12th June Newsletter
What’s On At Veranda
Welcome, welcome! A special edition of the newsletter this week as we celebrate Emily’s 40th birthday. A reliably sunny presence in Veranda, even when she’s been up at all hours with her toddler, we feel very lucky to have her on the team. A devoted reader, always happy to talk books, and whatever else comes up; good vibes, good nails – no wonder she already has such a fan club in the area. So to mark the occasion, here we are with an Emily-themed newsletter: other, lesser-known literary Emilys, reader reviews, Leo & Alison’s milestone reading recommendations, and 1986-nostalgia.
Happy Birthday Emily! 🥳
Shop News
It’s all about the Emilys!
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Emily Brontë: indisputably the grande dame of literary Emilys, West Yorkshire lass Emily Brontë was met with a mixed reception when her “strange” debut (and only) novel Wuthering Heights was published in 1847. A dark, brooding, Gothic tale of twisted love on the windswept Yorkshire Moors, surely it’s time for her to follow her literary foremother, Jane Austen’s lead and be immortalised on a banknote.
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Emily Dickinson: Almost unknown as a poet in her lifetime, this poet-priestess lived a largely reclusive life, which starts to make sense when you take the time to invest in these emotionally-charged, incisive and highly experimental poems. Start with Hope is the Thing With Feathers.
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Emily Henry: anyone who has been delayed at an airport or spent too long on a sun lounger will be aware of the work of romance darling Emily Henry. In these racy, raunchy tales, our heroine and hero may encounter obstacles along the way, but rest assured, they will – inevitably – reach that hard-earned happy ending
The reviews are in!
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Menaal: Talking to Emily is half (or one-third!) of the reason I’m a weekly visitor of Veranda Books – she‘s endlessly enthusiastic about literature and makes you feel genuinely cared for. As a result, both our TBR piles seem to be growing with no end in sight!
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Steve M: Emily, secretly in charge, is always a delight, helping me discover books I‘d never have found otherwise. Happy Birthday Ems!
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Raha: Emily was the first member of the Veranda family that I met and she quickly pulled me in with conversations about football, Paris and dark Swedish literature. As she‘s got to know me, she‘s always got an “I think you’ll like this one” saved up for me. Literature may have a couple of powerhouse Emilys, but for me, ours is THE book-related Emily. Happy Birthday!
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Emma S: Smashes the style, motherhood and awesome book recommendations in one package! Happy Birthday Emily, welcome to the 40s club.
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Tiwa (Harper Collins): Let me start with my obsession with her scrunchies. Emily has the most perfect scrunchie collection and I’ll never not be obsessed with the way they frame her perfect bun! As if being the most stylish bookseller isn’t enough, Emily’s knowledge of books is literally one for the books – one of the only people I’ll buy a book from on her recommendation alone. Her taste is divine, her style’s immaculate and her conversation so enthralling you have to drag me out of the shop. Happy Birthday to an absolute gem AND icon!
Our Recommended Reads
The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle
The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron
Not long after Alison’s last milestone birthday, Leo recommended this to her – and it revolutionised her life. Essentially a programme designed to reconnect you with your creativity (in the broadest sense of the word), this is a great companion to any soul-searching and inspiration-seeking that Emily might embark on over the next decade. Morning Pages (a 3-page mind-dump performed upon waking) might not be feasible in these pre-school years, but Cameron offers other strategies designed to ‘fill your well’, while enjoying the process.
What we’re loving this week…
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