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 Shirley, bookseller extraordinaire specialized in anything related to ordering books for schools. She also is the buyer for the Romantic Fiction in Amsterdam.
What are your top 3 favorite books or authors?
Top favorites are Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë and The Secret History by Donna Tartt.
Top Dutch book: Een Schitterend Gebrek by Arthur Japin about Casanova. Translated into English as: In Lucia’s Eyes.
What is your favorite genre to read?
I like many genres, but if I’m honest, I now mostly read Romantic Fiction as well as Crime.
In which literary world would you like to live/go on vacation?
I’m always drawn to Scandinavia, as I read a lot of Scandinavian crime; the pine woods of Sweden or the northern fjords of Norway. I’ve never been but they seem like paradise to me.
What is your favorite bookish animal?
The cute caterpillar of The Very Hungry Caterpillar, the smart Dachshund Takkie from Jip & Janneke and the cuddly little Owl from Little Owl Lost.
Do you have any reading tips for our customers?
Good lighting makes all the difference.
What non-book item at ABC can you not pass by without looking at it?
Socks
Which book changed your (look on) life?
There are many, but if I have to mention one it is Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom. It is such a down-to-earth, emphatic and charming book that stresses the importance of human contact and interaction, especially if you know you do not have a lot of time left together. Because of this little book of wisdom, I spent every minute possible with my friend, who died of lung cancer.
What is your favorite part of being a bookseller?
I really like helping customers, in the store as well as at our special order department, to make sure they are pleased when they leave the store or hang up the phone.
And—this might sound creepy—but I do like to unpack boxes with special orders to see what new books I might discover. It feels like Christmas every unpacking day!
What’s your secret for choosing the books you buy for your sections?
Read a lot, keep yourself updated via international media and listen to customers.
About the Author: Lilia
