Blog
A shelf of a very familiar taste in books
6 August, 2014
It doesn’t take much to guess which part of the world I was lucky enough to spend a few days in last week . . . Yes, Jo Nesbo and Jorn Lier Horst dominate the bestseller shelves in their homeland Norway with a shelf to spare for Danish author Jussi Alder-Olsen too. Locally-based crime fiction […]
The Man Booker Prize-Longlist announced
4 August, 2014
It’s that time of year again, the time you’ve all been waiting for. The countdown has begun-The Man Booker Prize Longlist has been released! The undeniable highlight of all our calendars has come around again-move over X-Factor; we have the Booker. Make ready your calendars (as if you didn’t already have the dates circled in […]
Re-Covered Books
30 July, 2014
We all have favourite books and cherished covers but what if someone re-imagined those beloved jackets? That’s exactly what the Re-Covered Book contest aims to do: ‘A creative contest which asks readers to push the limits of book design‘. Everything from Jane Eyre to Harry Potter has been re-covered in this creative, remarkable competition. It’s […]
Allison & Buzz-Bee
28 July, 2014
Few insects seem as friendly and well-loved as the bee. Sartorially snappy in stripes, B rivals other mini-beasts in the garden and is far from bumbling as she floats elegantly from plant to plant. Commonly associated with honey and flowers; it’s no wonder she has such an excellent reputation. When we add to this the […]
Holiday Destinations: which book belongs in your suitcase?
25 July, 2014
We’re finally having that global-warming-induced fabulous summer. The sun is beaming down and a mirage appears: you’re reclining by the pool with a large glass of perfectly chilled rosé, a tantalizing book within your beautifully bronzed hands. Whether you’re enjoying the sunshine at home or traveling abroad, a good book is essential to the summer […]
#Shelfie
23 July, 2014
We’ve spotted a recent Twitter trend that we’re enjoying even more than this… or indeed this… You already know that the trend for ‘Selfies’ has lead to the noun being announced as the word of 2013, by the Oxford Dictionary – but did you know that the #sHelfie may soon be joining it’s ranks – recently […]
Summer Reads-Take Out the Trash!
21 July, 2014
The “Summer Read” has come to refer to trashy, ‘chick-lit’, easy reads. The Fifty-Shades phenomenon (which coincidentally was followed by a massive increase in the popularity of the discreet eBook) cemented this genre of the ‘holiday-read’ as guilty-pleasures, not ‘proper’ books. But this is a myth! The holidays are the perfect time to read books […]
Pipe Dreams
18 July, 2014
Everyone loves an excuse for fancy dress – as proved by the thousands that turned up for London Comic Convention last weekend (read Lydia’s blog here) and by the recent smattering of authors dressing up as their favourite book characters – my favourite is Neil Gaiman as Badger from Wind in The Willows. It does seem unfair that once […]
A new era for the God of Thunder
16 July, 2014
Yesterday Marvel comics announced a new era for the Norse superhero Thor – the character will become a woman. The publisher hopes that recasting Thor as female will attract more woman and girls to comic books and graphic novels. ‘The inscription on Thor’s hammer reads “Whosoever holds this hammer, if HE be worthy, shall possess the power […]
A trip to London’s Comic Con – any excuse to promote indie bookshops . . .
14 July, 2014
You’ve spent months carefully hand-making a cosplay outfit to replicate your favourite anime character – what’s the perfect accessory to complete the look? Why, a Books Are My Bag tote, of course! Kathryn and Lydia took a trip to Earls Court on Saturday to check out some of the best costumes the London Film and Comic […]
Reading Leave
11 July, 2014
I am about to embark (I use the word advisedly, as I certainly feel like I could give the new HMS Queen Elizabeth a run for its money) on maternity leave. While I’m excited about my little one’s imminent arrival, the idea of not coming into A&B HQ every week is still a very alien […]
Dancers, acrobats, mermaids and jazz – a bold and vibrant world according to Henri Matisse
9 July, 2014
I made my way around the spectacular Cut-Outs exhibition at the Tate Modern on Friday, and I left feeling overwhelmingly inspired by the abundant positivity and energy that beams out of Matisse’s later works. One of the most innovative painters of the twentieth-century alongside Duchamp and Picasso, health problems in the last seventeen years of […]
Celebrating Childhood Story Heroes
8 July, 2014
The Story Museum in Oxford has had a great idea: celebrating childhood story heroes. The exhibition, called 26 Characters, features some of Britain’s best-loved storytellers transforming themselves into the characters they loved as children. Writers included are Anthony Horowitz, Terry Pratchett and Malorie Blackman. Although I think my must-see would be Neil Gaiman as a certain woodland creature […]
Feeling Emotional
7 July, 2014
How much do you rely on technology to communicate with friends and colleagues nowadays? I’m going to guess it’s a lot. But as I’ve noticed recently, there’s a politics to these digital discussions, unchartered territory when it comes to kisses, smiley faces and sign offs – and that’s before you’ve even visited the brave new […]
Books about Town
4 July, 2014
The National Literary Trust is running a new project this summer: Books about Town. Hoping to encourage readers to sit down with a good book, books as diverse as Mary Poppins, The Wind in the Willows and Agatha Christie’s various Poirot adventures are being re-imagined as a limited series of eye-catching benches dotted about London. […]
YA or not, this lady’s all for reading The Fault in Our Stars
2 July, 2014
As umbrellas went up and trendy festival goers assembled onto the muddy fields of Glastonbury this weekend – I chose not to stand in the rain. Instead, I chose the cosy velour of the cinema. Last week saw the UK release of The Fault in Our Stars, the film adaptation of the chart-topping YA novel […]
An unfortunate event for a library
30 June, 2014
Through the wonder of twitter I have seen a few fabulous pictures of people’s mini free libraries around the country and the world. Whether in disused phone boxes, as we highlighted in last week’s blog, in other nooks and crannies or in little bird-box-like constructions, there’s a growing variety out there. Check out this blog […]
Middle Eastern Delights
27 June, 2014
Fitzrovia’s beloved restaurant Honey & Co. have finally got their own book. It was only a matter of time. The tiny cafe on Warren Street has a religious following of foodie fans (I am one of them) and now I can experiment with the recipes at home. In their debut book, the restaurant owners share […]
Browning Ribs on the BBQ
25 June, 2014
How did you enjoy the beautiful weather last weekend? I was at a friend’s flat-warming BBQ, eating some great food and relaxing in her courtyard garden (very exciting, as private outdoors space in London is still a novelty for most of us). I had just eating my seventh chargrilled king prawn (jealous yet?) when I […]
Fonts in the flesh
23 June, 2014
As you might expect in an office filled with bookish types, we’re partial to a good font at A&B. In fact, spotting the ‘Morganville Vampires’ font has become something of an office game, with our former colleague Chiara the current champion with most far-flung points. The picture below was taken a suburb Sydney. But I […]
Literary Ink
20 June, 2014
I’m not what you’d call squeamish in the stereotypical sense of the word but when I think about to pain and permanence of tattoos I do a whole body shiver. And, as it happens, tattoos have been cropping up quite a bit this week. Firstly, I’m currently reading Salt and Storm, and have just finished […]
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