As the last post for the Autumn Term we have gathered some of your highlights of the year so far:

Hannah Robinson – The Branding and IP class with Dan.

Evangeline – I’ve greatly enjoyed meeting people who love books (and cheese) as much as I do on the course! It’s been a wonderful experience getting to know new people and make new friends. Course wise, I loved the penultimate lecture we had in Author Management with the author, Frances Mensah Williams because she was so jolly and had a great backstory. I’ve had a lovely term and I’m sad it’s over, but I’m looking forward to the next one! And thanks to everyone who’s put up with my talking about figure skating all term!

Ines – My highlight was meeting great friends.

Silke – It’s been wonderful to hear from so many varied guest speakers from the heart of the industry. I particularly enjoyed Helen form Cornerstones because she gave such an interactive session. I also liked hearing from Frances Mensah Williams – her talk was very inspiring.

Lucy Beirne – I really enjoyed the PR lecture – my favourite by far! I’ve also loved the SYP events I’ve been to.

Hannah Smith – I loved the guest speakers – particularly Sam Missingham, Frances Mensah Williams and the panel at the last Entrepreneurship lecture. And, of course, lunches between lectures!

Jessie – I loved learning about the maintenance of well-known, well-loved literary brands from Laura di Giuseppe.

Annie – Going to see Hamilton!

Jess Miorini – Two things: first, I know it’s super cheesy, meeting new awesome people on the course that I’m now friends with (a huge step for an introvert); second, the panel on publishing and creativity at the Bloomsbury Institute that made me realise what I really want to do in publishing and the companies I would love to work for (mostly independent publishers).

Wendy – Probably the visit to Hachette – it was amazing to actually visit a publishing house in action!

Clara – A highlight of this term was listening to all of the panel guests we had in every module and learn from their (very different) work experiences.

The UCL Publishing Blog team are having a Christmas break – we hope you have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Since 2015, bookshops across the country have relished Civilised Saturday – the antidote to the madness of Black Friday. In the lead up to the busy Christmas period, people rush to stores to speed along their present buying. Black Friday represents a huge commercial drive to encourage and entice buyers.

Civilised Saturday, however, spreads a different message. It is a day to celebrate all the bookshops have to offer and their calm and peaceful atmosphere in our hectic daily lives. Whilst browsing and purchasing of books is obviously not turned away (and hardly possible to resist), it is a day to remind booklovers why they love books. Not only can you escape the mayhem in a good book, you can escape the mayhem by simply relishing the atmosphere of your local bookshop.

This year, BAMB have replaced Civilised Saturday with Saturday Sanctuary. Creating an atmosphere much like the trending Hygge books, bookshops aim to treat their customers – with cosy reading corners, herbal teas and other relaxing activities.

Some Hygge-Inspired books to encourage this frame of mind are:

The Little of Book of Hygge by Meik Wiking

Hygge: The Danish Art of Happiness by Marie Tourell Soderberg

The Year of Cozy by Adrianna Adarme

The Art of Hygge by Jonny Jackson & Elias Larsen

Enjoy Sanctuary Saturday and best wishes for a peaceful, relaxed and bookish festive season!