Dua Lipa Opens a Library Inside One of the World's Most Beautiful Bookstores
When we think of celebrities and books, we often imagine book clubs, reading lists, or the occasional memoir. But this time, singer and literary advocate Dua Lipa has taken a different approach.
She has opened the Manifesto Library inside Livraria Lello in Porto, Portugal, one of the world's most iconic and beautiful bookstores.
Founded in 1906, Livraria Lello has welcomed readers for more than 120 years. With its striking Neo Gothic architecture, carved wooden staircases, stained glass ceiling, and shelves lined with thousands of books, it has become a destination for book lovers from around the globe.
Walking through its doors feels less like entering a bookstore and more like stepping into a celebration of literature itself.
The new Manifesto Library is a permanent installation created in partnership with Service95, Dua Lipa's editorial platform.
Rather than focusing on bestselling titles, the collection brings together books that have been banned, challenged, or censored in different parts of the world.
The library is organised around four themes: Control, Voice, Memory, and Power. Together, they invite readers to reflect on censorship, freedom of expression, identity, history, and the influence that books have on society.
Control: Books under the theme of Control examine censorship, authoritarianism, surveillance, and the suppression of knowledge.
Some notable examples include:
- Animal Farm by George Orwell
- The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
- Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
These novels ask powerful questions about who controls information, how societies manipulate truth, and why the freedom to read matters.
Voice: The Voice collection celebrates stories that amplify perspectives that have historically been overlooked, challenged, or silenced.
Examples include:
- Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
- Heartstopper by Alice Oseman
- The Vegetarian by Han Kang
Each offers a unique perspective on identity, culture, belonging, and the importance of allowing every voice to be heard.
Memory: The theme of Memory explores how personal experiences and historical events shape individuals, families, and nations.
Books that capture this theme include:
- The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera
- Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
These novels remind us that memory is not simply about the past. It shapes identity, influences future generations, and helps us understand who we are.
Power: The final theme, Power, examines politics, justice, resilience, and the courage to stand against oppression.
Representative titles include:
- The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
- The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
- Patriot by Alexei Navalny
Add a little bit of bodyogether, these books explore both the abuse of power and the extraordinary strength of ordinary people.
More Than a Library
At a time when conversations about censorship continue around the world, the Manifesto Library highlights the importance of protecting access to diverse voices and perspectives.
Whether readers agree with every book on the shelves is almost beside the point. The library celebrates the idea that literature should encourage curiosity, critical thinking, empathy, and open discussion.
For LiteraryWorld, projects like this demonstrate how books can bring people together across cultures, generations, and backgrounds.
They remind us that bookstores and libraries are far more than places to borrow or buy books. They are spaces where ideas are shared, conversations begin, and communities are built.
As the literary world continues to evolve, it is encouraging to see partnerships that place books, reading, and freedom of expression at the centre of public conversation.
If you were curating your own Manifesto Library, which books would you choose for Control, Voice, Memory, and Power?
We'd love to hear your selections.
Every reader brings a different perspective, and that is exactly what makes the literary world so fascinating.