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