Jolabokaflod Time! Part 1

Holiday Traditions are the best. Here's one we love! Jolabokaflod (aka Yule Book Flood).

Iceland publishes more books per capita than any other country in the world, with five titles published for every 1,000 Icelanders. But what's really unusual is the timing: Historically, a majority of books in Iceland are sold from late September to early November. It's a national tradition, and it has a name: Jolabokaflod, or the "Christmas Book Flood."

A flood of books!! Every November the start of the Book Flood is marked by every single household receiving a massive catalog/wishlist (the Bókatíðindin) of all new releases in upcoming weeks. It's a publishing book flood of 500-1000 new titles not only bookstores, but grocery stores, petrol stations and supermarkets. (I've also heard you can get yarn in the grocery stores too!). 

The practice dates back to WW2 when books were one of only items readily available and a gifting tradition was born. Christmas Eve finds most Icelanders settling down with hot cocoa or jolabland (a traditional holiday drink mix of orange soda and dark ale) to all crack into their book gifts, as they await the dawn of Christmas Morning.

Each year pouring through catalogs of new hot titles, must-give reads or special gems is a favorite pasttime of this shop keep. The closest to the we have to the bokatidindi are the regional independent booksellers associations catalogs, but I can't imagine those being shipped to every household in the nation! If only I was fluent in Icelandic! Fortunately our little shop’s shelves always full of our favorites, old gems and new releases we love to highlight. We may be small, but our shelves are well curarated with lots of wonderful books. Without further ado….. 

Maisie’s Mini Book Flood 

Books are a perfect gift (says this bookworm) and you can never have enough  It’s a no brained gift fir a book hoarder…. I mean lover  but for those who prefer a more minimalist approach to gifts, books can be read, enjoyed and easily passed along to others, libraries or thrift shops Plenty of Yuletide Book Flood Supplies on our shelves so get ready for the "flood" (figurative and literally by looks of weather!)

Cookbooks

You can never have enough cookbooks (says she with favorite cookbooks displayed on her China hutch….instead of China…)

We like to have a shelf or two of cookbooks in the shop all year round. Stocked with new releases, standby favorites, staple authors and cookbooks we personally use a lot. 

Finally after several years favorite author, Yvette Van Boven has a new release! Filled with her homey, highly do-able recipes again (like in Winter and Summer). She makes cooking less intimidating. We also love her personal illustrations, cut-out decorations throughout, and how her kitchen is photo studio and photogher her husband! 

Just a few of our favorite authors currently on the shelf. 

• Ina...because...she's one of the best, go-to recipe makers out there. Never had a bad recipe from Ina. Her recipe for Creamed Spinach bake only way to eat frozen spinach...ever. 

• Joanne aka Magnolia Lady giving Ina a run for her money with family friendly, easy yet tasy recipes. I want to crawl into her 2 books and live there. Her styling is impeccable!

• Milk Street is new series by Christopher Kimball that's we sell so well. Love his Instant Pot/Crock Pot recipes to up my "miracle-pot" weeknight meals. Cookish is a new one. 

• One of my favorite Brits, Jamie Oliver (my other is Nigella who sadly hasn't released a new book this year) Love, love, love Jamie's 5 Ingridigents, which is amazingly sophisticate yet easy recipes with literally just 5 ingrideints. We have 7 Ways (how to cook same item 7 ways-i need this for all the cauliflower our CSA boxes have each month) and his latest Together, a true family affair. Since he's debut as the Naked Chef I've so enjoyed his recipes and many are now in my regular rota.  

• Bread, Toast, Crumb is a newer no-knead bread book that's become a customer favorite. In fact this Christmas will highlight Aledandra's Focaccia in our family's Christmas Day Muffaletta. Using King Arthur's Gluten Free flour so we can all enjoy! There's an awesome video tutorial on her website which makes it look a breeze to bake. 

Great Series Galore!

A favorite shop tasks of mine is loading up on books for a perfect gift. It's no secret I love a good series so several favorites (and a few new ones) queued up at the ready for a Yule Book Flood debut!  

• My current favorite: the Ruth Galloway Mysteries by Elly Griffiths. Loving them! #1 is Crossing Places and rapidly ploughing through at breakneck pace. Thankfully there’s about 11 total so far. Great cast of supporting characters for the lead, Ruth  a forensic archaeologist in Norfolk, England.  

• Next in my queue: Anthony Horrowitz's Magpie Murders. This series coming to PBS Mystery next spring, so if you like to read before watching, get it now! It's at top of my queue when I'm out of Ruth's books to read. 

• Lucinda Riley's Seven Sisters is a very popular family saga a fun, bit of mystery, bit of history, bit of drama. Hint of greek mythology at the basis. 

• Auntie Poldi charming light-hearted series of older woman's escapades in Italy

• Bruno...oh Bruno....everyone love Bruno Chief of Police! Martin Walker just keeps 'em coming!

• Oops...Ben Macintyre's awesome non-fiction snuck into this collage! He's fantastic at retelling amazingly true stories of real spies. Gripping, engaging and totally true! He's always on our shelves. 

• Mr. Churchill's Secretary series set during WW2 nice fictional counterpoint for Ben's books 

• Maisie Dobbs: Can't overlook THE series so adored we named shop after it! Next new Maisie due out Mar 2022 too. Can't wait. 

• Lane Winslow Mysteries a newer favorite series. Similar yet different to Maisie Dobbs. Set in Canada, heroine an ex-British WW2 Spy. Amazing setting, wonderful cast of supporting characters and always lots of historical gems interspersed throughout the plots. Good news: #9 coming April 2022! 

 

 Favorite Fiction 

Here are a few of Kim's absolute favorites historicals always stocked on our shelves. 

• Sharon Kay Penman finest and first Sunne in Splendour. My absolute favorite historical fiction author. Sadly she's passed this year so maybe I'll have to reread this classic in her honor. 

• Edward Rutherfurd epic historicals truly emersive history of places and just the best. After many years his latest was released and we have it: China. 

• Liza Dalby's absolute gem of a book based on true historical 11thc Japanese nobelwoman, Lady Mirasaki who credited with the world's first ever novel. 

• A Perfect Red: History of the color red. Interesting to read about all the corporate espinoge in middle ages! Who knew red was a coveted secret for hundreds of years. 

Highly Giftable Gems

• Unquiet Women: A new micro-history about little know, fiesty women through the ages. 

• David Sedaris has new best of the best. Great intro to one of the funniest observationists of our era.

• Canterbury Classics Leather Bound: Here's The Bronte Sisters compliation. There's also a Jane Austen, and Hans Christian Anderson Fairy Tales. Another great gift for a reader. 

• Chilton Classics Series: These are just gorgeous versions of great classics. Smaller format with gilded edges and satin bookmarks. Just love the beauty of these lovely books. Perfect gifts for bookworms.

Crafty Gifts 

• Noro Blankets a favorite and great gift for a Noro Nut like myself. Plus we have plenty of gorgeous Noro yarn to round out to make an exceptional gift. 

• Marie Greene has a great Seamless Knit Sweaters in 12 Weeks book that's like a siren song, tempting me into casting on yet another sweater that will take me years to finish. But this book says 12 Weeks so maybe, just maybe I can get it off the needles in record time! 

• Sock Knitters have we got fun books for you! Happily Knitting Socks 1 and now Happily Knitting Socks 2 by Mr. Knitbear and DenDennis perfect for anyone loving to knit socks. Each book has 20 adorable socks, loads of techniques and cute designs. We also have new Katia United little 20g balls of solid sock yarn, perfect to make any of these patterns. 

• Michelle Hunter's Building Blocks series is excellent for someone wanting to take their skills to next level. We use these in our class series and author has fantastic videos on her website. 

• Kerry Lord Crochet Animals: A customer discovered this series during shut down. She's made us samples and we love her books. Edward's Menagerie books are a perfect intro into taking basic crochet and making stuffed animals. Now she has a series of books for amigurumi style too. We're also stocked up on little adorable mini-mini balls of amigurumi yarns and hooks too. But really you can take these patterns and use bigger yarn & hooks to make larger. 

• Crochet and Knitting Know-How: We often create intro kits using these books, a pair of needles or hook, and some nice sturdy dish cloth cotton. It's the best way to intorduce someone to the crafts. 

Whew.... taking a mini-book-flood break to send this out. Watch for tomorrow's next installment: all about Kid's Books!