Tainted Love

A few weeks ago we had a book come in that caused quite a stir here at Goldsboro Books. With its completely unanticipated popularity we had sold out of our special edition in the first week and, with the film trailer now being released (awesome) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5djHG3hPu0, I was curious to see what all the hype was about. The book was I Am Number Four and having found myself a copy I read it in no more than two hours, which should give you some clue as to what I thought about it. When I was reading it I was engrossed and when I put it down all I wanted to be doing was reading it. This book, with it's vivid imagery and fantastic plot practically begged to be put into film.

But no matter how much I liked it, it did get me thinking about something that has bugged me since reading Twilight, obsessive love in young adult fiction. In I Am Number Four the lead character - John/Number Four finds a love interest in Sarah Hart and from that point on they are almost inseperable, combined with how young the two characters are this concerns me a little, are we teaching teenagers that this is a love they should aspire to at such a young age? Thankfully I Am Number Four does a lot to waylay my concerns on this point because it addresses the problem of letting your partner become your whole life (in the explanation of why Sarah broke up with her ex) and presents a picture of something that could be seen as quite healthy (no jealousy etc.) but I still can't help worrying about it. I also can't help worrying about my mental state; Am I just getting old? Can't I remember what having a first love was like at that age? Why am I even so angry about this? Well, I thought I'd analyse it for your benefit.

I was visiting my family a few weeks ago and to my absolute horror my fourteen-year-old cousin announced that she was looking for a love like Bella and Edward's in Twilight, what? I think my jaw actually dropped to the floor. To have my intelligent, independent doesn't-follow-the-crowd cousin say this to me was like being punched in the stomach, it disturbs me. Let's just think about this a moment, Bella has no real friends to speak of, no life outside of Edward and her only ambition is to become a vampire so she might live an eternal life with him - I wouldn't really want anyone thinking that this was OK, let alone something to aspire to. This isn't just seen in young adults either, I read an article where women had broken up with their partners purely because their love wasn't like the love in Twilight. Call me a cynic but this is real life, not Stephanie Meyer's dream! In real life you don't fall in love with someone without any justification and they certainly don't fall in love with you because your blood smells tasty. What's really disturbing though is that if these grown women can abandon reason for fiction then what chance to teenagers have?

If I'm honest with myself this lunacy isn't entirely what's worrying me, it's more that in my mind obessive love is dangerous - if you're willing to let your partner treat you in any way they want for the all-consuming love you aspire to - how far will you go? And where would you turn once you've abandoned all your friends and family for this love? It bothers me that we are showing teenagers that this is OK, that such an intense love is a good thing.

This whole thing annoys me to the point of distraction but I'm not saying ban the books, I'm not a Nazi, what I would like to do though is find out what other people think, so come on - give us a comment, do you agree? What would you do about it if anything? Did you enjoy I Am Number Four? Are you here to tell me that you have, in fact, fallen in love with someone because their blood smelt good? Either way let me know and let's see where this goes... Nicola.

This week at Goldsboro...

Hello All!

With the weekend just around the corner I thought I'd give you all a little update on how the week has panned out for us all here at Goldsboro Books.

On Tuesday Dave and I went to sell books at Tara Palmer-Tomkinson's launch party in Asprey's for her debut novel Inheritance. Having arrived at the venue far too early without anything to do (as the incredibly helpful Asprey's staff set everything up for us), we began the evening by...wait for it...trying to solve a crossword; that's right, living the high life baby! Nevertheless, having been able to contribute more than my customary single answer to the page, I felt the evening got off to a good start, and it got even better when people started trickling in. We made our way downstairs and hovered for a bit as a few of Tara's family arrived, along with the publishers Pan Macmillan, but it was when the telltale flash of bulbs started outside we knew the evening had really begun. I was collared to sell a book within the first fifteen minutes as people got straight down to business and spent the rest of the night behind the desk doing much the same really; along with literally running out of the way of photo's when people wanted pictures of the books that is. For those of you that want the lowdown on the celebrity guests I have to admit to being slighty obtuse with recognising famous people so the only person I really spotted was Rupert Everett, one thing I will say though was everyone was very kind and very patient, especially when the credit card machine broke and I had to keep a whole queue of people waiting for some time, oh dear.

Besides that the evening went smoothly, Tara gave a lovely speech in a stunning floor-length metallic silver dress, preceeded by her editor Jeremy Trevathan and then went on to sign copies of her book for her guests. She also had several photograph's with the novel, which I unfortunately got in the back of some of as I tried to retreat hastily, only to find I had moved straight into the line of some of the many photographer's clamouring for a shot.

With David having given me a free copy of the book I thought I'd stir myself from my usual prejudices regarding chick-lit and give reading it a go, and I was quite pleasantly surprised. Whilst it's not the best novel I have ever read there are several things that make it quite endearing. The first is that it maintains a persistently self-deprecating tone that is funny and light-hearted, the fact that the book doesn't take itself too seriously is definitey a bonus and it seems like she had good fun writing it, which in turn makes it more fun to read. Along with this there is some great characterisation; I particularly enjoyed the mean-spirited Uncle Quentin, who was such a vividly despicable character that I couldn't help but wonder if he was based on anyone. The plot is a good one, it makes the book chick-lit with a twist, as it contains elements of (entirely preditable but quite fun) mystery. Also, whilst openly admitting that I will never understand the world of the super-rich, Inheritance still provides some access to it and I liked those unbelievable 'would that really happen?' moments, but as Tara herself said at the party, it is a book of things you would never normally do, most of which she has done. I find that an utterly fantastic, unashamed attitude to have and it is something which probably helps to make the book. So, whilst I do admit to having to fight my way past the first few chapters, having to deal with the fact that I will never be able to empathise with the characters, and getting past the constant repetiton of the phrase 'thick, honey-coloured hair' I nevertheless found the book really quite enjoyable. Reccommended for those that fancy a light-hearted read and for chick-lit lovers everywhere.

We also had a launch last night for Death on the Marais, the second launch this month for Adrian Magson. I haven't read Death on the Marais yet but I am part-way through Red Station and I can safely say if it is half as good as that it will be an awesome read, I'm looking forward to it! It was also the 11th birthday party of Goldsboro Books last night so we had a few extra people added into the mix and I had a great time meeting some lovely new people and catching up with old ones. Extra special thanks to Hazel, Gemima and Jess though, you were a massive, massive help and guaranteed that I didn't have to do much washing up, I will be eternally grateful for that.

Also yesterday we had copies of Harbour by bestselling author John Ajvide Lindqvist signed, for those of you that don't know he also wrote Let The Right One In. Harbour is therefore now available from the website, signed and numbered! And just to add to the very busy day we had yesterday Andrea Levy came in and signed copies of the beautifully produced and booker short-listed Long Song, which are also available to buy on the website.

Anyway, off to do some real work now, stay tuned, next week the Ken Follett launch for Fall of Giants!!

Nourishment

A few days ago, whilst foraging in the depths of the Goldsboro Books kitchen, I came across a proof that caught my eye purely due to its title; Nourishment, by Gerard Woodward. After considering it for a moment I noticed it was published by Picador (one of my favourite publishers) so I grabbed it, put it in my bag and started reading it on the way home. Within a few pages I was hooked and by the end of the first few chapters and my train ride, I had decided to blog about it, why? Read on to find out.

A part of its genius, I feel, is the light-hearted tone of the book which thoroughly belies the seriousness of its subject, and yet somehow never undermines it. While I found myself unable to fully empathise with the characters (as the comic narration creates something of a barrier in this respect) I nevertheless found myself understanding all that they were going through. I was able to engage with the book and the lives of the protagonists on an entirely different level to any I have experienced before, so much so that I can barely account for how Woodward has managed it. I have a small inkling however, that it has something to do with the seamless transition between character viewpoints that pervades the book; from Mrs Head to Tory, Donald and Branson, each character has a wonderfully constructed point of view that allows the reader to see different aspects of the same occurrence. Tory's letters serve as a brilliant example of this; at first Donald's apparently illogical and relentless insistence on Tory writing him a dirty letter tends to grate on the nerves a bit and left me wondering at his blinkered persistence and Tory's equally annoying refusal to try, but as the novel progresses we learn the reasons behind his requests and, for me at least, it serves as a strong reminder that assumptions can be dangerous things.

The other great thing about this book is the perfect title! Perfect because it is interwoven so tightly with the book that I can't seem to make it come unstuck. Addressing not just issues of edible nourishment (as I initially thought) but also issues of sexual and emotional nourishment (without being cheesy); the prose is engaging, witty and whole-hearted, altogether it makes for a fantastic read.

Thoroughly recommended. Signed copies are available from today.

Victor Lodato wins the PEN USA

PEN USA, the West Coast centre for the renowned writers' organization International PEN, has unveiled the winners of its prestigious 2010 Literary Awards competition. We are delighted that a previous Book of the Month, a Goldsboro Books exclusive slipcase edition, Mathilda Savitch by Victor Lodato won the fiction prize. We have a handful of copies left of this beautiful edition.

Annexed, Sharon Dogar and a new blogger...

Hello Book Lovers,

My name is Nicola and I am the new blogger on the block for Goldsboro Books! Nice to meet you all, unfortunately for you, you now have to put up with my inane wittering until such a time as David comes to his senses and decides to drag me kicking and screaming from the computer, before changing the password and username to get on here, and then seriously considering the future of my employment at Goldsboro...

A few weeks ago we had a signing by Sharon Dogar of her new, rather controversial book, Annexed and I was lucky enough to be at her launch party with Andersen Press. I can safely say, despite the uproar surrounding it, it was a very sensitive, illuminating account of life in the Annexe. Dogar I think has a special talent for dealing with the teenage years of her protagonists with sensitivity and clarity and this is no different, she has picked a difficult subject but has done it justice, exploring a fresh viewpoint of life in the Annexe and considering a question with an otherwise slightly elusive answer – what happened after Anne’s Diary?

It is all too easy to forget that events such as the Holocaust could be repeated – here I will reference a film called The Wave. Based on an actual sociological experiment it features a class of school children that believe the Holocaust could never happen in today’s society. The teacher then creates a group which the class vote to call The Wave, complete with salute and uniform. Over the course of a week the children form a tight-knit group, rejecting those that speak out against The Wave and creating a creepy group mentality that quickly takes over the school, resulting in terrifying consequences when the teacher then tries to make his point and disband The Wave. An extremely scary comment on how easy it actually was and is to fall into the mentality the Nazi’s created.

But I digress, the point is, in my opinion, Annexed serves to keep these issues alive, it is something we should continually be considering, and whilst Anne’s diary should always be a compulsory text in anybody’s reading list, Annexed casts a fresh light on some important issues the youth of today who, languishing in our fairly comfortable society, might otherwise forget. Signed and dated copies are available now.

New Books from Goldsboro Books

Greetings!
Not too long ago, it would have been hard to think of examples of Scandinavian crime fiction beyond Miss Smilla's Feeling of Snow. Suddenly, readers are blessed with a range of choices. What has led to such a renaissance of crime fiction from scandanavia? Well, Steig Larsson helped! The Millenium Trilogy has been a world-wide success. Henning Mankell's Wallender series is also garnering deserved praise and more readers. Plus Camilla Lackberg and Yrsa Sigurðardóttir are building nicely.
The new one's with a lot of promise are award-winning journalist Anders Roslund and ex-criminal Börge Hellström who are Sweden's most acclaimed fiction duo. Their unique ability to combine inside knowledge of the brutal reality of criminal life with searing social criticism in complex, intelligent plots has put them at the forefront of modern Scandinavian crime writing. Three Seconds is to be published in the next week here in the UK and we are delighted that both authors will be visiting Goldsboro Books to sign this fantastic novel. Watch a trailer here.
Camilla Ceder's Frozen Moment is her debut novel in English and we are delighted to have signed, lined (in Swedish) and dated copies which were signed by the author at her home in Sweden.

Away from Scandanavia, we are pleased to announce that we have signed, lined and dated copies of 15 Miles by Rob Scott which is the author's first solo novel. He wrote the Eldarn trilogy, THE HICKORY STAFF, LESSEK'S KEY and THE LARION SENATORS with Jay Gordon. We are the only UK bookshop to have signed copies.

Ruth Rendell visited us yesterday on her return from her Australian tour to sign copies of Tigerlilly's Orchids. From the much-loved Inspector Wexford series or her disturbing stand-alone psychological crime novels this will appeal more to the fans of the latter.

Jed Rubenfeld is the author of The Interpretation of Murder which was the bestselling UK adult paperback title of 2007, and winner of the Richard and Judy Bookclub. The Death Instinct is his second novel and the author visited us this morning on his whistle-stop tour of the UK to sign and date copies.

Peter F. Hamilton has also been to sign copies of The Evolutionary Void.

Daniel Kehlmann's Measuring the World was a huge success and Fame is his new published novel here in the UK. We have signed and dated copies available.

We have many, many more new releases.. Visit our New Arrivals Page.

Sincerely,
David Headley
Goldsboro Books Limited

New Books Available

We are delighted to have our Goldsboro Books signed copies of Heartstone by C J Sansom available and in stock. C J Sansom spent a while signing copies for us and we caught up with him at the launch of his book at The Mary Rose Museum in Portsmouth. The new novel is set on the Mary Rose so the venue was perfect. Heartstone is a brilliant novel and like the previous novels you can feel and smell the period in which he writes.

Everyone knows about the diary of Anne Frank, and her life hidden in the secret annexe in Amsterdam. Peter van Pels and his family were also locked away with the Franks, and Peter sees it all differently in Annexed by Sharon Dogar. What is it like to be forced into hiding with Anne Frank, to hate her and then find yourself falling in love with her? To know you're being written about in her diary, day after day? And, what's it like to sit and wait and watch whilst others die, and you wish you were fighting? Anne's diary ends on August 4 1944, but Peter's story takes us on, beyond their betrayal and into the Nazi death camps. He details with accuracy, clarity and compassion, the reality of day to day survival in Auschwitz - and the terrible conclusion. This is a brilliantly imagined novel by Sharon Dogar and has caused quiet a stir in the UK. We have signed and dated copies of this remarkable book.

Ben Kane has kindly spent hours signing, lining and dating copies of he new novel, The Road to Rome. Copies are available to buy. He is certainly following in the footsteps of Simon Scarrow and harry Sidebottom for collectibility.

Continuing the powerful epic that started with THE STORMCALLER, Tom Lloyd's new novel, The Ragged Man is now in stock and signed and dated.

Boxer, Beetle is a clever and distinctive debut novel from a very talented new author, Ned Bauman. We have signed and dated copies. It states "This is a novel for people with breeding." I am sure you all are.

Martin Walker has visited to sign copies of Black Diamond which is the third, Bruno, Chief of Police novel.

Laura Wilson has signed copies of her new novel, A Capital Crime which is in the series during the Second World War.

Derek Landy visited without any volcanic disruption to sign copies of his new Skulduggery Pleasant - Mortal Coil.

Conn Iggulden has also been to Goldsboro Books to sign copies Empire of Silver. This is the eagerly awaited 4th novel in the bestselling Conqueror series, continuing the life and adventures of the mighty Khan dynasty.

Coming soon we will have signed and numbered copies of The Facility by Simon Lelic. It is our December Book of the Month and it will be available to us a month prior to the trade release. Rupture was Simon's debut novel and our January 2010 Book of the Month. It is now short-listed for the CWA Debut Dagger. The Facility is a fable for our times and whilst it is challenging and shocking in parts, it is an amazing read. Don't miss out!

We have many, many more new releases.. Visit our New Arrivals Page.