September was a busy one for us, not least because we had two author events (Kerri Andrews and Robin Ince) and our two day festival. Around all that, we also sold books! We’re starting to gear up for Christmas and get our 2023 recommendations together too.
Our big selling book – strangely! – was Ghibliotheque: the unofficial guide to the movies of studio Ghibli and our best selling artist on vinyl was Deftones.
Our Reading
Jayne:
Book of the month:
Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
As a retelling of Dickens’ David Coppefield, I was sceptical about reading this book but I’m so glad I did. Set in the modern day against the backdrop of the Appalachian Mountains in Virginia, this is a heart-wrenching story of poverty, addiction and cruelty of the foster system in the US. The story has a unique beat which does not drift and keeps you enthralled throughout. There are also many cheeky nods to Dickens’ original story which is a delight. One of those books that stops you in your tracks. Brilliant.
19 Claws and a Blackbird by Agustina Bazterrica
A collection of short stories from Argentinian writer Agustina Bazterrica. These are very short and concise dark, macabre tales. Brilliantly written and incredibly imaginative.
Your Love is not Good by Johanna Hedva
An interesting and brutal story which takes a look at the art world from the perspective of a queer Korean American painter. Power dynamics and the centering of Whiteness in art are the main themes of this wonderfully written book. Really enjoyable.
Dean:
Book of the month:
Niche, probably, but a wonderful insight into the world of videogaming in the 80s and 90s, when the industry was in its infancy and a guy with a computer could change the face of it. His honest telling of his difficult upbringing – poor, abusive father, difficult sense of ethnicity – added context to a story that could otherwise have been heavy on the code speak. It’s amazing that the birth of a creative medium is within living memory and this is a great read that documents a key part of it (he worked on Doom, if it wasn’t obvious from the title).
Notable mentions:
A short story collection I picked for the Book Club, this was definitely something different. A Korean writer, Bora somehow creates dread out of nothing, but sometimes mundane situations turn weird pretty quickly. It’s a great collection with very dark humour and despair.
For all the Moffat we sell in the shop, this was my first dip in. I love the idea of reading about history – in theory – but often find it a real slog. This was an easy to read and engaging journey through a series of battles across 150 years that marked the change of Scotland. The sense of the industrial revolution looming on the horizon, and the mechanised warfare that would follow gave it an unsettling edge.
Freya:
Shark In The Park by Nick Sharratt
I am SO into reading right now! I can read some stories by myself now. I like Shark In The Park because we read it at nursery and I like drawing the sharks too.