Thanks also for sending in your choices for most affecting, thought-provoking, life-altering (auto)biographies (several of them nominated more than once). We have passed your recommendations on to our Biographies buyers!
In the Nuba Mountains of Sudan, 12 year old Malia is snatched from the arms of her father during a raid on their village. Beaten and sold into slavery, she spends the next six years of her life working for a family, then at 18, Malia (Wunmi Mosaku) is sent to work in London. The city swiftly becomes as much a prison as the home in which she is kept; hidden in plain sight, Malia’s desperate situation goes unnoticed or uncared for by everyone she comes into contact with. Stripped of her passport and living in terror of what might happen to her family in the Sudan should she speak out, Malia is trapped in an unforgiving, alien environment. Despairing of the life to which she has been condemned, she has to call on all her strength to make a dramatic escape back to Sudan and to the father who never gave up hope she was alive, and who never stopped searching for her.
I Am Slave is based on Mende Nazer’s autobiography Slave. It is the opening film for the 3rd annual Arab Women’s Film Festival, held in The Hague from March 8th until March 10th, 2013. Screenwriter Jeremy Brock, who won a BAFTA for his The Last King of Scotland screenplay, will hold a Q&A session after the screening of the film, together with Mariam’s Chance director Hanadi Elayan.
See it for FREE with ABC!
Thanks to the wonderful folks from the Arab House of Arts (Arabische Huis voor de Kunsten), we will be giving away 2 pairs of tickets to I Am Slave, which screens at the Filmhuis in The Hague on March 8th, 2013, at 16.45 hrs.
What do you need to do? Answer the following question:
What is the most affecting, thought-provoking, life-altering autobiography you have read?
Mail your answer to win@abc.nl by Wednesday, March 6th, 2013, and be sure to put ‘I Am Slave’ in the subject header. On March 7th the winners will be announced on this blog.
Please note that there is no right answer to the question. We are simply curious and will pass on your recommendations to our Autobiography buyers!
In 1865, as the American Civil War winds inexorably toward conclusion, U.S. president Abraham Lincoln endeavors to achieve passage of the landmark constitutional amendment which will forever ban slavery from the United States. However, his task is a race against time, for peace may come at any time, and if it comes before the amendment is passed, the returning southern states will stop it before it can become law. Lincoln must, by almost any means possible, obtain enough votes from a recalcitrant Congress before peace arrives and it is too late. Yet the president is torn, as an early peace would save thousands of lives. As the nation confronts its conscience over the freedom of its entire population, Lincoln faces his own crisis of conscience — end slavery or end the war.
In cooperation with Warner Netherlands and IMAX Pathé, we will be giving away 3 pairs of tickets to Lincoln, with Oscar winner Daniel Day-Lewis in the title role.
What do you need to do? Answer the 2 questions below:
1. Which US President credited Team of Rivals as a major source of inspiration for his administration?
2. What is your favorite history book?
Mail both your answers to win@abc.nl by Wednesday, February 6th, and be sure to put ‘Lincoln’ in the subject header. On February 7th the winners will be announced on this blog.
Please note that the answer to question 2 can’t be right or wrong. We’re simply curious, love to hear about your favorites, and will pass the titles you mention on to our History buyers!
ABC’s booksellers don’t just sell books: as well as being voracious readers, almost all ABC staff members are personally responsible for buying the books for one or more sections in the stores. That means you’ll always find someone who can put exactly the right book in your hands when you need it. We asked our buyers for their tips for the best gifts for the upcoming holiday season, and they came up with some great ones: new books, classic books, magazines, games, merchandise, and stationery.
What you may not be aware of is that we only got the green light for this signing one week earlier. We sent out press releases, mailed all kinds of websites and affiliated groups, facebooked it, tweeted it, put up a window display – in other words, we tried very hard, in such a short time, to get the word out that she would be there, so that all her fans would at the very least be aware of this opportunity, and hopefully manage to get themselves over to the store as well!
Happily, a lot of you made it. People lined up at the front door before Ms. Smith arrived, and the queue stretched all the way around the corner of the store. We had a few strict rules to abide by, but they did ensure everyone had a chance to get something signed.
Thank you to all of you who came for keeping calm and carrying on, and we hope the encounter with your personal hero was worth it (even if it was ever so brief!).
Thanks to everyone who sent a mail to win@abc.nl for the chance to win free I Am Slave tickets! The lucky winners are:
We are simply curious and will pass on your recommendations to our Autobiography buyers!
