By Sophie
ABC’s 100 Top Tips, part 5: Robinson – Zusak
To celebrate our birthday this year (officially on 21 April but we’re celebrating it on the weekend of 12 and 13 April) we decided to ask all of the ABC staff what their most memorable books were of the past 25 years – and they, of course, delivered!
I’m very happy to present ABC’s 100 Top Tips, from A-Z by author’s last name, in 5 posts of 20 books this week. There are of course a few rules, some provisos, a couple of quid pro quos… First of all, a title has to be personally loved by a current ABC staff member. Secondly, no current ABC Favorites were selected. Thirdly, the book had to be published between 1 January 2000 and 31 December 2024. And finally, only 1 book per author.
I also want to thank our Matty, who designed the poster on the right, and Van Ditmar, who helped print it. It features all the recommended titles and customers will be able to get one when they buy a book in one of our physical stores starting the weekend of 12 and 13 April.
Happy reading!
The Ministry for the Future – Kim Stanley Robinson
“This is science fiction grounded in the reality of the home-made climate disaster humankind is facing right now.” – Tiemen
The Creative Act – Rick Rubin
“Clear and interesting guide on creativity that’s been selling like hot cakes the moment it first hit the shelves.” – MaxW
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Universe – Benjamin Alire Saenz
“The emotional depth and relatable characters made this an incredibly enjoyable and emotional read.” – Carla
A Man and His Cat, vol. 1 – Umi Sakurai
“Silly stories, but packs an unsuspected emotional punch.” – Tiemen
A Dictionary of Color Combinations – Wada Sanzo
“Designers and other creatives just love this handy and well-designed dictionary of color combinations.” – Tiemen
Goodbye, Things – Fumio Sasaki
“We don’t need all those items in our homes, and without them, we can focus our attention on other things, on experiences, and interactions with others.” – Simone
Old Man’s War – John Scalzi
“The real hook here is the outstanding job Scalzi did with the characters and the sense of humor that he weaves into the story.” – Jouke
A Darker Shade of Magic – V. E. Schwab
“It’s been a while since I read an ‘old-fashioned’ fantasy trilogy, but this one has me yearning for more like it.” – Martijn
Just Kids – Patti Smith
“I got very emotional and inspired by this book.” – Bruna
Nimona – ND Stevenson
“The whimsical art perfectly compliments the story, which upends fairy tale tropes and packs an emotional punch.” – IrisM
The Things You Can See Only When You Slow Down – Haemin Sunim
“Sunim reminds us how important it is to really look at the world instead of swiping it away.” – Lília
The Book of Eels – Patrick Svensson
“The eel information will blow your mind. Amazing non-fiction book!” – Jilles
Some Desperate Glory – Emily Tesh
“Something that started out as straight-up military sci-fi turned into a something else a whole lot more thought-provoking.” – Sophie
A Gentleman in Moscow – Amor Towles
“The vivid descriptions of the spaces and relationships were a treat to experience.” – Nicki
Blood Over Bright Haven – M. L. Wang
“It is a rare fantasy book that manages to deliver a plot twist that in hindsight might have been obvious, but at the time of reading lands like a sledgehammer in a cabinet of cherished family porcelain heirlooms.” – Tiemen
All Systems Red – Martha Wells
“Always witty, the Murderbot series is a breath of fresh air, and at the same time very comforting.” – Lília
The Shadow of the Wind – Carlos Ruiz Zafon
“Incredibly atmospheric, deliciously gripping, and disorientingly submersive, this is a beautifully written mystery about passion, obsession, betrayal, friendship, regret, and family.” – Damla
Crying in H Mart – Michelle Zauner
“Beautiful memoir about being stuck between two cultures, losing your mother, and finding the connection again in food.” – Else
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow – Gabrielle Zevin
“It was incredibly refreshing to read a book that is all about the depth and value of platonic love and that it can be just as valuable and fulfilling as a romantic one.” – Isabelle
The Book Thief – Marcus Zusak
“WWII from the German perspective, with an unforgettable cast and an ending that will have you in floods of tears.” – Sophie
Previous posts in this series can be found here.
