by Gudrun Bowers | 21, Jan 2016
Kate Atkinson’s Life after Life (which won the Costa book award in 2013) introduced readers to the Todd family of Fox Corner and told the multiple stories of Ursula, as she died, or not, countless times. It was a dazzling, inventive book that probed at the dark heart of the Second World War and its effect on those who died and those who survived. A God in Ruins (this year’s Costa winner) is a ‘‘companion’ piece rather than a sequel’ according to Atkinson and takes up the story of Ursula’s younger brother Teddy, the golden boy, their mother’s favourite, the wartime hero who died returning from a bombing raid in Life After Life. He gets another chance here, a wife, a daughter, grandchildren, an ignominious end in a nursing home – the ‘afterwards’ he never thought to have. Although the narrative skips back and forth through time, it is Teddy’s war that is the heart of the book, and his heart remains inside a Halifax bomber. The effect the war had on him and therefore on his monstrous (but amusing) daughter Viola and her own children is played out in subtle, poignant and surprising ways.
From her earliest work Atkinson displayed an exuberant delight in the stuff of storytelling, and in A God in Ruins, as well as its predecessor plays with form in a masterly way with serious intent and to great effect. This is a wonderful, heart-breaking book about life, family, war and its effects on a generation and the lives of those who followed.
Alice
by Gudrun Bowers | 21, Jan 2016
Longlisted for the Booker prize, this thoughtful and engaging novel, Andrew O’Hagan’s fifth, explores with a fresh voice universal themes of age, memory, war and love. Former documentary photographer Ann lives in sheltered accommodation in Ayrshire, while her grandson Luke serves in Afghanistan encountering in real life the scenarios that he and his war fodder contemporaries relished on Xbox games. When he returns disillusioned and trying to forget the disturbing scenes that he has experienced (robustly described by O’Hagan), he finds himself tasked with helping his grandmother, in contrast, retrieve past memories and long-kept secrets and questions of veracity in image and recall gain an added resonance.
It’s a measure of O’Hagan’s compassion that after balancing these stories of war and family – braving the battlefield and braving the passing of time – the ultimate note is hopeful and almost gentle, of something that seems real and vital. The Guardian
by Gudrun Bowers | 21, Jan 2016
When Ruth Ardingly and her family first drive up from London to view The Well, they are enchanted by a jewel of a place, a farm that appears to offer everything the family are searching for. An opportunity for Ruth. An escape for Mark. A home for their grandson Lucien.
But the beautiful farmstead holds a mystery. While drought stalks the country, The Well’s fields are verdant and heavy with produce, its springs gurgle with water, and the locals begin to suspect foul play. Ruth becomes increasingly isolated as she struggles to explain why her land flourishes whilst her neighbours’ produce withers and dies. As the mystery comes to the attention of the authorities, The Well becomes a place of spiritual pilgrimage, Ruth and Mark become estranged, and Ruth finds herself a reluctant, bewildered spiritual figurehead. Slowly Ruth’s paradise becomes a prison, Mark’s dream a recurring nightmare, and Lucien’s playground a grave.
Catherine Chanter’s brave and unusual novel is written with poetic intensity, and is part-fable, part-thriller, part dystopian-fantasy. Very much recommended for fans of Margaret Atwood’s ‘A Handmaid’s Tale’.
‘I was gripped by Catherine Chanter’s The Well immediately. The beauty of her prose is riveting, the imagery so assured. This is an astonishing debut’ Sarah Winman, author of When God was a Rabbit
‘I loved this book!‘ JESSIE BURTON, author of The Miniaturist.
by Gudrun Bowers | 21, Jan 2016
On Thursday 18th February at 7.30 pm, we are very excited to welcome Catherine Chanter to the bookshop. Catherine will speak about her critically-acclaimed debut novel ‘The Well’, published by Canongate.
‘The Well’ is at once a post-apocalyptic musing on a society with dwindling resources, a thriller, and a hauntingly poetic fable, with elements of myth and magic. It is both gripping and beautifully written, with echoes of Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale. ‘The Well’ won the Lucy Cavendish Fiction Prize in 2013, was selected for the Richard and Judy Book club, and Catherine was named as one of the Observer ‘New Faces of Fiction 2015’.
Catherine Chanter has written for radio 4 and had many short stories and poems published. She has an MA in Creative Writing from Oxford Brookes university, and worked in education and as a political lobbyist before becoming a full-time writer.
Tickets are £5 – or free with a purchase of ‘The Well’.
Advance booking advised. Available in store or by calling us on 01903 812062.
by Gudrun Bowers | 27, Nov 2015
Another absolutely exquisite book by bookshop favourite Jane Ray, this is a collection of folk and fairy tales from around the world, some familiar, some less so but all about animals of all kinds ‘growling, snorting, spotted and striped, hairy and scaly, with teeth and claws.’ From Brer Rabbit to the Minotaur to the lovely and little-known Singing Ringing Tree, each tale is retold by Jane in clear, evocative prose , and wonderfully illustrated, her trademark lavish style toned down to a limited palette with glorious results.
Suitable for ages 7-10
by Gudrun Bowers | 27, Nov 2015
Every winter, when the first snow falls, Pearl makes a snow girl, a snow sister. It doesn’t bring her real sister back, but for a while, she misses Agnes a little less. This Christmas Eve, a mysterious letter brings the promise of a change in fortune for Pearl’s hard- up family, but a snap decision made by Pearl could jeopardise everything.
A charming story with a suitably Christmassy message.
Suitable for 7-9 year olds
by Gudrun Bowers | 27, Nov 2015
A joyous Christmas story!
As well as being a best-selling writer for adults, Matt Haig is a gifted spinner of yarns for younger readers, and in this charming novel he tells the merry tale of how a young Finnish boy called Nikolas becomes the Father Christmas we know and love, which is sure to enchant even those beginning to question the magic of Santa Claus.
Sprinkled liberally with jokes, and enlivened by Chris Mould’s humorous illustrations, we follow poor Nikolas as he flees his cruel Aunt Carlotta and sets out on a long trek north to find his woodcutter father, who has gone in search of the land of Elves. He is joined on his journey by a reindeer named Blitzen, and a mouse called Miika.
A dash of magic ( a ‘drimwick’ or Elf-spell) rescues Nikolas and Blitzen from a snowy death, and they are invited into Elfhelm, the fabled land of the elves … but they find it a sombre place, under the thrall of an evil elf-dictator called Father Vodol, who imprisons the boy. Nikolas and Blirzen encounter a truth-pixie, trolls, and kidnappers on their way to becoming heroes of the Elves, freeing them from the grip of Father Vodol and bringing joy, colour and gingerbread back to Elfhelm!
Full of impossible magic and laughter, this full-length chapter book is absolutely perfect to read aloud to 5-7 year olds, or for 7-10 year olds to read alone, and will bring the magic of Christmas winging into your homes!
by Gudrun Bowers | 26, Nov 2015
Steyning High Street Late Night Christmas Shopping evening – Wednesday 2nd December 6-9pm 2015
There is no better way to kick-start your festive season than by coming along to the annual Steyning late-night shopping evening!
We are all really looking forward to the children’s procession with Father Christmas, the lively school choirs, the jolly street entertainment, tempting stalls and of course the funfair. As usual a lot of work and planning is involved, so do come and support your local businesses, particularly those who are Chamber members.
Late Night Christmas Shopping at the bookshop with Julia Donaldson
There will be free mince pies and mulled wine at the bookshop as usual and an extra treat will be a visit from Julia Donaldson who is coming towards the end of the event, at 8.15pm, to sign and dedicate books bought at the bookshop that evening or pre-ordered from us from today onwards.
This time in the evening is of course after a lot of younger children will have been taken home to bed but is a golden opportunity for parents, grandparents, aunties and uncles to secretly choose her books and have them dedicated as Christmas gifts. And it’s always lovely to meet and chat with Julia and Malcolm!
by Gudrun Bowers | 6, Nov 2015
A quite extraordinary contemporary take on the ‘apologue’ (a moral fable with animal characters) by a Toronto-based Trinidadian author, ‘Fifteen Dogs’ begins in a bar, like so many strange stories. The gods Hermes and Apollo, drunkenly arguing about what would happen if animals had human intelligence, make a bet that leads them to grant consciousness and language to a group of dogs staying overnight at a veterinary clinic. Suddenly capable of complex thought, the dogs escape and become a pack.
They are torn between those who resist the new ways of thinking, preferring the old ‘dog’ ways, and those who embrace the change. The gods watch from above as the dogs venture into unfamiliar territory, as they become divided among themselves, as each struggles with new thoughts and feelings. Wily Benjy moves from home to home, Prince becomes a poet, and Majnoun forges a relationship with a kind couple that stops even the Fates in their tracks.
Engaging and strange, full of unexpected philosophical insights into human and canine minds, yet moving and with an easy flow, this is the most unusual book you’ll read this year.
by Gudrun Bowers | 6, Nov 2015
The Whitshanks like to think they are special, as families do. They take great pride in their handyman skills, their stories, imagine that others see a close knit clan and wish they were part of it. This may be true, but Anne Tyler’s portrait of a middle-class Baltimore family unerringly skewers its subjects with a cool, humorous yet ultimately sympathetic gaze. Abby and Red love their comfortable family home. Their children have all grown and left, but are still in regular and close contact, except Denny, the problem child, who remains unreliable and secretive. But Red is losing his hearing and Abby is starting to experience disturbing timeslips, and their children agree that they can’t continue to live alone. As family members return to the house and their stories loop back and forth through time, Tyler’s writing acutely and elegantly observes the muddle of family life, the sometimes hilarious tragedy of getting old, the misconceptions and misunderstandings that plague every family, the imitations of human consciousness.
This is Tyler’s 20th novel, and if anything, her writing is more humane, yet piercingly sharp than ever.
by Gudrun Bowers | 6, Nov 2015
A high-octane nitro-fuelled conspiracy thriller for the 10+ age group, from the award-winning author of ‘Trash’ and the ‘Ribblestrop’ series. ‘Liquidator’ follows teenagers Vicky, Ben, and their class-mates as they excitedly embark upon a week of work experience. On her very first day making tea at a high-ranking legal firm, Vicky stumbles upon a sinister cover-up by a global drinks company, who are preparing for the launch of their new energy drink brand, ‘Liquidator’, and who will stop at nothing to protect their brand and prevent the truth about their killer product from emerging.
What follows is a fast-paced thrill ride of ever-escalating tension, as each teenager takes turns to relate their part in the story, a nice structural touch which adds colour and depth. From a Kenyan village to a huge Wembley concert by way of the London sewers and countless brushes with death, the classmates determinedly work together to reveal the truth.
The brilliant and very believable concept of an addictive, dangerous energy drink marketed by a ruthless global brand, and the sheer fizzing energy of this story, make this a fantastic choice for your 10 to 15 year-old boy OR girl – my 12 year old son couldn’t put it down!
by Gudrun Bowers | 6, Nov 2015
There’s a new trend in beautifully and imaginatively illustrated fact books for children. Here are some of our current favourites, mostly with a natural theme. All are hardbacks.
For very young children, One Thousand Things by Anna Kӧvecses (Wide Eyed Editions, £12.99) is a lovely introduction to first words and concepts. With bold, graphic illustrations in lovely colours, it is split into sections such as First Things to Learn, Things to do With You, Things Around the World, and has a cute mouse somewhere on every page.
Creaturepedia by Adrienne Barman (Wide Eyed Editions £14.99) is for slightly older children (4-7) and has charming and often amusing illustrations of animals accompanied by facts relevant to the categories they have been divided into. The categories themselves are an interesting and imaginative way of looking at the natural world, and include The Liliputians, The Homebodies, The Masters of Camouflage, The Champion Breathholders, The Big Mouths!
Small and Tall Tales of Extinct Animals by Hélène Rajcak and Damien Laverdunt (Gecko Press £14.99) is the most thought-provoking of these titles. Moving across the world by continent, it takes a fascinating look at the enormous, tiny, and strange animals now lost,
by Gudrun Bowers | 6, Nov 2015
What a treat! A Mitchell-esque take on haunted-house Gothic Horror, to be published just before Hallowe’en!
‘Slade House’ inhabits the same universe as David Mitchell’s previous novel ‘The Bone Clocks’, but works perfectly well as a stand-alone novel for those of you yet to fall under the spell of his sublimely-crafted sentences and soul-sucking atemporal time-travellers. This slender novel centres around Slade House, a decaying mansion tucked away in a tatty North London suburb, and each of its 5 chapters features a different character. The house mysteriously appears once every 9 years, and at each ‘opening’, one carefully chosen visitor is let in, beginning with teenaged Nathan, who is invited in October 1976. Like ‘Hotel California’, this is one house you may enter, but never leave, and so we romp through a succession of vividly-imagined, wonderfully nuanced narrators, taking us from 1976 through to 2015, each of whom meets a deeply unpleasant end. Each decade is lovingly and nostalgically evoked with delightfully British detail – the beauty of Mitchell’s writing for me is in the way that, like Haruki Murakami, his stories are rooted in the humdrum modern world of Pritt-stick and Shredded-Wheat, yet spiral off into quantum alternate-realities.
‘Slade House’ becomes increasingly dark as the horror of its occupants, the sinister Grayer twins, is revealed, and the reader becomes ever-more desperate for a heroic survivor to emerge – I was gulping the novel down by the end, which I will not reveal, save to say Mitchell fans will applaud the re-appearance of Dr Marinus.
A hugely enjoyable Hallowe’en read, with tricks AND treats galore!
Gudrun
by Gudrun Bowers | 22, Sep 2015
An exciting last-minute addition to our autumn schedule, we are thrilled to present an evening with Peter James, who will talk about his suspenseful new ghost story ‘The House on Cold Hill’ at Wickwoods Country Club on Tuesday 6th October at 7.30 pm.
Before he began his best-selling crime-writing career, Peter wrote a few novels in the horror genre, and this chilling haunted house story sees him returning to the genre in fine form, managing to be Gothic yet contemporary, while piling on the tension and creepiness! The book is inspired by a house Peter himself once lived in, and is set in and around Henfield, so Wickwoods Country Club, situated within beautiful woodlands close to Henfield, is the perfect venue!
Tickets are £15 to include a hardback copy of the book, which Peter will be happy to sign after his talk.
The event is open to non-Wickwoods members!
Licensed bar.
by Gudrun Bowers | 10, Sep 2015
Dr Ally Moberley-Cavendish is a newly qualified female doctor. Which is a difficult and impressive thing in the 1880s. Recently married and living in Cornwall, she has taken a job in Truro asylum, giving medical attention to the inmates. Her husband, Tom, an engineer, is sent to Japan for work and their stories unfurl in the parallel narratives of their professional trials. As Tom becomes more and more absorbed by Japanese culture, Ally finds herself haunted by the sadness and anxiety of her upbringing, in particular, her difficult relationship with her mother, and the foundations of their brief marriage begin to slip.
Signs for Lost Children picks up from Moss’s previous novel, the excellent Bodies of Light, although it can also stand alone, and continues her beautifully written and controlled exploration into family dynamics, particularly complex mother/child relationships (Ally’s mother Elizabeth is an admirable monster) and whether there is any possibility of escaping the repeating patterns of successive generations. It is also about madness and sanity, loneliness and determination, written with great precision, clarity and emotional resonance.
Sarah Moss has long been a bookshop favourite, and is now even more so after her recent visit to the shop, when she impressed us with her wit, erudition and niceness. She has had much critical acclaim and deserves to be more widely read as she is a writer of great talent, whose powers are increasing with each book. Buy it!
Alice
And I’ve just read Night Waking, Sarah’s second novel and the book written before Bodies of Light and loosely linked to the other two. It’s set in the present day in the Hebrides where mother of two Anna wrestles with childcare and her doctoral thesis in an isolated cottage while her husband counts puffins, but it introduces us to one of the Moberley family through some old letters found in an attic. It is an interesting and satisfying read – witty, thoughtful and will strike a chord with all those who have paced the floor with a child whose body clock is obstinately out of sync with the rest of the family, but as Alice says, each of Sarah’s novels gains in strength….
Sara
by Gudrun Bowers | 10, Sep 2015
The latest book from vet turned children’s writer Gill Lewis, author of the best-selling animal novels ‘Sky Hawk’, ‘White Dolphin’ and ‘Moon Bear’, widens her scope with an ambitious and moving story set in the rainforests of the Congo. It follows the plight of two children, Imara and Bobo, held captive by a group of rebel soldiers who have set up an illegal mineral mine in a National Park area. The rebels have also captured a baby gorilla, who Imara nurses back to health and forms a strong bond with. When Bobo and Imara learn that the gorilla is destined to be sold into captivity, they vow to return him to the wild before it’s too late. But the consequences of betraying the rebel soldiers are grim. Will they have the courage to carry out their plan, and will Bobo find out what happened to his park-ranger father?
So far, so earnest – but this is an exciting read, with really engaging characters, which manages to be very informative about the troubles faced by African rainforests being ‘blood-mined’ for minerals like coltan (used in mobile phones), without being ‘preachy’. With sympathetic, plucky boy and girl characters and a story which is moving without being sentimental, this is a really great, consciousness-raising read for readers of both genders, aged 9-14.
by Gudrun Bowers | 10, Sep 2015
We are very excited to welcome back Andrew Gant, writer, composer, choirmaster, church musician, singer and university teacher.
Andrew has sung with many of the UK’s leading choirs and vocal ensembles including The Sixteen and the Monteverdi Choir. As choirmaster of the Queen’s Chapel Royal he led the Chapel Royal choir at the Golden Jubilee service in St Paul’s Cathedral in 2002 and the wedding of H.R.H. Prince William and Kate Middleton. He also set the text of the Poet Laureate Andrew Motion to music, creating ‘A Hymn for the Golden Jubilee’ as part of the 2002 Jubilee celebrations.
His 2014 book ‘Christmas Carols’, published by Profile Books, was a very interesting study of the origins of our best-loved Christmas songs.
Andrew will be speaking about his fascinating new book ‘Sing Unto the Lord, a History of English Church Music’ in which he traces English church music from its Anglo-Saxon origins to the present. It is a history of the music and of the people who made, sang and listened to it, shows the role church music has played in ordinary lives, and considers why it still remains so popular, despite declining church congregations.
Andrew’s talk will be accompanied by the St Andrews Church choir.
Ticket price includes a copy of ‘Sing unto the Lord’.
Wine, soft drinks and nibbles will be provided.
by Gudrun Bowers | 10, Sep 2015
We are sure Steyning will extend a very warm welcome to Sophie Thompson – acclaimed actor and winner of 2014 Celebrity Masterchef, and now also author of the brilliant new cookery book ‘My Family Kitchen’, published by Faber. Sophie will speak about her fascinating theatrical career, and equally theatrical family, and the recipes they’ve handed down and shared over the years.
Ticket price includes delicious, seasonal 2 course meal, a glass of wine, and a copy of ‘My Family Kitchen’.
Part of Steyning and District Food & Drink Festival. 
by Gudrun Bowers | 10, Sep 2015
We feel very privileged to welcome Oz Clarke to Steyning, as part of the Steyning and District Food & Drink Festival.
Renowned wine expert, author, tv presenter, broadcaster and sometime West-End actor Oz Clarke will be sharing his fine palate and irreverent wit with us as he takes us on a tutored tasting of 6 local wines, and gives us the lowdown on what to look out for in the world of wine in the year to come.
Wines, delicious hand-made canapés, and a copy of Oz Clarke’s latest wine guide all included in ticket price!
by Gudrun Bowers | 8, Sep 2015
Attention Ladybird fans! Julia Donaldson’s latest book continues the farmyard adventures of the brave and enterprising little ladybird, as she hatches a cunning plan to prevent Lanky Len and Hefty Hugh from making off with the farmer’s prize hen.
For a chance to buy your copy and get it signed by Julia Donaldson, come down to the bookshop on FRIDAY 18th SEPTEMBER from 4 – 5.30 pm.
Then from 6 pm we invite our customers to celebrate the successful link-up of our bookshop website with Julia’s website – it all seems to be working wonderfully, so do come and join us for wine, nibbles and a chat with Julia and Malcolm.
by Gudrun Bowers | 3, Aug 2015
Special Summer Holiday Picture Book Promotion!
Here are a few of the tempting selection of titles in our big summer picture book buy-one-get-one-free promotion! Featuring fab new titles and old favourites from the good folks at Simon & Schuster, plus a sprinkle of other gems from our shelves. Come on down and grab some bargain story treats for your little people from the spinner at the rear of the children’s area!
Picture books Summer Special Offer
Event News
On Tuesday July 7th we felt very privileged to welcome the very talented novelist, travel writer and academic Sarah Moss to the bookshop for an intimate evening event. Sarah proved to be an absolutely fascinating speaker as she took us through her experiences in Iceland, the Hebrides, Cornwall and Japan which have contributed to her novels, and spoke about the themes of female emancipation, madness, philanthropy and the state, mother/daughter relations, and historical fiction which crop up in her latest novel ‘Signs for Lost Children’, published by Granta books. Signed copies of Sarah’s novels are available at the bookshop.
On July 15th local writer Debbie Howells celebrated the launch of her debut thriller ‘The Bones of You’ at The Sussex Produce Café. Debbie’s publishers, Pan Macmillan, very generously sponsored the event, which saw a really great crowd (including most of the residents of Debbie’s tiny village, Wiston!) turning out to buy copies of her book and sample the delicious wine and canapés provided by the Sussex Produce Café.
The very next day saw Pan Macmillan again showing their 
generosity by helping us launch Worthing writer Pam Weaver‘s new romantic saga, ‘Blue Moon’. We managed to squeeze around 40 of Pam’s friends, relations and local well-wishers into the bookshop, where Pam amused and inspired us all in equal measure as she described her journey to becoming a published writer and shared readings from her new novel. Sara’s canapés were delectable as always, and we are very grateful to all who came along to celebrate with Pam. 
Then on July 23rd a friendly crowd squeezed into the bookshop for the launch of Guardian journalist and writer David Boyle’s new book ‘How to be English’, published by Vintage.
David Boyle and lots of English delicacies!
Pictured above, David poses behind the mouth-watering array of British delicacies prepared by his wife Sarah, and by Sara and Alice from the bookshop. An evening of lively debate followed, as David pondered the essence of Englishness (as opposed to Britishness), with plenty of contributions from the audience! We look forward to welcoming David back soon for another informative talk.
Our second-to-last July event was the eagerly-awaited return of novelist Louis de Bernieres, who joined us for a wonderful author supper at The Sussex Produce Café on July 28th. As ever, Louis was an engaging and amusing speaker, as he regaled us with tales of his grandmother and her lost love, the inspiration behind his latest novel ‘The Dust that Falls from Dreams’ – interestingly, Louis informed us that the book’s title was taken from a song by Louis’ friend, folk song-writer Ralph McTell, in return for a pint! For those who missed out, we have signed copies of Louis’ books in the shop. Many thanks to Louis for coming all the way from Norfolk, and to the Sussex Produce Café for a fantastic menu and great atmosphere, as always!
Sadly, despite there being four bookshop staff members present, we were all so swept up in the excitement of the evening that we forgot to take any photos, so thanks to Nick Hempleman from Sussex Produce for this shot of Louis.
Louis de Bernieres at The Sussex Produce Cafe
Finally, on Friday 31st the bookshop garden marquee was hastily erected for Leigh Hodgkinson’s visit. Leigh enchanted the young audience with her story ‘The Monster Snorey Book’ and went on to produce a collaborative giant monster doodle, before everyone got busy creating their very own paper-bag monster costumes, with the usual amount of chaos and glitter-strewing ensuing. Thanks to Leigh, her husband, and 2 lovely children for coming over on such a hot day! A really enjoyable event, we hope, for all concerned, and Leigh’s vibrant picture books really are delightful, so we hope to welcome her back in future.
Lots of pictures from this event will be available to view soon from the Gallery area of our website.
by Gudrun Bowers | 12, Apr 2015
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