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ABC’s Favorite Books of the Year, Part the Fifth

Tuesday, December 21st, 2010

Here you are, another part of the ABC Staff’s Favorite Reads of the past year. We hope you enjoy reading about what we enjoyed reading the past 12 months, and hopefully we’ll give you some ideas to boot!

Only two on this penultimate list: Tiemen and Aviva. The former discovered the best ever epic fantasy book he ever read, and the latter had no time to add words to titles (as in all the previous years) – but we’re still grateful for the list!

I just want to say a huuuuuuuuuge THANK YOU to all my colleagues for finding time between the Sinterklaas and Christmas madness (add on the EBM madness if they work in Amsterdam) to send in these lists this year, and often their thoughts on what made the books so special. I know it hasn’t been easy to find a minute to spare!

This year we would again love to hear from you what your favorite reads were. Please send us your top 5 (they don’t have to be books published in 2010, just read in 2010). You can mail them to blog@abc.nl, and be sure to include your mailing address so we can send you an ABC gift voucher as a thank you. We’ll publish your lists at the beginning of 2011 so you have all month to mail them in. Thanks to those of you who have already sent in lists!

Tiemen

Under Heaven – Guy Gavriel Kay

The best fantasy epic I have ever read. Set in a fantasy world that is based on eighth century Tang Dynasty China, this is a novel that has it all: intrigue, murder, battles, seductive courtesans and poetry.

The Windup Girl – Paolo Bacigalupi

With his debut novel The Windup Girl Paolo Bacigalupi is quickly becoming one of the new big names in the science-fiction genre. This is Blade Runner meets Apocalypse Now.

If you like SF that is daring and innovative you really want to read this one.

The Graveyard Book – Neil Gaiman

A charming story that is at its best when read aloud. Gaiman has a knack for creating characters and settings that are weird and wonderful at the same time.

Wired for War – P. W. Singer

Remote controlled aeroplanes, robotic limbs and robot soldiers; it’s as if you are reading science-fiction but except that everything that is described is real. In an insightful and inquisitive manner Singer manages to draw a picture of the ongoing effort of integrating robot systems into the U.S. military.

Logicomix: An Epic Search for Truth – Apostolos Doxiadis and Christos Papadimitriou

One would think that a graphic novel about the discipline of logic and the life of Bertrand Russell could never be exciting. Well Logicomix proves otherwise. Even if you are not into math or history Logicomix is one rollercoaster ride of a story.

Aviva

1) Columbine – Dave Cullen

2) Some We Love, Some We Hate, Some We Eat: Why It’s So Hard to Think Straight About Animals – Hal Herzog

3) Refresh: Contemporary Vegan Recipes from the Award-Winning Fresh Restaurants – Ruth Tal and Jennifer Houston

4) Blackstock’s Collections: The Drawings of an Artistic Savant – Gregory L. Blackstock

5) Scientific American MIND Magazine

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Tags: Art, Aviva, Comics & Graphic Novels, current affairs, Food & Cooking, Magazines, military, nature, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Tiemen
Posted in ABC's Favorite Reads, Aviva, Our Favorite Things, Recommendations, Tiemen | 1 Comment »

ABC’s Favorite Books of 2010, Part the Second

Friday, December 10th, 2010

It’s mid-December-ish, so it’s time for more of the ABC Staff’s Favorite Reads of the past year. We hope you enjoy reading about what we enjoyed reading the past 12 months, and hopefully we’ll give you some ideas to boot!

The lists this time were sent in by Jesse, Maarten, and Tom. Two of them read their favorites because of a travel destination, and one of them refused to be constricted by any set of rules like “Please hand in your top 5 titles” but still managed to put together a great list group of books.

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Tags: Art, Business, Comics & Graphic Novels, curiosa, current affairs, dutch literature, Fiction, Film & TV Tie-ins, french literature, german literature, Jesse, Maarten, Magazines, memoir, obscure facts, Psychology, Science Fiction/Fantasy, short stories, spanish literature, Tom, useless knowledge
Posted in ABC's Favorite Reads, Jesse, Maarten, Our Favorite Things, Recommendations, Tom | Comments Off

Martha Magic

Tuesday, December 7th, 2010

Confession: I have 37+ rolls of wrapping paper hidden away under my bed. Who’s to blame? Martha Stewart.

When Sinterklaas arrives in Holland, I get almost as excited as my four-year-old nephew. Not because I still have any hope for presents from the guy, but because it means it’ll be Christmas soon. And Christmas means one thing: Martha Stewart Living’s Christmas issue.

I know, I know, anticipating magazine issues is usually reserved for those interested in swimming apparel, but Martha never fails me. Have you ever come across someone bouncing in the magazine section on Thanksgiving? That’d be me, then.

The key to appreciating Martha is understanding one very important thing: Martha you guys, is srs bsns. Creating the right centerpiece for your casual holiday get together? Serious business. Avoiding last minute Christmas card embarrassment? Serious business. Martha Stewart Living is kind of like those morning workout programmes on TV that are best enjoyed from the couch. While she does have some really good ideas at times, she tends to go overboard just as often.

When I hear people grumble about the holidays, it’s usually because of the pressure to buy, buy, buy the perfect present for everyone. In that case: Martha is your new best friend. She encourages you to make your own presents and her gift ideas are more sophisticated than you’d think.

All joking aside: there’s one thing that I just love about Martha’s mindset. Her quest for perfection can be a bit intimidating, but really, her magazine is all about making the best of what you have, of making everyday things just a little better and showing the people around you you appreciate them. It’s all about the personal touch.

With that in mind, work some of that Martha Magic into your Christmas presents this year by spending some extra time on your giftwrap. I’m not saying you need 37+ rolls in a hideaway container, but get yourself some nice paper, ribbon and (my top tip!) double-sided tape and you’re good to go.

Merry Christmas!
PS: Don’t forget the fresh mistletoe, Martha buys hers on December 22nd.

Vanina Röling is the owner of film blog Sound Turned Low and the gorgeous, soon to be resurrected Bright Red Cardigans Over Printed Dresses.

If you’d like to know if the latest issue of Martha Stewart Living has arrived, check our magazines database. Or give one of our stores a call.

If you have written something about books, or magazines, or anything else we sell, really, you’re welcome to blog more for us, too, for book vouchers. See the original post for all the details.

Tags: blog for us, Christmas, crafts, Magazines, martha stewart, Vanina Röling
Posted in Blog For Us!, Magazines | Comments Off

ABC’s Spectacular Summer Reading Extravaganza: The Fiction Titles

Tuesday, July 6th, 2010

So much time, and so many books…

Ah, the summer holidays are here, or just around the corner at least, for the vast majority of us. Time to enjoy the sun and the knowledge you have absolutely no deadlines or appointments to make, apart from the one around twilight with a bottle of rosé and a few tapas.

And a good book, of course. Nothing quite enhances a lazy summer day like a good book.

I asked my colleagues to recommend books from the sections they buy for, and, my word, they rallied! Below you will see their handpicked books – both new and classic – guaranteed to improve your summer in any area you want.

Since they came up with so many books, I’ve been forced to split this Extravaganza in two – this first part with fiction titles, and the second part (to be posted tomorrow) with non-fiction titles.

As ever, the categories are completely arbitrary (and in no particular order), but that shouldn’t spoil the fun, right? We hope you’ll be inspired by one or two or maybe even ten of them.