End of an Era at the Bookstacks
Newsletter 17: April 2025
Hi! Thanks for joining us for another edition of Behind the Bookstacks.
We hope you’ve been enjoying the sunny days and warmer weather we’ve been having. We’ve certainly liked feeling the warmth of the rays that filter through our big windows at the front of the shop. It’s perfect hiking weather, and it’s been nice chatting to those who have taken advantage and walked up and around our local fells and dales.
As we head into April, we are moving into our Summer opening hours. This means from the 1st April we are open from 10:30am – 5:00pm everyday.
This week is a significant week here at Westwood Books as we said goodbye to not just one member of staff, but two! Jess and Ellie are both moving out of the area to new places and new jobs and therefore are sadly leaving Westwood Books. We’ll be giving them a proper send-off at the end of this newsletter.
Another goodbye we have to say is to Peter and Gaynor at Sedbergh’s Post Office. After many years of service, they are retiring, and the Post Office on Main Street has now closed. While the postal services are moving to the Spar in town, we will be gradually expanding our card, gift and stationery range to pick up from where the Post Office left off. We want to say a big thank you to Peter and Gaynor for their service and wish them a happy and peaceful retirement.
In this edition, we’ll also be recapping our recent event with Adam Farrer, as well as looking forward to upcoming author visits too. We’ve also got loads of exciting new books to tell you about, as well as our usual recommendations, lists and ventures into the vintage. Let’s get cracking!
Westwood Books’ Book of the Moment
In honour of our recent event with Adam Farrer, this week’s ‘Book of the Moment’ is Broken Biscuits and Other Male Failures. You can read more about our event with Adam below but first, let us tell you about the book itself…
When it comes to the challenge of being a man, Adam Farrer always seems to find a way to fall short…
Broken Biscuits vividly recounts Adam’s struggles to live up to masculine expectations, real or imagined. From the calamity of his first serious relationship to an obsession with Prince that sees everyone questioning his sexuality, and from the repercussions of his adult circumcision to his doubts about his ability to survive the apocalypse, this candid and personal collection of essays is astonishingly far-reaching and riotously funny.
Brave, witty, charming and daring, this essay collection is wonderfully original, relatable and entertaining. If you missed Adam’s talk, don’t worry! You can get a signed copy of the book online here or in store. We also have Adam’s first book, Cold Fish Soup (also signed) available too.
Recently at Westwood Books…
New Arrivals
Brand New Fiction and Nonfiction
Date with Destiny by Julia Chapman - Don't miss the final instalment in the Dales Detective series! From death to danger and malice to mystery, Samson and Delilah have weathered many storms. Finally, things should be going smoothly. Except life’s never that simple in Bruncliffe, is it?
Overnight by Dan Richards - Through a series of personal journeys Dan Richards explores what the night means to a fascinating array of people, taking us from night terrors to the glow of watching the dawn break on the summer solstice. Overnight will change the way you think about the hours after dark.
Kaput: The End of the German Miracle by Wolfgang Manchau - Until recently, Germany appeared to be a paragon of economic and political success. But recent events have undermined this view. Münchau argues that the weaknesses of Germany’s economy have, in fact, been brewing for decades.
Notorious Virtues by Alwyn Hamilton –Honora 'Nora' Holtzfall is the daughter of the most powerful heiress in Gamanix; her family controls all the money - and all the magic - in the entire country. But when her mother is found murdered in an alley, the family throne and fortune are up for grabs, which means Nora will be pitted against her cousins in the deadly Veritaz trials to determine the rightful inheritor
Bunny vs Monkey: The Whopping World of Puzzles by Jamie Smart – A new activity book based on Jamie Smart's best-selling Bunny vs Monkey Series
The Curtain Twitcher’s Book of Murder by Gay Marris – Atbara Avenue is a street where, all too often, murder feels like the solution. With a delicious cast of characters, dazzling plotting, and a unique voice, Gay Marris’ first book is the fresh and compelling new voice in the world of crime fiction you've been waiting for.
New to us Children’s and YA Books
Thanks to some recent acquisitions, our Children’s Fiction and Young Adult’s Fiction sections have been filled with new-to-us titles. All are modern, recognisable titles in great condition, perfect for keen young readers without breaking the bank!
Restocked Table Books
If you’re familiar with our shop, you’ll know we have several tables boasting brand new books at great prices. We call these books ‘table books’ – I’m sure you can work out why! Well, we recently placed a huge order to replenish our stocks, and now, the tables are chock-full of great quality titles, covering everything from science to history, comedy to drama, nature to politics. All at half cover price too!
What’s Been Going On
Adam Farrer’s Visit
We had a great evening with Adam last week, hearing him talk about his new book as well as his writing process more widely. A big thanks to local radio presenter, John Pye for running the evening and interviewing Adam. It made for a really entertaining night, full of fun stories and memorable moments. We love doing events like this and hope to keep doing them, so thank you to everyone who came along and joined us.
Remember we have signed copies of both Adam’s books available to buy!
Offers and Deals
Sale
We still have some items on sale, so check out our ever-changing list online here to see if you can bag a bargain!
Preorders
Just a quick reminder of the books we have available for pre-order…
Wolf Mountain by Alice Roberts
Embark on an epic journey, in the jaw-dropping adventure to the bestselling and highly acclaimed Wolf Road, based on real archaeological discoveries, from award-winning historian and television presenter, Alice Roberts.
Preorder a SIGNED indie edition in advance of the publishing date, 10th April 2025, here.
Is a River Alive? By Robert MacFarlane
Coming on the 1st May, this is the latest book from Robert MacFarlane. Passionate, immersive and revelatory, Is a River Alive? is at once Macfarlane’s most personal and most political book to date. It is a book that will open hearts, spark debates and challenge perspectives.
We have SIGNED Exclusive Independent Bookshop Edition with FREE pin badge if ordered before publication date. Get it here!
Normally Weird & Weirdly Normal by Robin Ince
We also have SIGNED hardback copies of Robin Ince’s new book for pre-order. It comes out on the 1st May and is sure to be a fantastic read. Check it out here!
A powerful, personal exploration of anxiety, ADHD and neurodiversity, Normally Weird and Weirdly Normal reminds us all – no matter how weird we feel – that it’s okay to be a little different.
The Long Shoe by Bob Mortimer
We’ve just added SIGNED copies of the next novel from Bob Mortimer, due to be published early October. You can find out more and pre-order your copy here.
You can take a look at our full list of books currently available for pre-order here. But if there’s something coming up that takes your fancy and you don’t see it on the list, drop us a line and we will see what we can do.
Vintage Volumes
For this week’s Vintage Volumes, we want to highlight a very special and highly recognisable publisher of books…. The Folio Society.
In the book world, ‘folio’ can mean just an individual leaf of paper or parchment, or it refers to a sheet of paper which has been folded once to form two leaves (four pages), making the book ‘folio sized’. However, in this context, we are referring to the independent publisher who produces exquisite, illustrated editions of beloved titles for book lovers of all ages.
Since 1947, they have published gorgeous editions of books which have intrigued, entertained, astonished and inspired audiences. From scouring the globe for the perfect illustrator, to selecting the typeface, paper and binding materials, each book draws on the skills, experience and passion of their editors, art directors, designers and production controllers. Many editions include traditional bookmaking and printing techniques, keeping important traditions alive and making each Folio book a real labour of love.
The design, materials and imagination that go into a Folio book have only got more intricate and special as time goes on. This means the Folio society is unique in that, unlike the majority of books and collections, later editions can carry higher prices than earlier ones.
You can only buy brand new Folio editions directly from the maker themselves, but we are lucky enough to have an extensive selection of second-hand Folio editions for collectors. You can find our collection in several places around the shop: under the stairs, next to letters and diaries, and at the back near Craft. We have editions spanning fiction, poetry and non-fiction, and frequently replenish our stock with new acquisitions. If you’re looking for something particular, please do get in touch. We have a small selection of them available to buy online here.
Award-winning, stunningly beautiful and loved across the globe, it’s not hard to see why Folio Society Books are so sought after by collectors and bibliophiles alike. Designed for longevity and delight, Folio editions are, above all, crafted for the ultimate reading experience. A Folio edition of someone’s favourite books makes the most special, personal and heartwarming gift. Or perhaps, if you want to spoil yourself, an addition for your own collection.
What’s Coming Up…
Story Time
Our next Children’s Story Time session will be on Sunday 6th April at 10:30am inside the shop. As ever, it is free to join. Please bring along your children and we can enjoy a peaceful 30-minutes together, listening to stories and adventures.
Book Club
Unfortunately, our April meeting that was due to be taking place on Wednesday 9th April, has had to be cancelled. We will now aim to discuss both Caledonian Road by Andrew O’Hagan and The Wall by Marlen Haushofer at our meeting on the 14th May. We have copies of both now available to buy if you’d like to get involved. Here’s a little taste of the May book…
A woman takes a holiday in the Austrian mountains, spending a few days with her cousin and his wife in their hunting lodge. When the couple fails to return from a walk, the woman sets off to look for them. But her journey reaches a sinister and inexplicable dead end.
She discovers only a transparent wall behind which there seems to be no life. Trapped alone behind the mysterious wall she begins the arduous work of survival.
We’d love to see new members if you’re keen to join. Just get in touch and we can add you to the lists. And don’t forget, you don’t have to come every month. If we’re reading a book you like the sound of, please do just drop in as and when you like.
Events
Kerri Andrews Event
Our next event is fast approaching! Kerri Andrews is coming to Westwood Books to talk about her latest book, Pathfinding on Thursday 1st May. You can get tickets here.
Doors open at 7:00pm and the event starts at 7:30pm
Free hot drinks will be available on arrival.
There will be an opportunity to buy books and get them signed afterwards.
£5 entry fee is redeemable against the price of the book. Should you wish to reserve a book please email us books@westwoodbooks.co.uk
If you want a taste of Kerri’s writing, we already stock her book Wanderers, and have a copy of Way Makers for you too!
Robin Ince event
Robin Ince will be here on Tuesday 3rd June to talk about his latest book Normally Weird and Weirdly Normal. Heather has been lucky enough to read an early copy and is already recommending it to everyone. Tickets are available to book here.
The book is published on 1st May and you can preorder signed copies here.
What We’re Currently Reading
Heather
I just finished reading Soothe by Nahid de Belgeonne - as the cover states, it’s ‘the book your nervous system has been longing for.’ An easy to understand and easy to follow book aimed at helping you to be calmer, and more present in yourself. If you’re feeling frazzled all the time, give it a try!
Ellie
Last week I absolutely devoured the new Hunger Games book by Suzanne Collins. Sunrise on the Reaping takes place during the 50th Annual Hunger Games, 24 years before Katniss and Peeta were whisked away to the Capitol. This is the games Haymitch Abernathy, later the mentor for District 12, fought in and won. But what we think we know about his games may not be the whole story. This new instalment from Collins bridges the gap between the prequel Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes and the original trilogy. It feels like the puzzle piece we’ve been missing and changes your perspective on the entire series. Reading it, I felt the adrenaline, excitement and compelling addiction I felt when I read the first books many years ago. Intensely smart, painfully harrowing, bitingly political and always relevant, Suzanne Collins has done it again with this new book. I loved it.
Goodbyes!
As we said at the top of the newsletter, Westwood Books is unfortunately losing two of its wonderful staff members. Both Jess and Ellie are moving onto new adventures and while we’re very sad to see them go, we wish them the best of luck for the future. Here’s their goodbye messages.
Jess
Tuesday was sadly my last day working at Westwood Books. Working in the bookshop has absolutely been my favourite career so far in life. Spending time surrounded by books on a weekly basis has been an absolute dream. I’ve always loved picture books due to my fascination with illustration, but working here has opened me up to reading all sorts and my personal collection has grown so much in the last few years. Not ideal then, when you own more books than you ever have and suddenly realise you need to ship them all halfway round the world! It was touch and go as to whether there would even be enough room for all my books on the shipment. Much to my delight, there was just the right number of boxes after persuading my husband to add a few more. No book left behind.
I’m sad to be leaving Sedbergh, the job and especially the friends I’ve made during my time here. It has been a pleasure to work with all the team at Westwood’s and I will really miss you. I promise I’ll try to refrain from sending too many ‘reading on the beach’ photos!
Ellie
I just want to say a big thank you to everyone at Westwood Books and in Sedbergh for making me feel so welcome in the Book Town you call home. It’s been a pleasure to work in the bookshop over the last 20 months or so. I’ve really felt part of the community here and enjoyed getting to know the locals, chatting to visitors, and spending every working day surrounded by books. A huge thank you to Heather and Paul, who have kindly given me so many opportunities from day one. I’ve been able to learn all about different aspects of the book industry, from trade shows to antique fairs, customer buys to sales representative meetings. This wealth of experience and knowledge has helped me take the next step and achieve my lifelong dream of moving to London and working in the publishing industry itself! And thank you to everyone who has read this newsletter. Getting it going and seeing the positive reception has been my proudest achievement working at Westwood Books, so thank you for the support! I’m sure I’ll return to Sedbergh when I come North in search of fresh air and green hills. Until then, bye!
Until Next Time
That’s that for this week’s Behind the Bookstacks. Thank you for reading as always, and for supporting us here at Westwood Books. Let us know your thoughts and recommendations, and don’t forget that we can order in any book you might want. If you are in the area, please do stop by for a chat and a browse!
We’ll be back in your inbox with the next edition very soon!
Bye for now…
The Westwood Books Team