News from The American Book Center: February 2012
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In This Issue:
- NEW EVERGREENS: OUR BEST BOOKS AT AFFORDABLE PRICES
- THE NOT-A-SALE SALE
- FEBRUARY'S NEW AND NOTABLE TITLES
- ABC TREEHOUSE PILOTS FLEXIBLE WORK SPACES IN THE CENTER OF AMSTERDAM
- Q&A: WHAT'S STEAMPUNK?
- A BOUQUET OF BOOKS FOR VALENTINE'S DAY
- WIN A COPY OF THE GAME BY NEIL STRAUSS
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NEW ABC EVERGREENS: OUR BEST BOOKS AT AFFORDABLE PRICES |
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ABC Evergreens are a selection of books that have been an intrinsic part of ABC for the last 40 years. Books are your and our passion; where would we all be without books? We're excited to welcome these new treasures to the list. |
Just Kids by Patti Smith
In 1967, a chance meeting between Patti Smith and the artist Robert Mapplethorpe led to a romance and a lifelong friendship that would carry each to international success they had never dreamed of. The backdrop is Brooklyn, Chelsea Hotel, Max’s Kansas City, Scribner’s Bookstore, Coney Island, Warhol’s Factory and the whole resplendent city. Among their friends were literary lights, musicians and artists such as Harry Smith, Bobby Neuwirth, Allen Ginsberg, Sandy Daley, Sam Shepherd, William Burroughs, etc. It was a time of heightened awareness, both politically and culturally; the art and music worlds exploding and colliding. In the midst of all this two kids made a pact to always care for one another. Scrappy, romantic, committed to making art, they prodded and provided each other with faith and confidence during the hungry years--the days of cous-cous and lettuce soup.
Just Kids begins as a love story and ends as an elegy. Beautifully written, this is a profound portrait of two young artists, often hungry, sated only by art and experience. And it's an unforgettable portrait of New York, her rich and poor, hustlers and hellions, those who made it and those whose memory lingers near.
The Gift: Creativity and the Artist in the Modern World by Lewis Hyde
By now a modern classic, The Gift is a brilliantly orchestrated defense of the value of creativity and of its importance in a culture increasingly governed by money and overrun with commodities. Widely available again after twenty-five years, this book is even more necessary today than when it first appeared. An illuminating and transformative book, and completely original in its view of the world, The Gift is cherished by artists, writers, musicians, and thinkers. It is in itself a gift to all who discover the classic wisdom found in its pages.
Nice Girls Don't Get The Corner Office by Lois P. Frankel
The New York Times bestseller, which has become a must-have for women in business, is now available in paperback. Dr. Lois Frankel reveals why some women roar ahead in their careers while others stagnate. She's spotted a unique set of 101 behaviors that women learn in girlhood that sabotage them as adults. She helps you eliminate these unconscious mistakes-and offers invaluable coaching tips you can easily incorporate into your social and business life.
One Day by David Nicholls
It's 1988 and Dexter Mayhew and Emma Morley have only just met. But after only one day together, they cannot stop thinking about one another. Over twenty years, snapshots of that relationship are revealed on the same day--July 15th--of each year. Dex and Em face squabbles and fights, hopes and missed opportunities, laughter and tears. And as the true meaning of this one crucial day is revealed, they must come to grips with the nature of love and life itself.
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THE NOT-A-SALE SALE |
At ABC, we like a good deal just as much as you do: we have sale sections on every floor, full of great reads at low prices, all year round. That means we rarely need to have a grand sale, like every other store in town. And it also means that our 'koopjes' are always genuine.
However, at the start of every year, we clear out our stock before our inventory-taking, to make room for all the great new books that will be published over the next twelve months. So while we aren't having a big sale, we have added hundreds of great reads from every one of our sections to the sale shelves in both our stores. Come browse through them, and grab those deals before someone else does!
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FEBRUARY'S NEW AND NOTABLE TITLES |
What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank by Nathan Englander
Englander, an up-and-coming young American writer who has contributed to McSweeney's and written for the New Yorker, proves that he is a true master of the short form. Some of the stories in this collection are comic masterpieces, some embody as dark a vision of the universe as you are likely to encounter, and all of them showcase a writer grappling with the great questions of modern life.
Hilarity Ensues by Tucker Max
Tucker Max’s third and final book in his series of stories about his drunken debauchery and ridiculous antics. What began as a simple sentence on an obscure website, "My name is Tucker Max, and I am an asshole," and developed into two infamously genre-defining books, I Hope They Serve Beer In Hell and Assholes Finish First, ends here.
But as you should expect from Tucker by now, he is going out with a bang - literally and figuratively.
I've Got your Number by Sophie Kinsella
Poppy Wyatt has never felt luckier. She is about to marry the ideal man, Magnus Tavish, but in one afternoon her 'happy ever after' begins to fall apart. Not only has she lost her engagement ring but in the panic that followed, she has now lost her phone. As she paces shakily round the hotel foyer she spots an abandoned phone in a bin. Finders keepers! Now she can leave a number for the hotel to contact her when they find her ring. Perfect!
Well, perfect except the phone's owner, businessman Sam Roxton doesn't agree. He wants his phone back and doesn't appreciate Poppy reading all his messages and wading into his personal life.
What ensues is a hilarious and unpredictable turn of events as Poppy and Sam increasingly upend each other's lives through emails and text messages. As Poppy juggles wedding preparations, mysterious phone calls and hiding her left hand from Magnus and his parents... she soon realises that she is in for the biggest surprise of her life.
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ABC TREEHOUSE PILOTS FLEXIBLE WORK SPACES IN THE CENTER OF AMSTERDAM |
Would you like a quiet place to work, write or meet with other ABC'ers in the center of Amsterdam?
We're wondering just who would - so we'll give it a try for 8 weeks, then evaluate. Free wi-fi, free (pretty good) coffee, and use of a printer/scanner are available.
Algon van Woensel will welcome ABC customers to the ABC Treehouse on Wednesdays, starting from February 1st, for a pilot flexible work space program..
We have two areas available for you: a communal area on the ground floor, and a more private room upstairs. The first hour is free when you show Algon an ABC receipt from the last 7 days.
After that, it's:
€5 per person per hour to work on the ground floor.
€8 per person per hour to work in a more private room.
Up to a maximum of:
€25 per person per day to work on the ground floor.
€35 per person per day to work in a more private room.
You should reserve your space before coming, by sending Algon an email at algonw@gmail.com. For more information, you can check out the ABC Treehouse website. Algon is happy to answer any other questions you might have by e-mail.
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Q&A: WHAT'S STEAMPUNK? |
ABC staff are an ecclectic lot, all with very different personal interests, and knowledge about the smallest of book niches. That's one of the many reasons it's so much fun to work at ABC, and for you to shop here - you'll always find a kindred spirit with whom you can discuss your (sub)genre book cravings.
When we talked about the creation of a Steampunk themed window display recently, colleagues asked, "But what is Steampunk, exactly?" Quite a few customers have asked us the same thing. So clearly, despite working in a store full of ideas and information, we don't know everything about everything.
Steampunk is a sub-genre of sci-fi and fantasy, one of those wonderful sweet spots where the genres converge. It's fiction, fashion, design and a juggernaut-load of imagination; a vision of the modern world as though it was built by the Victorians. If you saw the film adaptation of The Golden Compass a couple of years ago, then you'll have seen some typically steampunk designs and fashions already. Want a better explanation? There are more definitions (from serious to snarky) than you can shake a brass-tipped mahogany cane at in the Urban Dictionary, a comprehensive description at the ever-wonderful wikipedia, and a fun summary at steampunk.com. Or you could visit us and peruse the marvelous Steampunk publications available at ABC.
Non-Fiction:
The Steampunk Bible edited by Jeff Vandermeer
Adventures in The Age of Invention by Frank Reade
The Art of Steampunk by Art Donovan
The Steampunk Sourcebook by Prof. M. C. Waldrep
How To Draw Steampunk - Bob Berry, Joey Marbocci & Allison Deblasio
Fiction:
Soulless by Gail Carriger
Mechanique by Genevieve Valentine
Steampunk: Poe
Boneshaker by Cherie Priest
The Thackery T. Lambshead Cabinet of Curiosities edited by Ann & Jeff Vandermeer
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A BOUQUET OF BOOKS FOR VALENTINE'S DAY |
Valentine's Day. You either love it like you love kittens and cupcakes, or you think it's sacharine commercial nonsense. Picking suitable books for Valentine's Day is a delicate task.
We don't want to select books that will make you sad, or barf, or even - shudder - unsubscribe from our mailings. So may we present these fabulous items, available in our stores, that we hope will not offend your romantic sensibilities?
Shakespeare's Love Sonnets illustrated by Caitlin Keegan
Pretty and contemporary, Keegan's illustrations tastefully accentuate the depth of sentiment in each of The Bard's sonnet. A brilliant sun rises over the 17th Sonnet ('Shall I Compare thee to a summer's day?') and a graceful animal adorns the 19th Sonnet ('Devouring time, blunt thou the lion's paws'). Appropriate for any spontaneous expression of love, this is an ideal, sophisticated gift for the legions of Shakespeare fans.
The Lover's Dictionary by David Levithan
How does one talk about love? Is it even possible to describe something at once utterly mundane and wholly transcendent, that has the power to consume our lives completely, while making us feel part of something infinitely larger than ourselves? Taking a unique approach to this age-old problem, the nameless narrator of David Levithan’s The Lover’s Dictionary constructs the story of a relationship as a dictionary. Through these sharp entries, he provides an intimate window into the great events and quotidian trifles of coupledom, giving us an indelible and deeply moving portrait of love in our time.
Love Letters of Great Men & Women by Ursula Doyle
Offering a collection of the most romantic messages in history, this title includes letters by: Anne Boleyn; Beethoven; Edith Wharton; Mark Twain; Mary Wordsworth; Nell Gwyn; Elizabeth Barrett Browning; GK Chesterton; Queen Victoria; Napoleon Bonaparte; The Empress Josephine; Mary Wollstonecraft; Amadeus Mozart; and, Katherine Mansfield.
All The Rules by Ellen Fein and Sherrie Schneider
For the first time in one volume--in a special oversized format--comes "The Rules" and "The Rules II," the phenomenal bestsellers that captured the interest of millions of readers in search of Mr. Right.
Hector and The Secrets of Love by François Lelord
Hector, a young French psychiatrist explores the mysteries of the human soul. Having found that love seems virtually inseparable from happiness, he begins taking notes on this powerful emotion. But unbeknownst to him, Clara, the doctor's beloved, is making her own investigations into love. As much a love story as a novel about love, Hector and the Secrets of Love is a feel-good life manual wrapped in a globetrotting adventure, told with the blend of a fairy tale's naïve wisdom and a satirist's dry wit that has won Hector fans around the world.
The Passionate Marriage by David Schnarch
Explores the ways in which passion can be kept alive and how the height of sexual and emotional fulfillment can be reached in later life. This book presents a message for attaining long-term happiness with proven techniques that are developed in worldwide workshops to help couples develop greater intimacy.
The Game by Neil Strauss
An everyday man transforms himself from a shy, awkward writer into the quick-witted, smooth-talking Style, a character irresistible to women. But just when life is better than he could have ever dreamed, he falls head over heels for a woman who can beat him at his own game.
See the next post for details of how you can win a deluxe edition!
Hold Me Tight by Sue Johnson
Dr Sue Johnson presents her highly effective therapy model to the general public for the first time. Through case studies from her practice, illuminating advice and practical exercises, couples will learn how to nurture their relationships and ensure a lifetime of love.
This Valentine's Day, Express Your Invaluable Love...
What a perfect way to say I love you, I’d like to “love” you, I hate you, I hate you unless you love me, or any of the other mixed emotions you may have on Valentine’s Day. With 45 hysterically funny tear-out postcards, there’s sure to be at least a dozen that capture your feelings about your sweetie, sweetie-to-be, or no-good ex-sweetie, on the most commercial and romantic day of the year.
Sperm and Egg Giant Microbe toys (Just €7.99!)
Adorable, soft, snuggly little reproductive cells to give to your lover. We also stock the equally delightful gonorrhea and chlamydia. What better way to show you care?
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WIN A COPY OF THE GAME BY NEIL STRAUSS
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"Hidden somewhere, in nearly every major city in the world, is an underground seduction lair. And in these lairs, men trade the most devastatingly effective techniques ever invented to charm women. This is not fiction. These men really exist. They live together in houses known as Projects. And Neil Strauss, the bestselling author, spent two years living among them, using the pseudonym Style to protect his real-life identity. The result is one of the most explosive and controversial books of the year -- guaranteed to change the lives of men and transform the way women understand the opposite sex forever."
We have a copy of the deluxe edition of Neil Strauss's The Game to give away, exquisitely bound in 100% imitation leather. (Quite fitting, yes?) If you'd like to win it, send your contact details and choice of store for collection to hayley@abc.nl by 11am on Monday February 20th.
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