We decided to play the Q&A game with the ABC staff, and asked all sorts of bookish questions. In the coming weeks we will be posting their (sometimes cheeky!) answers here on the blog, so you can learn a little more about us.
Enjoy!
This time around we talk to Martijn, one of our directors and also store manager in The Hague. He’s always busy with all things related to ABC, but is still the buyer for the Business and Music sections in The Hague.
What are your top 3 favorite books or authors?
Author: Neil Gaiman
Book Series: Dresden Files, by Jim Butcher
Can’t give you more than that. I’ve read too much to choose from.
What is your favorite genre to read?
Fantasy, Crime Fiction, and General Fiction.
In which literary world would you like to live/go on vacation?
Hobbiton seems like a very nice place to grow old. And they have a pub.
What is your favorite bookish animal (fiction or nonfiction)?
Ehhhhh. None.
Do you have any reading tips for our customers?
Not really, I can read everywhere. As far as preferences go: in bed with the rain pattering on the roof or on the beach with a cold brew.
What non-book item at ABC can you not pass by without looking at it?
None really. I just go straight to the books.
Which book changed your (look on) life?
The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings opened up a whole new universe for me when I was young and made me want to read more books. Read a whole lot of fantasy after that and moved to crime and general fiction somewhat later. After my studies, I never touched a non-fiction book again. Escapism for me!
What is your favorite part of being a bookseller?
Being surrounded by books, colleagues, and customers who share my love for books.
What’s your secret for choosing the books you buy for your sections?
That’s a combination of experience and instinct.