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For Mr B's Extra Special Christmas Treats ♦ Click here

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Mr B's Number 1 Christmas Stocking Filler

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 Two Bookers That Split the B Team

Nic’s favourite - Sea of Poppies by Amitav Ghosh - The best new book I’ve read this year. In the nineteenth century, amidst her poppy-fields alongside the Ganges, Deeti has a vision of a tall-masted ocean-faring ship that she could never have laid eyes on. A ship just like The Ibis which at that moment is wending its way to Calcutta ultimately steered to its destination by Zachary who began the voyage as the ship's carpenter. Ghosh's writing is superbly descriptive, speckled with humour as well as drama, as you find yourself immediately immersed into a world of opium factory workers, exploitative Western businessmen and Rajas with their dynasties in decline.

Oh, and it might just be one of the most beautifully produced hardback novels of 2008. Oh, and we’ve got SIGNED COPIES!! Hardback, John Murray, £18.99

Juliette’s favourite - A Fraction of the Whole by Steve Toltz - Don’t let Nic fool you into buying anything else when this is the book for you. For something fresh, different, cool, a bit crazy and not at all fluffy in any way whatsoever, then this is for you. And Ed’s with me on this. Set in Australia, Toltz takes the reader on a fast-paced, funny, devastating and philosophical journey though the life of the dysfunctional Jasper, his complex father and disturbed uncle. It’s superbly written, with some outstanding dialogue and was short-listed for 2008 Booker Prize – not bad for a debut novel! We’ve got signed copies of this TOO!

Hardback, Penguin, £17.99

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Three French Pens

All Our Worldly Goods by Irène Némirovsky

The remarkable success of the rediscovered works of Némirovsky  is set to continue with this tale of a family feuding over forbidden love set over 29 tumultuous years in French history. The opening line “They were together, so they were happy” sets up the story of Pierre and Agnes whose relationship is abhorred by Pierre’s snobbish parents and whose story continues from 1911 through to the early days of the Nazi occupation. The satirical slating of bourgeois behaviour will be reassuringly familiar to her fans.

Hardback, Chatto & Windus, £16.99

The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery

Renée, a self-deprecating philosophical concierge of a Parisian apartment building, narrates this story with Paloma, the suicidal daughter of one of the vapid hoity-toity bourgeois families that inhabit the building. Renee seeks to live a quiet life hiding her intelligence and suppressing her vivacious character so as not to confuse the tenants who presume all concierges should be “old, ugly and sour”. But a rare new arrival adds Japanese mystery and style to the staid Balzacian atmosphere. Enchanting characters, a plot full of surprises and a peppering of philosophical musings. Nous l’avons aussi en Françaisà£17.99

Paperback, Gallic, £9.99

The Erotic Potential of My Wife by David Foenkinos

The funniest little novel of the year according to Lydia. The story of a Kleptomaniac whose desire to rid himself of his mania drives him to the most extraordinary lengths. Funny, poignant and in places, unexpectedly romantic. There are very few people to whom I would not recommend this book. It’s an absolute must read and will only take you one long afternoon by the fire.

Paperback, Telegram, £7.99

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Four Smashing Diaries & Calendars

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Five Bella Ringers

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Six Wonders of the Natural World

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Seven Wonders of the Non-Fiction World

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Eight Coffee-Table Corkers

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Nine Books that Solve All Your Gifty Needs 

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Ten Books For Even the Hardest to Please

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Eleven Fireside Fiction Favourites

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Mr B's Children's Dozen

Mr B’s Reading Spa Treatments

Treat someone to the Ultimate Bookish Experience

A Mr B’s Reading Spa includes a one-on-one book chat in our sumptuous Bibliotherapy Room with Mr or Mrs B discussing your likes and dislikes and then being shown recommendations of new books and special gems all to suit the spa-ee’s tastes.

The cost of the spa includes not only lots of money for the recipient to spend on books but also a coffee and cake during the spa, a doggy bag including Mr B’s mug, one of our favourite “music to read by” jazz CDs, 2 event tickets and much, much more.  So much more in fact we can’t include it all here, so visit www.mrbsemporium.com, call 01225 331155 or come to the shop for ALL the details.

Extra Special Books

As well as all the books in this catalogue we have access to every other book out there including some wonderful special gifts. For example, there’s a magnificent new limited edition. Eric Ravilious book Ed would love to show you or you can come and see Penguin’s highly collectable £50 limited edition  boxed soft leather versions of 6 modern classics.

Mr B’s Ephemera

Or looking for just a little extra.....

Mr B’s mugs (£6) and Mr B's new-design cloth bags (£3.50) are the very thing!!

Tokens and Booth Vouchers

We offer personalised Mr B’s book tokens in any denomination. For an extra £3.50 you can add on 30 mins of choosing time (with drink and biccy) in our unique Reading Booth (featured in the Daily Telegraph would you believe) – a private reading hideaway in our Bibliotherapy Room.

Bath Literature Festival Gift

In 2009 Mr B’s becomes Official Bookseller to the Bath Literature Festival. If you’d like to support the festival then why not buy you or a friend “Pen Friend” or “Pen Pal” membership via Mr B’s. For £50/£20 you can help this wonderful event to thrive, get VIP treatment,  early booking rights and lots more including the chance to attend exclusive Pen Friend events at Mr B’s. Ask us all about it!!  

The Complete Mr B’s Christmas

Trust Mr B’s completely and want to take care of a year’s reading and gifts?! 1 copy of each book pictured in this catalogue delivered to your house with mug, cloth bag and a bottle of bubbly - £1,000