The world does not stand still not even for a malevolent virus. It continues to spin and allows history to repeat itself.  While these are not unprecedented times, they are in the perfect storm of 2020 their own brand of extraordinary, and we will, as we have been in the past, be defined by the paths we choose and the lessons we learn. We have yet again been afforded the opportunity to place ourselves on the right side of history.

It is truly maddening to realize that in spite of how far we have come as a species, we still have so far to go when it comes to the basics. Basic human rights, basic acts of decency, basic respect for other human beings, The Basics. The fire raging across America should be a  reflection of the fire blazing not only in the hearts of black and brown Americans but in the soul of every man and woman who believes in equal rights for all. Until we recognize and accept that this is a struggle for all, we won’t achieve victory for any. 

At Books & Company we throw around the word community with good reason. Time and again we are reminded that we are surrounded and supported by customers, friends, readers of all stripes who have one thing in common; a love not just of books, but of the worlds they open up; the pathways to understanding, empathy and (hopefully) enlightenment.  

It is therefore not entirely surprising that in the wake of the horrific killing of George Floyd many of us have turned to books to help explain who we are, where we are and where we can go from here. Like many other bookstores, publishers and writers across the globe, we have promoted books and (virtual) events that can help us understand. 

But we wanted to do more and just as we were trying to figure out what that would be, an email ticked in from longtime friends of Books & Company, leva and Carsten Dan. They had an idea and were wondering if we could help. 

They wanted to donate 2.500,- kroner for books on the subject of racism, because as they said:

“While we are not sure what is the best way to help, we know that knowledge is critical.”

We are therefore thrilled and grateful to be able to announce that we now have a library of books (fiction and non-fiction) on the subject of racism and social injustice. All we ask is that once you have read the book you pass it on to someone you know, so they too can share in the knowledge you have gained. If you have any questions, please come by the shop or email us.

We know that this needs to be a marathon not a sprint, and that real change requires dedication, thoughtfulness and commitment. Thanks to the generosity (and genius) of Ieva and Carsten Dan we hope to understand - and do - better. 

It’s been four weeks since our last newsletter and I still can’t decide if it’s been the longest four weeks or the shortest. 

One thing is for sure, nothing is the same and perhaps most remarkably,  it isn’t the same for ANYONE. The vast majority of the world’s population is at some level of lockdown and we have all had our lives upended by a biological phenomenon we cannot see. It feels like we are living in a science fiction novel turned scary 7 Season Netflix series.

But here we are, trying each in our own way to cope with the unexpected - carefully navigating our way across the vast unknown.

We listen to experts like never before, study charts like never before and trust our leaders like never before. We take responsibility and act responsibly and while we feel invaded by something outside of our control, we know that the outcome is very much within our control, and we know that the experiences we take away from this will in large part be defined by our choices and our communities.

Indeed, while the words Covid-19 and Corona virus frighten us, they aren’t nearly as powerful as that single word that comforts us, Community. We clap together, we sing together, we Zoom together. We support our friends, our neighbors, our health care workers and our small businesses. We want them all to still be there on the other side of this.

As those who know us, know so well, we take the word Company in Books & Company very seriously. We love your company, we need your company and these days, we miss your company. That said, never before have we felt your company as strongly as we have in these past four weeks. As the writer Ann Patchett recently said about running her bookshop in Nashville during lockdown: ‘We’re a part of our community as never before’. We couldn’t agree more. 

We want to be there for you and you want to be there for us. Changing up the business, taking your orders and delivering books to your homes is how, together, we make sure that happens. 

We cannot thank you enough for your continued support - and for making sure we remain part of your community.

These past weeks have also reminded us how fortunate we are to live in a time where technology allows us to stay in touch with so many, in so many countries and in so many ways. So we decided to try something new.

For the next few months we will be sharing - on Instagram and Facebook - short (one minute) book recommendation videos recorded by members of the Books & Company community from near and far - and we would love for you to be a part of it. 

So go ahead, grab your favorite book, one you’re reading, one you just read, one you read years ago but can’t forget - and tell us why - for one minute! The whole world is upside down, so why not try something new!

Dear friends,

How quickly things change. 

One minute we are discussing Brexit, impeachment, climate change and some strange virus in a far flung province of China and the next minute we are closing doors and shutting borders in an attempt to contain the spread of said virus right here in our own backyard.

Just as we were debating whether the world with its hostile political climate and growing polarization had ever been worse off (which, of course, it has), a virus turns up to put everything into stark relief and expose the weaknesses - and strengths - of our societies. 

It seems there is nothing like illness and potential loss of life to focus the mind and reveal our true colors. Politicians step up and communities come together. Yes, there are stories of hoarding and strange behavior, but they are far outnumbered by stories of helpfulness, generosity, support and understanding. The next weeks and months will surely test us all, but if the last few days are anything to go by, we are plenty capable of weathering this storm.

Things have also changed for us at Books & Company. 

The events we had planned have been canceled or postponed, and while we continue to serve our community as best - and as safely - as we can, we are becoming increasingly aware of the changes necessary to continue doing so while helping to ‘flatten the curve’ and minimize the risk of the spread.

As a small independent business we are, and have always been, very conscious of the fact that to survive - and thrive - we must constantly adapt. 

Never in our more than 10 year history has this been more true than now.

So……

Just two days ago we introduced the new Books & Company Delivery Service.

This service allows you to place orders with us by email, or by phone - preferably email - on Instagram (booksandcompanydk) or via Facebook.com/booksandcompany and pay via MobilePay or bank transfer.

You can then choose to pick up your order at the store (we will gladly bring it out to you, if you would rather not come inside) or we can deliver it to your home address for free. 

If you aren’t sure what to read next, we are ready to help. We have suggestions for fiction and for non-fiction, for a mix of both, for young and for old; we have books for homebodies and for armchair travellers.  Just let us know what you like and we will put together a selection to see you through the next few weeks. We will even throw in a few surprises.

We hope you will take this opportunity to not only practice what is certain to become the word(s) of 2020, namely ‘social distancing’, but also to step away from the news for just a little while and lose yourself in a good book. We guarantee you won’t regret it - and you might even sleep better.

Community means everything to us and the past few days have once again reminded us how loyal and supportive our friends and customers are. For that we are very very grateful. Thank you!

Warm regards, stay safe and remember to wash your hands!

On sale on Thursday March 5

‘If you cannot speak the truth at a beheading, when can you speak it?´

Good question…

The wait is over. Hilary Mantel’s final volume of her trilogy, The Mirror and the Light, traces the final years of Thomas Cromwell, the boy from nowhere who climbs to the heights if power.

England, May 1536. Anne Boleyn is dead, decapitated in the space of a heartbeat by a hired French executioner. As her remains are bundled into oblivion, Thomas Cromwell breakfasts with the victors.

As if that weren’t enough, here’s the interview with Hilary Mantel from The New York Times.

Why we love The New Yorker, why we sell The New Yorker, why you need The New Yorker!

Sometimes, the passing of a friend silences a voice in your own mind. A voice you weren't even always aware of, but one that was just there, at the back, ready to remind you of what really, truly matters. 

This newsletter was supposed to be a list of great books to buy for Christmas, but that will have to wait.

Today is a day of remembrance - for me and for the many, many people who were touched and influenced by the life and words of Herbert Pundik, who passed away last night at the age of 92.

Herbert Pundik was for 23 years the editor-in-chief of Politiken, one of the largest Danish newspapers, a post he retired from years ago, but a paper he continued writing for his entire life, and one with which he has become - and forever will be - synonymous.

Herbert Pundik was also a close friend of my family, and he and his wife Sussi always felt like ‘home’. Theirs was, like mine, a family split between the warm skies and hot heads of the Middle East and the cool winds and quiet minds of the Danish shores. 

As a young Jewish man, Herbert Pundik was pulled from his high school class in Copenhagen and sent to Sweden during the German occupation of Denmark, and after the war, he fought (literally) for the establishment of the state of Israel and later struggled with the idea of Israel as an occupational power, fighting alongside his son and daughter for the rights of Palestinians.  

Herbert Pundik was one of those people about whom so many of us are privileged to have great stories and even greater memories. 

One day, almost 20 years ago, Herbert called me to suggest I join ‘Humanity in Action’, an organisation he had co-founded. Humanity in Action educates young people in the subject of human rights and protection of minorities, and is in many ways a reflection of all that Herbert found important: tolerance, understanding, curiosity, dialogue and action. He believed that what you do must matter - and human rights mattered greatly to the man who believed that ‘once a refugee, always a refugee'. 

It is so often only in retrospect that we realize how we have been influenced and by whom. Perhaps because the strongest influence often comes from those who are not even trying to exert it, but are merely sharing their passions, their beliefs and their values for you to pick up or ignore. 

These are the people who show the way, even when you didn’t think you were lost. People with such integrity that you can learn from them whether you agree or disagree. The Herbert Pundiks of the world stand out - in life and in memory - perhaps because there are so few of them.

Thank you, Herbert, for your curiosity, your courage and your un-wavering insistence on tolerance and humanity. Thank you for showing us all how easy the right choice is, no matter how hard it might seem. 

On Monday, March 11, 2019 we had the great great pleasure of hosting the BBC programme, World Book Café, at Books & Company!

It was an honor to be chosen as the venue for this wonderful BBC series, which takes listeners around the world to meet local authors.

The programme is now on air and available online, and we highly recommend spending an hour in the company of delightful host, Lawrence Pollard, and Danish authors Dorthe Nors, Olga Ravn, Jonas Bengtsson and Caroline Albertine Minor ‘….reading, arguing, recommending and getting a portrait of Copenhagen’.

Click on the mic and enjoy!

As our 10th birthday fast approaches, one word from far beyond our shores perfectly describes what is near and dear to me and to all of us at Books & Company. That word is Ubuntu.

Ubuntu has its origins in several of the Bantu languages of Southern Africa and means : ‘I am because you are’, and in many ways that perfectly sums up my gratitude for all that we have been able to accomplish together since we opened our doors on a beautiful Saturday morning in May 2009.

Running an independent bookshop is an enormous privilege and one that I am thankful for every single day. 

A life among books, full of stories and histories that engage and enlighten, written by authors who go out of their way to share ideas and emotions is a life that keeps you on your toes. It’s a life that constantly challenges the status quo and allows you to see all that you knew yesterday in a brand new light today. A life among books teaches empathy and opens your heart to differences and similarities, to exuberant joy and to tremendous pain. 

And that’s just the books themselves!

A bookshop takes all that magic and puts in the hands of booksellers and readers. It gives us the wonderful task of passing on all those emotions, all that empathy and all that exuberance to the customers who wander through our door to the jingle of the little bell.

The true wonder of a bookshop happens in that meeting with the customer. In the search for the perfect book, the perfect read, the perfect gift. The book that isn’t too scary, that isn’t too romantic, that isn’t too serious or too funny, and never one that is too boring. The book that makes you think, makes you want to be a better person, makes you laugh, makes you cry, makes you want to change the world. Done right, these are the best conversations.

Over the years we have had the great privilege of putting thousands of books in your hands and we take that job very seriously. We know that you will be sitting in a chair, on a bus, in the grass or on the beach reading what we suggested - and we want you to come back for more.

We also take very seriously our commitment to creating community. 

The past 10 years have brought so many wonderful people to the shop. Some have stayed in the country short term, some longer. Some visit monthly, some weekly and some even daily. Every single person has put their mark on the shop and made us who we are. The talks, the laughs, the commiseration; the hellos, the goodbyes and the ‘see you soons’. And in this wonderful age of easy communication, no-one is ever forgotten.

Running a bookshop is not a one woman show. It takes amazing, incredible, wonderful, talented, hard working, committed and dedicated colleagues and I have had the greatest fortune of working with them every day for the past 10 years. Thank you will never be enough!

And, of course, we need to have a birthday party, so we hope you will join us for a celebration on

Saturday, May 25 from 10:00 -15:00

In the spirit of Ubuntu, and in the words of Archbishop Desmond Tutu : ’’A person is a person through other persons.’’

Thank you for allowing us to be who we are through you.

Warm regards,

Isabella & the staff of Books & Company