Welcome to the Publisher’s Atlas! This blog will provide a series of maps and guides to help you make your way through the wild and wonderful world of publishing.
The holiday season is upon us once again. Though there are some people that have been blasting Christmas music since Halloween, if you’re like me, you still wake up and can’t believe it’s December. You mean I have to find gifts for all my friends and family again? I just did that last year! I don’t know about you, but in addition to feeling 22, I get really stressed about finding the perfect gift for everyone on my list. Seeing as I’m a publishing student and am now overly conscious of being a good literary citizen, books seem like an appropriate gift to give this year. To find the perfect titles, I decided to seek help not from an online algorithm telling me, “People who bought x also bought y,” but instead wandered around London to real life bookshops and asked their real life employees what they thought were the best books to give this year. Here are their suggestions:
Owl Bookshop

Mary’s recommendation: The Lady in the Van: The Complete Edition by Alan Bennett
“It’s a great read, and with this edition you get pictures along with the script from the film, so it’s got something for everybody.”
What it’s about: The real-life story of Alan Bennett’s relationship with the eccentric Miss Shepard, who one day parked her van in Bennett’s driveway and then lived there for 15 years.
Perfect for: The person whose New Year’s resolution is to read more.
London Review Bookshop

Charlie’s recommendation: Pond by Claire-Louise Bennett
“Difficult but rewarding to read…wonderful writing. A book I’d be happy to give or receive.”
What it’s about: A collection of short stories narrated by an unnamed woman exploring what it means to live a rural and solitude life in Ireland.
Perfect for: The person who thinks they’ve read everything.
Persephone Books

Meg’s recommendation: Greengates by RC Sherriff
“I’m fairly young and I still related to it even though it’s about retirement! It’s perfect for anyone who is still uncertain about their life.”
What it’s about: After his retirement, Tom Baldwin and his wife come to realize that their lives are dull and constricting, but a day together in the countryside helps them to begin anew.
Perfect for: The person going through their quarter, mid, or any kind of life crisis.
Daunt Books

Patrick’s recommendation: The Fly Trap by Fredrik Sjöberg
“An all-around great read.”
What it’s about: A memoir about Sjöberg’s life collecting hoverflies, and his reflections on science, nature, and anything else that pops into his mind.
Perfect for: The person with incurable wanderlust.
Forbidden Planet

Quinn’s recommendation: One-Punch Man manga series by ONE
“This series had everything: action, comedy, superheroes, amazing art…and there’s an anime version now too, so they can read the books and then watch the show.”
What’s it about: Saitama appears to be just a regular guy, but he has a hidden power: he can take out any opponent with one punch. But he grows bored with such easy fights, so he is constantly seeking out bigger and badder villains to see if any of them can actually put up a fight against him.
Perfect for: The person who keeps asking if you’ve watched Jessica Jones yet.
Even if none of these titles fit the bill for that one impossible-to-shop-for person, get off the interent and head over to one of these shops. Everyone I spoke to was so enthusiastic and eager to share their favorite books, it was enough to put any grinch back in the holiday spirit!
Until next time,
Stephanie
Many, many thanks to all the bookshops and booksellers that participated for this post! If you can’t visit them in person, check them out online:
Owl Bookshop:
https://twitter.com/owlbookshop
https://www.facebook.com/owlbooks
London Review Bookshop:
http://www.londonreviewbookshop.co.uk/
https://twitter.com/LRBbookshop
https://www.facebook.com/LondonReviewBookshop
https://www.instagram.com/lrbbookshop/
Persephone Books:
http://www.persephonebooks.co.uk/
https://twitter.com/PersephoneBooks
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Persephone-Books/114508145266177
https://www.instagram.com/persephonebooks/
Daunt Books:
http://www.dauntbooks.co.uk/
https://twitter.com/dauntbooks
https://www.facebook.com/dauntbooks
https://www.instagram.com/dauntbooks/
Forbidden Planet:
https://forbiddenplanet.com/
https://twitter.com/forbiddenplanet
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Forbidden-Planet/279957096259?ref=nf
All photos and book descriptions are my own, or quotes from the booksellers interviewed.