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Behind-The-Books Blog
Die-hard Kubrick fans alert!
Friday, May 28th, 2010
If you’re at a loss about what to do this bank holiday weekend, here’s an idea. The Electric Cinema Theatre on Portobello Road is holding a Stanley Kubrick all-nighter . Starting at 11pm, the event kicks off with Full Metal Jacket, followed by the cult classic A Clockwork Orange. Then there’ll be a break for [...]
Going Batty
Thursday, May 27th, 2010
Now the weather’s turned fine, if you’re looking for something different to do on your summer evenings, I can definitely recommend going on a family-friendly bat walk. Over at Tottenham Marshes, Lee Valley Bats, give guided walks alongside the canal, which are well worth checking out.
When I went, after tea and biscuits and a brief [...]
Wednesday Cover Story: The Stephenie Meyer Effect
Wednesday, May 26th, 2010
In a recent issue of The Bookseller an eagle-eyed Bookworld buyer wrote in noting the striking similarity between Stephenie Meyer’s The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner and Hugh Johnson’s Pocket Wine book.
From vampire to viticulture, glass of red anyone?
Any other glaringly similar covers taken you by surprise?
Lara Crisp, Managing Editor
Want to flag up a [...]
What every bride-to-be needs?
Tuesday, May 25th, 2010
This August I will have been a ‘Mrs’ for a whole year. And 2010 is a busy one for weddings and I’ll be a bridesmaid for the first time next spring. Should I suggest this cake topper for the bride that has everything already sorted?!
Lesley Crooks, Sales & Digital Manager
It’s official: Martin Edwards is the Ultimate Criminal Mastermind
Monday, May 24th, 2010
I love pub quizzes. I’m absolutely rubbish at them but I do have a competitive streak so enjoy the thrill of trying (albeit in vain) of winning. Apparently, I need coaching from author Martin Edwards.
Yesterday Martin won the Criminal Mastermind quiz at Bristol’s CrimeFest for the second year running. He was up against authors Cara [...]
My Raw Food Challenge
Friday, May 21st, 2010
Bar my recent attendance at the launch of the new Saf Restaurant in Kensington, the “raw movement” is probably one of the few culinary arenas I’ve not really explored. So, after browsing on Amazon, I decided to add to my collection of cookbooks the book Ani Phyo’s Raw Food Kitchen.
The health benefits of eating more [...]
Travel tip from me and Muji
Thursday, May 20th, 2010
The summer travel season is coming up and despite the dramas of recent months (recession, strikes, volcanoes, political unrest) no one is cancelling their breaks. If you’re like me and realise just days before you leave that you’re completely unprepared (for the same holiday you booked months beforehand and really did see coming) then Muji [...]
Wednesday Cover Story: Air Kisses
Wednesday, May 19th, 2010
Air Kisses, by Zoë Foster: This cover makes me want to stare at it for hours. It’s an extremely pretty design.
Addicted to Books Blogger
Want to flag up a cover for our Wednesday Cover Story? Write to chiara@allisonandbusby.com with your thoughts
Kings & Rogues at Shakespeare’s Globe
Tuesday, May 18th, 2010
With a promising summer on the cards, this may be the year to throw caution to the wind and risk seeing an outdoor performance at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre. This year’s focus is on Kings and Rogues, kicking off with my favourite, Macbeth, running now until 27th June, and starring Elliot Cowan (pictured).
Click here to view the [...]
One of life’s great little discoveries
Monday, May 17th, 2010
Now, I’ve never been one to forget a friend’s / mum’s / significant pet’s birthday… yeah right… but I’m now all set for any future near-miss date disasters because I have now discovered Cupcake Bouquet. Yes - that’s a bouquet of cupcakes. And if I’m any kind of guide, I’d swap a bunch of flowers for one of [...]
CHIPS with everything!
Friday, May 14th, 2010
Last weekend I started volunteering at a local children’s playgroup, the Children’s Integrated Playscheme, known as CHIPS, which has a branch based at my old secondary school in Hertford and several others across the county.
CHIPS is a playscheme for children aged 3-19 with additional needs, and encourages children of all ages and abilities to play [...]
Want to read and relax?
Thursday, May 13th, 2010
Searching for the perfect gift for someone who has everything? What about a ‘Reading Spa’? At independent publisher Mr B’s Emporium you can be treated to just that - a pampering treatment including:
Coffee/tea & cake
45 minutes book-chat with Mr B discussing your likes and dislikes, being shown the best of what’s new & special gems to [...]
Wednesday Cover Story: How hard can designing a book cover be?
Wednesday, May 12th, 2010
Many of you may have asked yourselves the above question, and perhaps felt inspired to take a shot at it. And this is exactly what Penguin proposed readers do when they offered up a chance to have people design their own covers to a Penguin Classic. The results have been posted here - some better [...]
At the launch of the new Saf Restaurant
Tuesday, May 11th, 2010
I recently attended the launch of the new Saf Restaurant in High Street Kensington - serving only natural vegan raw foods. The original Saf restaurant in London is in Shoreditch, but this new branch can be found on the top floor of Wholefoods in the area of the Food Hall previously taken up by the ‘home’ store [...]
Daddy gadget classes…
Monday, May 10th, 2010
Ha! Here’s a news story that caught my eye the other day.
I can appreciate that preparing for impending fatherhood must be a daunting business. There’s your hormonal partner for one and the joys of anticipation when it comes to nappy changing for another. But I hadn’t quite realized that parents were feeling quite so clueless about the [...]
Supermarket Shakespeare!
Friday, May 7th, 2010
Shakespeare is the order of the day, it seems. Not only is Romeo and Juliet being reenacted for Such Tweet Sorrow on Twitter, but now a cast of actors from Teatro Vivo is performing Shakespeare in the most unlikely of places – various supermarkets across South London.
They are all free events, running from 20th April [...]
Americans go crazy for the iPad
Thursday, May 6th, 2010
While I was on holiday at the beginning of April, I happened to be in New York over the Easter weekend. It was lovely! The weather was balmy to my winter-numbed skin, the blossom in Central Park was beautiful (see pic) and there was a buzz in the air. That buzz though may have had [...]
Wednesday Cover Story: The Hidden Dance
Wednesday, May 5th, 2010
We’ve had so many compliments about our paperback cover to The Hidden Dance, by Susan Wooldridge that I had to highlight it here for this week’s cover story. We love the image so much we chose it as the cover to our new catalogue too. Are you as enamoured by it as we and others [...]
May Discounts!
Tuesday, May 4th, 2010
I’m a girl who likes to shop. Unfortunately, I don’t have the budget to match my habit, so I looove looking through the sale rails. There are two great sales on at the moment – over 50% off some items at Next and some huge savings at Debenhams. I’m quite tempted with this cute little [...]
Currently we are...
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...reading
The Slap , by Christos Tsolkias Lara: An excellent reading group choice as there’s much to discuss. Clever, yes. Would I recommend it? Not so sure. Very interesting subverting of characters but it’s taken me till around the middle of the book to start really getting in to it.
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