This is our 200th posting, and as such will be an epic story of love, voting, holidays, windows, events, JCBs, angry mobs and awards. I suggest you put the kettle on and make yourself a cuppa, or pour yourself a glass of wine, as I think this might ramble on for some time.
I've been on holiday with Katie for a couple of days. We thought it would be a good idea to have a break before our baby is born at the end of June (July 3rd officially, but I have my suspicions it'll be a few days early). We spent the weekend in Lyme Regis, and I have to say, it's gorgeous.
Mmmm, Lyme Regis. It's got 3, possibly 4, bookshops. We went into one, a second hand bookshop that had an amazing range of stock, despite being a health and safety nightmare, and were greeted with the proprietor, in a panama hat and a lovely safari jacket, watching with utter glee a live performance of 'I Want To Break Free' by Queen on his computer. As we browsed the shelves and chose a couple of titles to buy, the song came on again...and as we continued to look around he put it on once again, and stared and grinned at the screen in front of him, as Fredddie Mercury strutted and pranced through the song that we'd heard 3 minutes earlier. He did reluctantly serve a couple from who were looking for some Grisham, but hurried back to his screen as soon as he could to watch the frontman for a few more minutes. The shop was great though, and I picked up a couple of ideas to bring back to Wood Green. I suspect Tim wil be surprised tomorrow when I turn up in a white catsuit with a figure hugging yellow jacket to boot.In Lyme Regis we also did all those seaside things that everyone should do.
Mini Golf. I lost by one shot.
. Walking along the coast.
Discussing the audacity of seagulls. We decided that gulls were wankers, and have no sense of decorum. They sit on car bonnets and on top of picnic boxes with that look about them....arseholes.We also visited the wonderful Chimp and Zee Bookshop, owned by Catherine and Laurence Anholt. This is the only bookshop that I know of (and probably the only one that exists) that only sells books by the owners! It's amazing and clever and beautiful and magical and special.
But by no means anywhere near as amazing and clever and beautiful and magical and special as the person standing in front of the shop window here. If you get a chance to go and see their shop, please do.EVENTS
we've ahd a load of shop events recently and here's a little bit about them.
An Evening with Dr Sandra Richards.
What a great evening, hosted by the soon to be legendary Dougie
The evening was a huge success and by the end it was standing room only as Dr sister sandra started talking
. Lovely people.We had a poetry evening recently, and the local Stanza poetry society performed for us. It was, once again, a popular event, and we had between 20 and 30 people turn up to listen to the poets. I asked for the audience (before the performances) to give me a smile....
Lisa Tickner was in last week to talk about her new book Hornsey 1968, and although it wasn't a full house, it was a fascinating talk, given life by a very very good speaker.
we have a couple more events this week. Daniel Davies is joining us on Thursday for the launch of his new book 'The Isle of Dogs'. I read this on Friday, and it is magnificently uncomfortably engrossing, and the twist at the end of the book just shouldn't be allowed...at all. It is excellent, and I'm looking forward to meeting the author of this crazy book.
Other Things
This doesn't help if you want any customers whatsoever
Two weeks down the kaahsi
Anyway, good news in the shape of Marie and Sabrina, who have made our dire attempts at window displays look even more embarrassing by doing this in about 90 minutes.
More volunteers and we continue to feel very very humbled by the help we've been getting.Murakami.
So you've voted for MURAKAMI to come to the shop. Are you mental? Who do you think we are?
Yeah Baby. That's right. We're the Big Green Bookshop. That's what I'm talking about.
I'm surprised he hasn't been on the phone to beg for a visit since the results have come in. If you're reading this Haruki, just give me a call and we can sort this out nice and easy. You don't want to let the fans down do you?
If I hear nothing in the next couple of days, it looks like i'm just going to have to get the ball rolling myself.
2 comments:
I want you to get Murakami, I really do, but PLEEEEEEEEEEASE make Stan the Man your second choice. Excelsior! My spidey senses are tingling! 'Nuff said.
On the photo of Marie and Sabrina by the window, have you noticed that reflected in the glass on the far right is, I think, Mr Grump Bloke himself? An old customer of mine.
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