall be sending her a thank you note and a book (and over coffee this morning will of course discuss which one it should be, suggestions on a postcard please). Meanwhile, Clive Gardiner painted this Blast Furnace for the Empire Marketing Board in 1930. There is something very ironic having EMB posters the week America sends this shock message to the world, but we are too tearful and devastated to work out quite what the irony is.