BESTSELLERS

BESTSELLERS OF 2009 (excluding books supplied to other shops)

1. Summat A'Nowt - Steve Murty; 2. Hebden Bridge: a short history of the area - Peter Thomas; 3. Hebden Bridge Town Trail - Local History Society & Walkers Action; 4. South Pennines OS map; 5. Ten Reasons Not to Fall in Love - Linda Green; 6. World's Wife - Carol Ann Duffy; 7. Gone Walkabout - Anna Carlisle; 8. Dreams From My Father - Barack Obama; 9. Power in the Landscape: water-powered mills in the Upper Calder Valley - HB ATC; Joint 10th: Lecardo game & Cheers! A History of Hostelries in the Upper Calder Valley - Issy Shannon.

DECEMBER 2009

Humorous stocking fillers featured amongst The Book Case’s December bestsellers, along with a moon calendar, a card game and two books on nature - but local interest was again at the top and made up four of the top ten positions.

1. Summat A'Nowt - Steve Murty, £9.95
Yet again Steve Murty's well-illustrated history of the Calder Valley and surrounding area was in top position!


2. Calder Valley Christmas DVD - Nick Wilding, £11.99
A classic mixture of archive film (including the snow of 1947), reminiscences, hilarious anecdotes and old traditions, from the well known local film-maker.

3. Book of Funny Signs - Eleanor Morton, £4.99
From the pages of Dalesman magazine, a collection of weird and wonderful signs.

4. Mrs Scrooge: A Christmas Tale - Carol Ann Duffy, ill. Posy Simmonds, £4.99
A droll retelling of the classic story, brought up to date
with a message about the nature of the real gifts we give and receive.

5. Lecardo, £5.99
This entertaining card wordgame for ages 10-adult continued to sell strongly.

6. Red Sky at Night - Jane Struthers, £9.99
"The Lost Book of Country Wisdom" - an attractive collection of traditional countryside lore.

7. Hebden Bridge: a short history of the area - Peter Thomas, £5.99
Peter Thomas’s history of our area continued popular. A Royd Press publication.

8. Gone Walkabout - Anna Carlisle, £6.95
Cold snowy weather didn’t stop people buying this best-selling book of local walks.

9. Lunar Calendar 2010, £5.25
An attractive poster style calendar of the phases of the moon for the coming year.

10. Cloudspotter’s Guide - Gavin Pretor-Pinney, £8.99
Several books on clouds were popular, but this one did the best!

NOVEMBER 2009

Three seasonal items (two involving Carol Ann Duffy) featured in The Book Case’s bestsellers last month, and two children’s items. But local interest again made a strong showing, with history, walking guides and a humorous book all popular.

1. Summat A'Nowt - Steve Murty, £9.95
Steve Murty's well-illustrated history of the Calder Valley and surrounding area - especially the ancient hamlet of Stubb - stayed in the No. 1 position.

2. Ten Poems about Christmas - ed. Carol Ann Duffy, £4.95
Is it a book? Is it a card? Our multi-tasking Poet Laureate chose the poems in this bright pamphlet with envelope from Candlestick Press (who have also produced "Ten Poems about Bicycles/Puddings/Love".

3. Gone Walkabout - Anna Carlisle, £6.95
The bestselling book of local walks now out in a substantially rewritten and updated edition, with new maps. From Hebden Bridge publishers Pennine Pens.

4. Mrs Scrooge: A Christmas Tale - Carol Ann Duffy, ill. Posy Simmonds, £4.99
The coldest Christmas Eve on record finds widowed Mrs Scrooge outside the supermarket, protesting against consumerism and waste. 'Spoilsport!' shout the passersby as they load up their shopping carts with Christmas goodies.

5. A Place Like This - Jill Robinson, £6.95
The long-awaited third book of the popular Berringden Brow series, set not too far from Hebden Bridge. Heroine Jess is helping to run a neighbourhood advice centre, while contending with the erratic life-style of her son.

6. Yorkshire Dales Textile Mills - George Ingle, £9.99
An illustrated account of all the mills that once stood in the Dales, with information about the firms, child labour, and hand-loom weavers' riots plus details of the buildings, the machinery in them and their power sources. Royd Press.


7. Lecardo, £5.99
This entertaining card wordgame for ages 10-adult featured in the latest issue of Scallymag.

8. Stick Man - Julia Donaldson, £5.99
The team responsible for the Gruffalo bring you the scary adventures of the Stick Man. But all ends happily.

9. Hebden Bridge Town Trail, £2.00
This colourful guide to a 45-minute walk around the town, giving details of points of interest and photographs of the same scenes in times gone by, continued to sell well. From Hebden Bridge Local History Society and Hebden Bridge Walkers' Action.

10. John Muir Trust Wild Nature Diary, £13.50
This collection of wonderful nature photographs is always popular. The Trust celebrates the work of the naturalist, conservationist and visionary, John Muir.

OCTOBER 2009

Local interest was again to the fore at the Book Case in October, with history, walks and landscape all celebrated. Of the remainder, two were very different novels, one was a children’s activity book and the We’Moon is popular as usual at this time of year.

1. Summat A'Nowt - Steve Murty (£9.95)
This well-illustrated history of the Calder Valley and surrounding area - with special focus on the development of the ancient hamlet of Stubb - continued to sell briskly.

2. Yorkshire Dales Textile Mills - George Ingle, £9.99
An illustrated account of all the mills that once stood in the Dales, with information about the firms, child labour, and hand-loom weavers’ riots plus details of the buildings, the machinery in them and their power sources. Royd Press.

3. Fun with Hallowe’en Stickers - Paul E Kennedy, £1.25
One of the excellent little Dover books, popular for obvious seasonal reasons!

4. Wolf Hall - Hilary Mantel, £16.99 at The Book Case
The highly-praised and chunky Booker-winning novel about Thomas Cromwell. "Convincingly builds a world."

5. Sum: Forty Tales from the Afterlives - David Eagleman (£9.99)
Our October Fiction Book of the Month: a thought-provoking and entertaining series of stories about alternative versions of the after-life.

6. Gone Walkabout - Anna Carlisle, £6.95
The bestselling book of local walks now out in a substantially rewritten and updated edition, with new maps. From Hebden Bridge publishers Pennine Pens.

7. Rebel Girls - Jill Liddington, £14.99
The forgotten suffragettes of the North of England are back in our bestseller list, documented by well-known locally-based author. 

8. We’Moon Diary 2010: Gaia Rhythms for Womyn, £15.99
The theme of this year’s popular and colourful astrological moon calendar is "Reinvent the Wheel".

9. Moods of the Pennine Moors - John Morrison, £12.95
Another past favourite - atmospheric photographs of the mills and moors of the South Pennines, in varying lights and seasons.

10. Hebden Bridge: a short history of the area - Peter Thomas, £5.99
This account of our area through the ages by a well-known local author continued to sell well. Royd Press

SEPTEMBER 2009

Our September bestsellers showed a strong interest in local history, with two local walking guides also popular. Two thought-provoking adult books were also in demand, and young people were keen to find out what happened to Torak in the final Chronicle of Ancient Darkness.

1. Hebden Bridge: a short history of the area - Peter Thomas, £5.99
Back at the top, a very readable account of our area through the ages by a well-known local author. Published by Royd Press.

2. Summat A'Nowt - Steve Murty (£9.95)
From the Super-Truck King and Hebden Bridge Literary & Scientific Society history section vice-president, a well-illustrated history of the Calder Valley and surrounding area. He focuses especially on the development of the ancient hamlet of Stubb, and the wonderful old pictures come from his own collection, the Alice Longstaff collection, the HBLHS and elsewhere.

3. Sum: Forty Tales from the Afterlives - David Eagleman (£9.99)
Named as one of the best spiritual books of 2009 and also welcomed by atheists, a thought-provoking series of stories about alternative versions of the after-life. The title is the Latin for "I am".

4. A Book of Silence - Sara Maitland, £8.99
Over the past five years, the author has spent periods of silence in the Sinai desert, the Australian bush, and the Isle of Skye. She interweaves her experiences of silence in different places with the history of silence. Its second month in the Top Ten.

5. A Cotton-Fibre Halo - Angus Bethune Reach, ed. Chris Aspin, £7.95
A gritty and graphic eyewitness report of life and work in the Manchester area in 1849. Royd Press.

6. Ghost Hunter - Michelle Paver, £10.99
The sixth and final adventure in Torak's quest to vanquish the terrifying Soul-Eaters in the bestselling Chronicles of Ancient Darkness series for young people, set in the Stone Age.

7. Yorkshire Dales Textile Mills - George Ingle, £9.99
This well-researched book from the author of Yorkshire Cotton is an illustrated account of all the mills that once stood in today’s beauty spots, with info about the firms, child labour, and hand-loom weavers’ riots plus details of the buildings, the machinery in them and their power sources. Royd Press

8. Fabrics, Filth and Fairy Tents - Angus Bethune Reach, ed. Chris Aspin, £6.95
Life and work in the Yorkshire textile districts in 1849, through the eyes of energetic young journalist Angus Reach. Royd Press.

9. Hebden Bridge Town Trail, £2.00
This well-illustrated guide to the town continued to sell well.

10. Gone Walkabout - Anna Carlisle, £6.95
The bestselling book of local walks now out in a substantially rewritten and updated edition, with new maps. From Hebden Bridge publishers Pennine Pens.

AUGUST 2009

The Book Case’s August customers wanted to find out about the local area, keep their children entertained, enjoy some fiction and reflect on the experience of silence.
 
1. Yorkshire Dales Textile Mills - George Ingle, £9.99
New from the author of Yorkshire Cotton and Royd Press, an illustrated account of all the mills that once stood in today’s beauty spots, with info about the firms, child labour, and hand-loom weavers’ riots plus details of the buildings, the machinery in them and their power sources.

2. A Book of Silence - Sara Maitland, £8.99
Our Non-Fiction Book of the Month. Over the past five years, the author has spent periods of silence in the Sinai desert, the Australian bush, and the Isle of Skye. She interweaves her experiences of silence in different places with the history of silence.

3. Hebden Bridge: a short history of the area - Peter Thomas, £5.99
This account of our area through the ages by a well-known local author continues popular. Published by Royd Press.

4. Where’s Wally? - the Wonder Book - Martin Handford, £2.99
This little book has a magnifying glass to help you find Wally and friends hiding in each detailed scene.

5. Hebden Bridge Town Trail, £2.00
This illustrated guide to the town continued to sell well.

6. Deaf Sentence - David Lodge, £7.99
This moving and entertaining novel is about a retired professor who’s going deaf, annoyingly for his family: and there’s further trouble in store.

7. Funny Faces : Millie Moo - Roger Priddy, £2.99
These bargain chunky board books have proved very popular with our younger customers. Less so with the staff because they’re rather noisy!

8. LeCardo, £5.99
Normally a good seller in midwinter, wet weather must have helped this entertaining strategy game involving compound words!

9. The Other Queen - Philippa Gregory, £7.99
An exciting historical novel involving Mary Queen of Scots and Bess of Hardwick.

10. Gold Pieces - Phyllis Bentley, £5.99
Still popular, the exciting locally-based children’s book about the Cragg Vale Coiners, published by Royd Press.

JULY 2009

It was a simple tale in July  - Festival-related sales battled it out with local interest books, leaving only a little room for an enjoyable novel and a celebration of nature.

1. The World’s Wife - Carol Ann Duffy, £8.99
The new Poet Laureate’s appearance at the Festival and a dramatised version of this collection of poems imagining things from the point of view of the wives of famous men through the ages made sure this award-winning book made the No. 1 spot. Carol Ann Duffy’s Rapture and Feminine Gospels also sold well.

2. Beginner’s Guide to Acting English - Shappi Kharsandi, 11.99
Another popular Festival appearance. This entertaining account of growing up in England was also our Non-Fiction Book of the Month.

3. Yorkshire Dales Textile Mills - George Ingle, £9.99
New from the author of Yorkshire Cotton and Royd Press, an illustrated account of all the mills that once stood in today’s beauty spots, employing local children and even orphans from London workhouses.

4. Day - A L Kennedy, £7.99
A L Kennedy made an entertaining and thought-provoking appearance at the Little Theatre during the Festival. This is her Costa-winning novel about a WWII RAF tail-gunner in a Lancaster bomber. Her new collection of short stories is our Fiction Book of the Month for August.

5. Hebden Bridge Town Trail, £2.00
Visitors made sure this illustrated guide to the town continued to sell well.

6. Flyway Katie - Joyce Dunbar, £5.99
Another Festival success! This is a children’s picture book about how Katie manages to stop feeling grey.

7. Hebden Bridge: a short history of the area - Peter Thomas, £5.99
From the early struggle for survival on the bleak hilltops through the growth of the woollen industry and move down to the valley bottoms and Fustianopolis, up to the area's decline and revival. Peter Thomas is a well-known local author.

8. Iron Woman - Ted Hughes, £4.99
Companion volume to the famous Iron Man, this is a cry against the relentless pollution of the earth.

9. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society - Mary Ann Shaffer, £7.99
Enjoyable novel about cultural survival during the German wartime Occupation of Guernsey as a fictitious club gets together. Our July Fiction Book of the Month.

10. Living Mountain - Nan Shepherd, £7.99
This lyrical testament in praise of the Cairngorms, first published in 1977, keeps selling and selling.

JUNE 2009

The new Hardcastle Crags DVD and the start of Hebden Bridge Festival both made their mark on The Book Case’s bestsellers in June. Also selling well were two local history books, a novel and a book of poems by Hebden Bridge authors, and two other novels.

1. Hardcastle Crags Past and Present (DVD) - Ray Riches and Peter Thornton, £12.99
The lovely new 90-minute DVD about our local beauty spot takes us all round the Crags and investigates their history.

2. No! I Don’t Want to Join a Book Club - Virginia Ironside, £6.99
Virginia Ironside spoke to a sell-out Festival audience at Little Theatre about the joys and trials of old age. This novel is a fictional diary about growing old disgracefully.

3. Tender - Mark Illis, £8.99
This new novel from Hebden Bridge author Mark Illis tells the story of an ordinary family trying to cope with life and each other. Mark will be taking part in the Hebden Bridge Library event on Sunday 5th July.

4. What’s Going On? - Mark Steel, £7.99
Undeservedly, since he’s cancelled his Festival appearance at short notice!

5. The Mixenden Treasure - John Billingsley, £6.00
A true story of a motley crew of priests, commoners, a "cunning-man" and gentlemen who set out on a nasty February night to claim the Mixenden Treasure from its daemon.

6. Hebden Bridge: a short history of the area - Peter Thomas, £5.99
From the early struggle for survival on the bleak hilltops through the growth of the woollen industry and move down to the valley bottoms and Fustianopolis, up to the area's decline and revival. Peter Thomas is a well-known local author.

7. Home - Marilynne Robinson, £7.99
The Orange Prize winner. An almost sequel to Gilead - the story of a prodigal son who has come home to make peace with his preacher father.

8. Rapture - Carol Ann Duffy, £8.99
A book-length love-poem from the new Poet Laureate who will soon be visiting Hebden Bridge for the Festival.

9. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society - Mary Ann Shaffer, £7.99
Enjoyable novel about cultural survival during the German wartime Occupation of Guernsey as a fictitious club gets together.

10. Recital - John Siddique, £12.99.
A new book of verse on love, loss and hope from the Hebden Bridge-based poet, now returned from LA. John will be taking part in the Hebden Bridge Library event on Sunday 5th July.

MAY 2009

There was quite a range of popular titles at The Book Case in May. A launch at Hebden Bridge Little Theatre put two new books by local authors into the top ten; two non-fiction books about Hebden Bridge sold well and so did our Non-Fiction Book of the Month about resilience; and a children’s book, three novels (one set in Hebden Bridge) and a book from the new Poet Laureate made up the remainder.

1. Discover Hebden Bridge - the Town Centre Trail, £2.00
This colourful guide to a 45-minute walk around the town, giving details of points of interest and photographs of the same scenes in times gone by, was popular with visitors.

2. Tender - Mark Illis, £8.99
This new novel from Hebden Bridge author Mark Illis tells the story of an ordinary family trying to cope with life and each other. Launched at the Little Theatre along with John Siddique's new book of poems.

3. Hebden Bridge: a short history of the area - Peter Thomas, £5.99
From the early struggle for survival on the bleak hilltops through the growth of the woollen industry and move down to the valley bottoms and Fustianopolis, up to the area's decline and revival. Peter Thomas is a well-known local author.

4. Resilience - Boris Cyrulnik, £9.99
"How your inner strength can set you free from the past." Resilience is not just about resisting - it is about learning to live. Our non-fiction Book of the Month.

5. God’s Own Country - Ross Raisin, £7.99
A debut novel set in the Yorkshire Dales made our number one spot in April. Sam Marsdyke tends his sheep alone on the moors resentfully watching ramblers and offcomers - until a new family arrives, with their daughter.

6. Recital - John Siddique, £12.99.
Both this new book of verse on love, loss and hope, and John’s earlier book The Prize sold well. Recital's launch at the Little Theatre was accompanied by the Melati String Quartet.

7. Percy Jackson and the Last Olympian - Rick Riordan, £10.99 at The Book Case
The latest adventure of the lad who keeps getting mixed up in Ancient Greek mythology.

8. Rapture - Carol Ann Duffy, £8.99
A book-length love-poem from the new Poet Laureate.

9. 10 Reasons Not to Fall in Love - Linda Green, £6.99
Light-hearted novel set in Hebden Bridge, from a Todmorden-based author.

10. Guernica - Dave Boling, £7.99
An epic of love, family, and war set in the Basque town of Guernica before, during, and after its destruction by the German Luftwaffe during the Spanish Civil War. A Richard & Judy Summer Read.

APRIL 2009

There was quite a change in book-buying habits at The Book Case in April and popular books included novels, local interest, bad science, textile design, folk songs and Middle England.
1. God’s Own Country - Ross Raisin, £7.99. A debut novel set in the Yorkshire Dales made our number one spot in April. Sam Marsdyke tends his sheep alone on the moors resentfully watching ramblers and offcomers - until a new family arrives, with their daughter.

2. The Mixenden Treasure - John Billingsley, £6.00. A true story of a motley crew of priests, commoners, a "cunning-man" and gentlemen who set out on a nasty February night to claim the Mixenden Treasure from its daemon.

3. Hebden Bridge: a short history of the area - Peter Thomas, £5.99. From the early struggle for survival on the bleak hilltops through the growth of the woollen industry and move down to the valley bottoms and Fustianopolis, up to the area's decline and revival. Peter Thomas is a well-known local author.

4. Bad Science - Ben Goldacre, £8.99. Dr Ben Goldacre dispenses free and powerful relief from scaremongering journalists, pill-pushing nutritionists, flaky statistics and evil pharmaceutical companies.

5. City of Lists - Brigid Rose, £8.99. From a Todmorden author, a novel set in a dystopian future where contemplation is illegal. Eckhart Tolle's ideas feature.

6. Walking the Block - Jane Weir, £16.99. A late report from March’s events at Hebden Bridge Library. This beautifully illustrated book poetical biography of the creative lives of two highly respected twentieth century textile designers, Phyllis Barron and Dorothy Larcher.

7. English Folk Songs - Ralph Vaughan Williams and A L Lloyd, £4.99. Vaughan Williams was working on this classic collection when he died and it was completed by the well-known folk-singer and song-collector A L Lloyd. With words and music, it’s one of Penguin’s new "English Journeys" collection.

8. Adventures of Tom Leigh - Phyllis Bentley, £5.95. One of Phyllis Bentley’s locally-based historical novels for young people. This one, set in the 18th century, is about the theft of cloth from tenters on a Calder Valley hillside.

9. Adventure on the High Teas - Stuart Maconie, £11.99. The author of "Pies and Prejudice" goes in search of Middle England.
10. Damned Utd - David Peace, £7.99. This novel about the world of football manager Brian Clough in the 1970s is now a film.

MARCH 2009

March’s bestsellers at The Book Case reflected the month’s literary shenanigans! Two national novelists had book-signing sessions, and World Book Day brought in crowds of youngsters keen to spend their £1 book vouchers. Of the remaining books, five were of local interest, and two novels made up the rest.

1. 10 Reasons Not to Fall in Love - Linda Green, £6.99
A novel set in Hebden Bridge, from Todmorden-based author Linda Green. Jo, a local TV news reporter, returns to work, only to find that her new boss is her ex. Then she meets Dan, an enigmatic man who lives on a canal boat ... Linda was at The Book Case on Saturday 7th March signing copies of her book.

2. Winnie to the Rescue! - Laura Owen and Korky Paul with: Yuck's Rotten Joke - Matt and Dave, £1.00
This was the most popular of the World Book Day £1 Specials for children, closely followed by the others.

3. Lollipop Shoes - Joanne Harris, £7.99.
Popular author Joanne Harris came to Hebden Bridge to open the Library, and signed books for buyers. This sequel to "Chocolat" was the most popular of her books on this occasion.

4. Q&A - Vikas Swarup, £7.99
The book on which the film "Slumdog Millionaire" was based. Eighteen-year-old Ram Mohammed Thomas is in prison after answering twelve questions correctly on a TV quiz show to win one billion rupees. The producers have arrested him, convinced that he has cheated his way to victory.

5. The Mixenden Treasure - John Billingsley, £6.00
A true tale of magic in 16th-century Yorkshire from the well-known local historian and folklorist. Stand by for an exciting tale of treasure, demons, Oberon and a motley crew of priests, commoners, a "cunning-man" and gentlemen who set out on a nasty February night to claim the Mixenden Treasure from the daemon that was sitting on it!

6. Cheers! A History of Hostelries in the Upper Calder Valley - Issy Shannon, £6.95
Lavishly illustrated book about all the pubs between Colden and Luddenden with photos past and present, fascinating facts and gory details.

7. Gold Pieces - Phyllis Bentley, £5.95
This historical novel for young people tells the story of a boy who gets involved with the Cragg Vale Coiners - while his father is helped by the invention of the flying shuttle. A Royd Press publication.

8. Hebden Bridge: a short history of the area - Peter Thomas (£5.99)
From the early struggle for survival on the bleak hilltops through the growth of the woollen industry and move down to the valley bottoms and Fustianopolis, up to the area's decline and revival. Peter Thomas is a well-known local author.

9. God’s Own Country - Ross Raisin, £7.99
A celebrated Yorkshire-based debut novel which tells the story of solitary young farmer, Sam Marsdyke, and his extraordinary battle with the world.

10. Growing Up in Sowerby ... and more - Jean Illingworth, £9.99
Still in the top ten is Jean Illingworth’s lovely illustrated history of the ancient hilltop village.

FEBRUARY 2009

There was quite a change in book-buying habits at The Book Case in February, with novels being the popular choice, a pattern we saw last year too. But a book about Sowerby got the top spot, a colourful book about local pubs also sold well, and Barack Obama’s autobiography, a locally-based children’s historical novel and a teen read made up the remainder.

1. Growing Up in Sowerby ... and more - Jean Illingworth, £9.99. Jean Illingworth’s engaging history of the ancient hilltop village has been boosted back to the top by a mention in The Dalesman - orders have been coming in from all over the country and further afield!
2. Secret Scripture - Sebastian Barry, £7.99. Costa Book of the Year. Nearing her one-hundredth birthday, Roseanne McNulty faces an uncertain future, as the Roscommon Regional Mental hospital where she's spent the best part of her adult life prepares for closure. She talks with her psychiatrist and her story becomes an alternative, secret history of Ireland's changing character.
3. Dreams from my Father: a story of race and inheritance - Barack Obama, £8.99. Barack Obama’s black African father walked out on the family when his son was only two. The adult son set out to learn the truth of his father's life and reconcile his divided inheritance.
4. Revolutionary Road - Richard Yates, £7.99. The story of Frank and April Wheeler, a bright, beautiful, and talented couple whose empty suburban life is held together by the dream that greatness is only just round the corner. Now a successful film.
5. Cheers! A History of Hostelries in the Upper Calder Valley - Issy Shannon, £6.95. Lavishly illustrated book about all the pubs between Colden and Luddenden with photos past and present, fascinating facts and gory details.
6. Gold Pieces - Phyllis Bentley, £5.95. This historical novel for young people tells the story of a boy who gets involved with the Cragg Vale Coiners - while his father is helped by the invention of the flying shuttle. A Royd Press publication.
7. Q&A - Vikas Swarup, £7.99. Aka "Slumdog Millionaire"! Eighteen-year-old Ram Mohammed Thomas is in prison after answering twelve questions correctly on a TV quiz show to win one billion rupees. The producers have arrested him, convinced that he has cheated his way to victory.
8. One of Us - Melissa Benn, £7.99. A leading journalist and a woman meet at a London cafe in the aftermath of the invasion of Iraq. Anna Adams has a story she is burning to tell, one that goes right to the top of the Cabinet. Daily Mail Book of the Month.
9. When Will There Be Good News - Kate Atkinson, £7.99. A Richard & Judy choice. In rural Devon, six-year-old Joanna Mason witnesses an appalling crime. Thirty years later the man convicted of the crime is released from prison.
10. Twilight - Stephenie Meyer, £6.99. The first in the phenomenally successful romantic vampire Twilight Saga series for young people.


JANUARY 2008

Once again the honours were split between the new US president and local interest (with a particular emphasis on pubs) at The Book Case in January. Alan Bennett’s entertaining story about the Queen in a public library also gets a look in.

1. Dreams from my Father: a story of race and inheritance - Barack Obama, £8.99. Barack Obama’s black African father walked out on the family when his son was only two. The adult son set out to learn the truth of his father's life and reconcile his divided inheritance.
2. Halifax and Calder Valley Memories, £12.99. Photographs and descriptions of scenes in Halifax, Elland, Brighouse, Hebden Bridge and Todmorden from Edwardian times on, covering events, street scenes, the war years, royal visits, the shops, leisure and transport.
3. Halifax Pubs - Stephen Gee, £12.99. An illustrated tour of the most interesting pubs, inns and taverns of Halifax with lots of old photos.
4. Cheers! A History of Hostelries in the Upper Calder Valley - Issy Shannon, £6.95. Lavishly illustrated book about all the pubs between Colden and Luddenden with photos past and present, fascinating facts and gory details.
5. The Adventures of Tom Leigh - Phyllis Bentley, £5.95. First young Tom, newly arrived in the Calder Valley from Suffolk in 1722, loses his father; then he himself is threatened when as a weaver's apprentice, he uncovers a crime. The third of the popular Halifax author's historical novels for young people that we are publishing and the furthest back in time.
6. Portrait of the Pennine Hills - John Morrison, £14.99. From the ex-local author and photographer, 144 pages of atmospheric colour photos including some very nice and new local ones.
7. Small Town Saturday Night: More Pop Music Memories of the Halifax in the Sixties 2 - Trevor Simpson, £16.95. Another look at the dance halls, groups an music festivals from 1954-1970. Includes Donovan, Lulu, Screaming Lord Sutch - and the Mytholmroyd group, Jay West and the Sinners!
8. Uncommon Reader - Alan Bennett, £6.99. Back in the limelight, this entertaining story about the Queen’s enthusiastic exploration of a travelling library in defiance of the equerries and politicians.
9. Hebden Bridge Town Centre Trail, £2.00. A colourful guide to a 45-minute walk around the town, with points of interest and photographs of the same scenes in times gone. You can see a display of more photos on screen in The Book Case.
Joint 10: The Audacity of Hope - Barack Obama, £8.99. The new US President sets out his plans and values in his "Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream" and
Hebden Bridge: a short history of the area - Peter Thomas, £5.99. This illustrated history of the town and area by a well-known local author published by our own Royd Press remains popular.

Bestsellers of 2008

Bestsellers of 2007

Bestsellers of 2006