Archive for the ‘ABC's Books of the Year’ Category
Thursday, December 31st, 2009
…and then it was December 31st, 2009. Another year just flew by, and a new one is anxious to get started.
Thank you to everyone out there for sending in your contributions, reading this blog (and sometimes commenting, too), and above all, shopping with us in Amsterdam or Den Haag (or online). We love having you as customers, and we’ll try to fill the shelves with lots more yummy reading material in 2010. 
And now: we asked for your favorites, and four of you were kind enough to send in lists, filled with a fabulous selection of books across all genres. So, without (much) further ado, here are the books that brightened your year! (more…)
Tags: ancient history, Art, Children's Books, ChingChuan Chiu, current affairs, dutch books, em angevaare, Fiction, History, juvenile fiction, katherine matthews, marjolein balm, military, Photography, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Social Science
Posted in ABC's Books of the Year, Blog For Us!, Our Favorite Things, Recommendations | No Comments »
Thursday, December 24th, 2009
Is it really December 24th already? Unbelievable. And accidentally well-timed, too, since there are only two top 5s left in our bag full of recommendations. So, without further ado, here are Hayley and my favorites of the past year. We hope you enjoyed reading about what everyone at ABC loved this past year – and maybe we gave you some tips to check out, too!
Which still reminds me: we would love to know what your 5 favorite reads of the past year were (they don’t have to be books published in 2009). Please send them to blog@abc.nl (it’s still not too late!)(really!), and please include your mailing address so we can send you an ABC gift voucher as our thank you.
Finally, happy holidays from all of us here at ABC! Wherever you’re spending them, we hope they will be days filled with love, warmth and books.
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Tags: Art, autism, autobiography, crafts, current affairs, Fiction, Hayley, historical fiction, knitting, Mysteries & Thrillers, Romance, Sophie
Posted in ABC's Books of the Year, Hayley, Our Favorite Things, Recommendations, Sophie | No Comments »
Wednesday, December 23rd, 2009
Ah yes, it’s December, the time of looking over the past year and deciding what was great, what was so-so, and what could be done better next year. In what is now very much a tradition, the ABC staff has been rootling through the books they read over the past year to decide what were the proper gems and what were the baubles. Over the next few days and weeks Hayley and I will be posting their favorites.
Which reminds me: we would love to know what your 5 favorite reads of the past year were (they don’t have to be books published in 2009). Please send them to blog@abc.nl (it’s not too late!)(really!), and please include your mailing address so we can send you an ABC gift voucher as our thank you.
In this penultimate edition you’ll see what Klaartje, Sander, and Ward loved reading this past year. Fair warning: they’re a talkative lot! So who is thinking about joining a new church started by demons? Who’s an RPGer (and soon to join me as a level 80 in WoW!)(and no, I will not mention what kind of a day it was today for him 
)? And who’s not fond of a writer’s bag of tricks?
Click on more to find out!
(more…)
Tags: classics, crime fiction, dark fantasy, dutch books, Fiction, Food & Cooking, game novels, History, Klaartje, Languages, Mysteries & Thrillers, nature, Psychology, rpg, Sander, Science, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Social Science, Ward
Posted in ABC's Books of the Year, Klaartje, Our Favorite Things, Recommendations, Sander, Ward | No Comments »
Tuesday, December 22nd, 2009
Ah yes, it’s December, the time of looking over the past year and deciding what was great, what was so-so, and what could be done better next year. In what is now very much a tradition, the ABC staff has been rootling through the books they read over the past year to decide what were the proper gems and what were the baubles. Over the next few days and weeks Hayley and I will be posting their favorites.
Which reminds me: we would love to know what your 5 favorite reads of the past year were (they don’t have to be books published in 2009). Please send them to blog@abc.nl (it’s not too late!), and please include your mailing address so we can send you an ABC gift voucher as our thank you.
In part E you’ll find the favorites of Jesse, Femke, and Martijn. One discovered the literary delights of Jim Butcher, one lists a blog-turned-into-a-book, and one feeds her demons.
Click on more to find out!
Tags: Art, Comics & Graphic Novels, Consciousness, dark fantasy, design, fashion, Femke, Fiction, Jesse, juvenile fiction, Martijn, new age, Science Fiction/Fantasy, spirituality
Posted in ABC's Books of the Year, Femke, Jesse, Martijn, Our Favorite Things, Recommendations | No Comments »
Friday, December 18th, 2009
Ah yes, it’s December, the time of looking over the past year and deciding what was great, what was so-so, and what could be done better next year. In what is now very much a tradition, the ABC staff has been rootling through the books they read over the past year to decide what were the proper gems and what were the baubles. Over the next few days and weeks Hayley and I will be posting their favorites.
Which reminds me: we would love to know what your 5 favorite reads of the past year were (they don’t have to be books published in 2009). Please send them to blog@abc.nl (it’s not too late!), and please include your mailing address so we can send you an ABC gift voucher as our thank you.
Part D is a very wordy one, as Aviva, Tom and Maarten will show you exactly why they liked each book they listed, and at length, too. You’ll see some books already picked as a Top Read in part A, B, or C, but also books about homosexual necrophilia in animals, celebrity memoirs, and aspidistras.
Click on more to find out!
(more…)
Tags: autobiography, Children's Books, classics, Comics & Graphic Novels, Consciousness, dutch books, Fiction, Food & Cooking, Fortean, language, nature, new age, Photography, picture books, Psychology, Science, Social Science, space
Posted in ABC's Books of the Year, Aviva, Maarten, Our Favorite Things, Recommendations, Tom | No Comments »
Wednesday, December 16th, 2009
Ah yes, it’s December, the time of looking over the past year and deciding what was great, what was so-so, and what could be done better next year. In what is now very much a tradition, the ABC staff has been rootling through the books they read over the past year to decide what were the proper gems and what were the baubles. Over the next few days and weeks Hayley and I will be posting their favorites.
Which reminds me: we would love to know what your 5 favorite reads of the past year were (they don’t have to be books published in 2009). Please send them to blog@abc.nl, and please include your mailing address so we can send you an ABC gift voucher as our thank you.
Part C is all about the favorites of Tiemen, Renate, and Simone. One picked a Nora Roberts book (hooray for my Romance section!), one has a truly eclectic list, and one found Patrick Bateman hilarious.
Click on more to find out!
(more…)
Tags: biography, classics, crime, crime fiction, current affairs, Fiction, Food & Cooking, History, juvenile fiction, Renate, Romance, Science, Science Fiction/Fantasy, simone, Social Science, Tiemen
Posted in ABC's Books of the Year, Our Favorite Things, Recommendations, Renate, Simone, Tiemen | No Comments »
Monday, December 14th, 2009
Ah yes, it’s December, the time of looking over the past year and deciding what was great, what was so-so, and what could be done better next year. In what is now very much a tradition, the ABC staff has been rootling through the books they read over the past year to decide what were the proper gems and what were the baubles. Over the next few days and weeks Hayley and I will be posting their favorites.
Which reminds me: we would love to know what your 5 favorite reads of the past year were (they don’t have to be books published in 2009). Please send them to blog@abc.nl, and please include your mailing address so we can send you an ABC gift voucher as our thank you.
In this installment (believe me, there are plenty more to come!) you’ll find the favorite reads of Jitse, RonZ and Jouke. One wants to change a bestseller’s title, one only has time for graphic novels, and one likes his science fiction and fantasy mixed with New Age books.
Click on more to find out!
(more…)
Tags: 2012, ancient history, canines, conscious, Consciousness, crim, crime fiction, Fiction, graphic novels, Jitse, jouke, Mysteries & Thrillers, new age, Philosophy, RonZ, Science Fiction/Fantasy
Posted in ABC's Books of the Year, Jitse, Jouke, Our Favorite Things, Recommendations, RonZ | No Comments »
Thursday, December 10th, 2009
Ah yes, it’s December, the time of looking over the past year and deciding what was great, what was so-so, and what could be done better next year. In what is now very much a tradition, the ABC staff has been rootling through the books they read over the past year to decide what were the proper gems and what were the baubles. Over the next few days and weeks Hayley and I will be posting their favorites. Which reminds me: we would love to know what your 5 favorite reads of the past year were (they don’t have to be books published in 2009). Please send them to blog@abc.nl, and please include your mailing address so we can send you an ABC gift voucher as our thank you.
To start us off I present the choices of Hester, Nyjolene and Karin. Who reveals their past as a textile teacher in their choice of favorites? Who didn’t finish their books this year? And who is drowning in oracle cards?
Click on more to find out!
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Tags: booby prize, card decks, Consciousness, dutch books, Fiction, Hester, juvenile fiction, Karin, Languages, new age, new year's resolutions, Nyjolene, Psychology, travel literature
Posted in ABC's Books of the Year, Hester, Karin, Nyjolene, Our Favorite Things, Recommendations | No Comments »
Monday, December 7th, 2009
2009 was the year that some of the biggest names in Bookland finally brought us their long-awaited new works: we got to read new books from Robert Jordan, Margaret Atwood, Roberto Bolano, Richard Dawkins, Esther and Jerry Hicks, Robert Crumb, Stieg Larsson, Dan Brown, Vladimir Nabokov, Audrey Niffenegger, and John Irving, and even another Hitchhiker’s Guide to The Galaxy book!
Here they are: The 70 books that made our year.
What were your biggest books of 2009? Send your top five to blog@abc.nl. Include your mailing address and we’ll send you a little thank-you gift if we use your list on the blog. You can also tweet us your favorites!
POPULAR CULTURE
Avedon Fashion 1944-2000 by Carol Squiers, Philippe Garner & Vince Aletti
This comprehensive volume offers a definitive survey, from Avedon’s groundbreaking early photographs for Harper’s Bazaar through his constantly inventive contributions to Vogue, Egoiste, and The New Yorker. Each carefully selected image represents an artistic collaboration with significant models, stylists, and designers.
The Sartorialist by Scott Schuman
Scott Schuman just wanted to take photographs of people on the street who looked great. His now famous blog was an attempt to showcase the wonderful and varied sartorial tastes of real people – not only those of the fashion industry. The book is a beautiful anthology of Scott’s favourite shots from around the world. They include photographs of well-known fashion figures as well as those shots of the anonymous passerby whose imagination and taste delight the viewer.
High Voltage Tattoo by Kat Von D.
The charismatic Kat Von D, the star of LA Ink, opens the door to the world of contemporary tattooing, the way only a true insider can. It includes Kat’s story, the work she finds inspirational, past and present; great tattoo artists, from a classic artist like Sailor Jerry to people she admires who are working around the world. It includes humorous visual thematic portfolios of Kat’s work, her portrait tattoos (for which she is famous); great work in typography, back pieces, memorials, body suits, and more. (more…)
Tags: Best Books of 2009, bestsellers, recommendations
Posted in ABC's Books of the Year, Children's Books, Crime Fiction, Fashion & Beauty, Fiction, Hip & Hype, Horror, Mind Body & Spirit, Mysteries & Thrillers, Politics/Current Affairs, Recommendations, Science, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Social Science, graphic design | 2 Comments »
Monday, January 26th, 2009
Tags: andree, cc, em, fantasy, Fiction, marjolein, Romance, shelley, super-duper commenteers
Posted in ABC's Books of the Year, Recommendations | No Comments »
YOUR Favorite Reads of 2008
Monday, January 26th, 2009At last!
We asked for your favorite reads of 2008 and we got them! And lost them. And recovered them (many, many thanks to those of you that resubmitted your favorites)(if you’re missing yours, that means I haven’t found them – please let me know and I’ll add them)(yes, Michael, I’m pointing at you).
So, finally, here are all your favorites. Thank you so much for sharing them with us. It never fails to impress me how varied the books are that you read, and how a simple recommendation can make you want to try something you never would have looked at before. Inspiring stuff! (Details about the books after the jump.)
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Tags: andree, cc, em, fantasy, Fiction, marjolein, Romance, shelley, super-duper commenteers
Posted in ABC's Books of the Year, Recommendations | No Comments »