Our books of the year
We've been selling lots of books, and even reading some.
Our bestsellers this week
Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan
Empireland by Sathnam Sanghera
The Bullet That Missed by Richard Osman
Oh William! by Elizabeth Strout
The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida by Shehan Karunatilaka
Taste by Stanley Tucci
The Startup Wife by Tahmima Anam
Sorrow and Bliss by Meg Mason
The Cat Who Saved Books by Sosuke Natsukawa
Upcoming events at Backstory
(all at 71 Balham High Road)
7th Dec, 7.30pm Daniel Harding, Gay Man Talking
14th Dec, 7.30pm Sebastian Payne, The Fall of Boris Johnson
15th Dec, 7pm Christmas Jazz, drinks and browsing (no ticket necessary)
IT HAS ONLY BEEN seven weeks since we opened the doors at Backstory. But, mostly in good ways, it feels so much longer.
We’ve welcomed thousands of Balhamites through our doors (and managed to persuade most of them to buy a book). We’ve hosted two book launches and two well-attended author talks. We’ve unpacked hundreds and hundreds of boxes of books (we tend to get cleared out on Saturdays and Sundays and spend the early part of each week replenishing the shelves). And we’ve gone from coffee-machine novices to budding baristas.
Best of all, we already have regulars. There’s John, who orders a book most days and often reads them while nursing a latte at the bar or in one of our comfy reading chairs. There’s Joe and Leni, the former’s gentle English humour offset by the latter’s refreshing Californian directness (“call that a £6 glass of wine?”). Emma, who nips in on a break from work to exchange book recommendations with the team, usually in a woolly hat, seemingly whatever the weather. Susie, who comes for an early evening glass of white and always makes me laugh. Rupert and Kyoko, too sweet for words, who brought us a bottle of (very nice) Pol Roger on opening day and sent us calming pictures of their holiday in Japan to distract from the political chaos back home. And then, of course, there’s Shakil, whose quest for the perfect-sized dictionary may or may not be finally at an end, four attempts down.
Most of them usually sit in the same place every time (of course - this is Britain), which reinforces the pleasing notion that these new traditions have been going on since time immemorial.
I love that for some, hopefully all, of this marvellous lot, our bookshop might have a claim, just like the best boozers, to be “a local”. There are lots of brilliant things about opening your own bookshop, but the idea that the team and I have created a space that has a life of its own, where people choose to hang out, sometimes when I’m nowhere nearby, walking the dog or having dinner halfway across town, is really thrilling.
But we’ve always room for more regulars. So if you haven’t visited us yet and you live in London, please rectify that pronto. We’re open every day apart from Mondays and the bar is open til 9pm Thursdays-Saturdays. Come along for books and beer, words and wine… coffee and… conviviality? (Too much?) We’re 71 Balham High Road (5 mins walk from Balham tube/station).
Wherever you live, though, I hope you enjoy this selection of our favourite books of 2022, picked out by the whole Backstory team to help with your Christmas shopping.
Promise to write more soon,
Tom
A fabulous memoir by an LSE professor who grew up in Communist Albania before and after the Berlin Wall was toppled. A sometimes counterintuitive answer to the question: What does freedom mean? Lea Ypi is joining our Backstory book club in December. Tom
An epic family tale full of family secrets and betrayals all centred around the engagement of Yasmin and Joe. As with lots of Ali's books it isn't just the two main characters who take centre stage, everyone has a story to tell. Loved it. Denise
A mythological retelling of the story of Perseus and Medusa that reframes how we view monstrosity and heroism. Powerful and heart-breaking storytelling. Amy
A PRAYER FOR THE CROWN-SHY by Becky Chambers
The latest entry in Becky Chambers’ Hugo Award winning series that imagines a peaceful and hopeful future. An existential tea monk and a curious robot travel the country to answer life’s questions. Rory
Jessica Andrews captures precarious city living and modern relationships in beautiful, spare prose. A bit like Sally Rooney, only better Tom
Brilliantly observed and gorgeously written scenes from everyday life in London that reminded me why I love this place Tom
****Backstory book subscriptions make a great gift. We send each recipient a short survey about their reading tastes and habits so we can pick out a book just for them every month. We can send you a voucher to give to your loved one on the day itself.****
HEATWAVE by Victor Jestin, translated by Sam Taylor
An unsettling coming of age story set in a sweltering South of France holiday park. From the opening sentence 'Oscar is dead because I watched him die and did nothing', 17 year old Leonard will stay in your head long after you have finished the book. Denise
THE GOLDEN ENCLAVES by Naomi Novik
The conclusion to one of my now-favourite fantasy trilogies of all time. Only a small percentage of students are expected to survive the Scholomance. Despite the odds, the scathingly cynical, teenaged anti-hero, El, has made it past graduation – but at what cost? Amy
SMALL THINGS LIKE THESE by Claire Keegan
Claire Keegan’s writing is pitch perfect, and here she writes elegantly around the edges of a horrible chapter of Irish history. The result is as beautiful as it is unsettling. Rory
MY FOURTH TIME, WE DROWNED by Sally Hayden
Arguably the year’s most important book, a devastating account of how we all covered our eyes and ears to the abuse of migrants in Libya, while our leaders effectively bribed the country to stop boats crossing the Mediterranean Tom
THE ARCTIC RAILWAY ASSASSIN by MG Leonard and Sam Sedgman
This is the sixth instalment of the Adventures On Trains series and sees Harrison Beck and his Uncle Nat taking a night train to Narvik to see the Northern Lights. As the train leaves Stockholm they realise they are being followed by a mysterious figure and their most chilling adventure yet begins. The series is great and a perfect introduction to 'whodunnits' and the joys of train travel. Denise
THE UNDERPANTS OF CHAOS by Sam Copeland and Jenny Pearson
Fans of Copeland's Charlie Turns Into series will love this book with super spy Agatha Topps determined to work out what the peculiar 'Shivers' are that keep striking her school, Little Strangehaven. She is soon joined by new boy Lenny Tuchus and together they need to figure it out before their school, and town, is sucked into oblivion. Full of fun and mystery for younger readers. Denise
THEY by Kay Dick (reissued this year)
A mysterious movement - known simply as they - is sweeping the country and destroying expressions of art and freedom. A dystopian tale that speaks to our own moment. Written by an author unappreciated in her time. Rory
LUCY BY THE SEA by Elizabeth Strout
What a voice! Elizabeth Strout writes domestic drama like no one else. A tender portrait of a mother’s relationships with her grown-up daughters and her ex-husband Tom
THE BULLET THAT MISSED by Richard Osman
The latest instalment of Osman’s Thursday Murder Club series. Deadpan humour dotted with real pathos and some of the most loveable and eccentric characters (I want Ibrahim to adopt me). Amy
THE WOMEN OF TROY by Pat Barker
Pat Barker reimagines the occupation of Troy through the eyes of the women held captive by Greek invaders. Barker forgoes the myth and magic found in some retellings for something electrifyingly gritty. Rory
ONE DAY I SHALL ASTONISH THE WORLD by Nina Stibbe
Nina Stibbe's writing always finds the humour in the ordinary and everyday and this book is no different. Charting Susan and Norma's friendship from their teens where they meet in a Leicester haberdashery right through to their middle age. A feel good book written with humour and sensitivity. Denise
ROGUES by Patrick Radden Keefe
The perfect gift for fans of ‘Empire of Pain’ or the ‘Wind of Change’ podcast, a collection of forensically reported and gently written essays by one of the New Yorker’s stars Tom
Introducing characters that you really care about (I literally woke up one night thinking about one of them!) this debut novel explores the impact of what happens when older parents separate and how it affects their adult children. I can't wait to read Powell's next book. Denise
THE SEVEN MOONS OF MAALI ALMEIDA by Shehan Karunatilaka
Written in one of the most compelling voices I’ve ever read. Set in the murderous mayhem of 1980s Sri Lanka. Maali is dead, and he’s got seven days left to end a civil war. Rory
Wonderfully written.