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Marist Brothers Linmeyer wins Exclusive Books One Club Award
[01 December 2009]
Siyolo’s Jersey takes the cake at the Exclusive Books IBBY awards
[01 December 2009]
50th Exclusive Books Store hosts 2009 Homebru List Celebration
[14 April 2009]
Exclusive Books One Club wants your vote!
[23 March 2009]
2008 Exclusive Books List promises a Pandora’s Box of books.
[24 October 2008]
The Boeke Prize 2008 winner named at the Durban opening of Exclusive Books’s 48th store.
[8 October 2008]
Exclusive Books announces shortlist for the Boeke Prize 2008
[22 August 2008]
Exclusive Books announces winners in national Shopping Bag Design competition
[7 August 2008]
Chill out under the covers – the Exclusive Books Winter Sale 2008 starts on 16 July
[27 June 2008]
Exclusive Books wins Silver Lion Award at Cannes
[26 June 2008]
10 finalists bagged in Exclusive Books design competition
[26 June 2008]
Exclusive Books celebrates 10 years of Fanatics favourites at the Cape Town Book Fair
[3 June 2008]
Exclusive Books wins BASA Award for innovative Homebru campaign
[27 May 2008]
Exclusive Books and Gina Mhlophe to celebrate new Richard’s Bay store opening
[20 May 2008]
Older news stories
Marist Brothers Linmeyer wins Exclusive Books One Club Award
The award for the school with the most votes cast during the 2009 Exclusive Books One Club competition which took place earlier this year, has gone to Marist Brothers Linmeyer Primary School, while Micklefield Primary School achieved second place and Weizmann Primary third. The three schools generated masses of votes for the One Club titles and were rewarded for their participation with 20 book titles for their library and 20 book titles to donate to their "outreach partner school."
The 2009 Exclusive Books One Club competition is a unique campaign to encourage children between the ages of 9 and 15 to read more and to develop a critical appreciation of the books they choose.
The 2009 One Club competition featured a selection of eight titles which children were encouraged to read and vote for their favourite title. The campaign challenged the minds of young people to engage with literature from a diverse range of genres.
The 2009 One Club booklist:
1. Daniel Fox and the Jester's Legacy by Andy Petersen
2. The Absolute True Diary of a Part-time Indian by Sherman Alexie
3. The Escape: The Henderson Boys by Robert Muchamore
4. Sharkey's Son by Gillian D'achada
5. The Fire Thief by Terry Deary
6. The Young Samurai: The way of the warrior by Chris Bradford
7. Ways to live forever by Sarah Nicholls
8. Cosmic by Frank Cottrell Boyce
The favourite reads according to the young critics were Daniel Fox and the Jester's Legacy, by Andy Petersen and Ways to live forever, by Sarah Nicholls.
Exclusive Books enlisted the help of school teachers and librarians to recruit the young critics and motivate them to put on their thinking caps, as they read the eight titles. The selected books were carefully chosen to capture the attention and imagination of young readers and represented themes ranging from day to day challenges, to history, humor and fantasy.
Issued on behalf of Exclusive Books by:
Tarryn Rinkwest, Catalyst Communications
Tel: 021 4800423
Cell: 071 602 3229
E-mail: tarryn@catalystcommunications.co.za
Exclusive Books contact person:
Colleen Whitfield, Exclusive Books Children's; Book Manager
Tel: 011 798 0000
E-mail: colleenw@exclusivebooks.co.za
[14 April 2009]
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Siyolo’s Jersey takes the cake at the Exclusive Books IBBY awards
Mari Grobler's children's title, Siyolo's Jersey, took first prize at the 2009 Exclusive Books IBBY awards, held at the Vineyard hotel in Cape Town, on 23 November, 2009.
The story of Siyola who gave away bits of his favourite jersey, until there was nothing left, illustrates how important it is for us to give to others and to contribute towards making others happy. The heartwarming, South African, theme which carries through the whole story, is one which children from various ethnic and social backgrounds will strongly identify with.
What makes the book unique is that the book is made of mixed media, combining a use tissue paper, material, wool, thread, pastel, eyeliner, and lots of love and tears in its production.
63 books were submitted for the 2009 IBBY award. Siyolo's Jersey won the hearts of the judges without a doubt and took the award by a large margin. The other shortlisted titles were Liewe land, 'n Olifant! by Jaco Jacobs, Elsa and the little Thingamajig by Niki Daly, and Happy birthday, Jamela! by Niki Daly.
About the book:
Siyolo's jersey is a story about a young boy who loves wearing his red and yellow jersey but there comes a day that his favourite jersey starts unraveling. This bad news takes a turn as Siyola is them able to help many people with pieces of wool from his jersey in a very unique and special way.
About the author and photographer:
Author Mari Grobler and Illustrator Elizabeth Pulles have worked together as a team before with great success. Siyolo's Jersey compliments their other titles namely Lulama's magic blanket and Musa's Journey.
Mari Grobler is an author and poet and lives in Uitenhage in Eastern Cape. Tafelberg published a number of books by her, but the most read and most known are Musa's journey and Lulama's magic blanket.
Elizabeth Pulles lives in Johannesburg with her two children. She illustrates children's books, is also a commercial illustrator, painter and sculptress. She stated illustrating children's books in 1985. She has illustrated between 20-30 titles.
Information about the award:
Exclusive Books IBBY SA Award recognizes the best South African children's book writers and illustrators. The bi-annual Exclusive Books IBBY SA Award is endorsed by the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY), a non-profit organization which represents an international network of people from all over the world who are committed to bringing books and children together. The Exclusive Books sponsored award extends equivalent recognition and prize-money to both the author and illustrator of the winning book.
To be considered for the award, both the writer and the illustrator must be South African and the book must be an original work written in any of the official South African languages. The book must also have been published in South Africa. The writer and the illustrator each receive a R5, 000 cash prize.
Issued on behalf of Exclusive Books by:
Tarryn Rinkwest, Catalyst Communications
Tel: 021 4800423
Cell: 071 602 3229
E-mail: tarryn@catalystcommunications.co.za
Exclusive Books contact person:
Colleen Whitfield, Exclusive Books Children's; Book Manager
Tel: 011 798 0000
E-mail: colleenw@exclusivebooks.co.za
[14 April 2009]
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50th Exclusive Books Store hosts 2009 Homebru List Celebration
Proving, when life gives you lemons, make lemonade!
Click here to browse and buy the Homebru 2009 books.
The delicious Exclusive Books annual Homebru list has been released and amongst the dark clouds of recession is a silver lining of great South African titles. The proudly South African list of 30 Homebru titles showcases trends and issues in our society and moreover represents our resilience in stormy weather.
“In these tough economic times, Exclusive Books relishes the opportunity to pay homage to South African authors, and to put their work in the spot light. The list is a true reflection of the role our country’s creative thinkers and innovative leaders have in shaping the nation. We hope that the Homebru list encourages South Africans to explore local literature and become the strongest supporters of the stories told by our fellow citizens,” says Batya Green- Bricker, Marketing Manager of Exclusive Books.
“The submissions from various publishers for consideration increased from 120 in 2008 to the 140 submissions for 2009. Over half of the selected titles are new releases. It just goes to show that when life hands us lemons, South Africans sure know how to make lemonade!” says Green-Bricker.
The 2009 Homebru campaign investigates growing trends and themes that have become prominent in the minds of South Africans from the benign “green” movement to the hard-hitting issue of crime and emigration. Megan Voysey-Braig’s Till we can Keep an Animal, the EU Winner, is an example of this emergence of violent stories of crime.
Is it Coz I’m Black? by Ndumiso Ngcobo is another street-wise, straight talking, get to the point, best seller in the making. Beauty’s Gift by Sindiwe Magona, a riveting tale that looks at AIDS, its related issues and four women’s courage to change their destiny - truly a story of silver linings amidst gloom.
Need a change of perspective? The Homebru selection reveals a movement towards ‘honest’ writing exposing insights and views on the challenges of South African life. Pick up The Irreverent Mothers’ Handbook by Sam Cowen and Lee van Loggerenberg (the title speaks for itself) or Ways of Staying by Kevin Bloom, the former editor of Maverick and Empire magazine who embarked on a journey through South Africa looking for stories of hope.
If light and frothy tickles your taste buds then indulge in some great SA “Chick-Lit” with the likes of Behind every Successful Man by Zukiswa Wanner or Mushy Peas on Toast by Laurian Clemence, a hilarious debut novel set in Jozi about life, love and everything else.
The classics never die and neither does the age-old maxim of triumph over challenge. Soak up some inspiring words and stories of accomplishment with Blade Runner by Oscar Pistorius and André Brinks’ autobiography “A Fork in the Road”.
In celebration of the 2009 Homebru list and Exclusive Books’ own story of triumph, the launch will be held in conjunction with the opening of the 50th Exclusive Books store in Melrose Arch on 17 April 2009.
From one shop to fifty.
From a presence in one city to branches in fourteen.
From employing twelve people to a staff of over 1000.
From a store of 8 000 books to a chain stocking 600 000 titles - the best in both international and local authors. Bring on the lemons!
[14 April 2009]
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Exclusive Books One Club wants your vote!
Click here to browse and buy The List 2008 books.
As our national-elections approach, Exclusive Books has launched its own campaign to get children voting for books! As part of its ongoing efforts to promote a love of reading in children, Exclusive Books has announced its 2009 One Club Competition in school libraries across the nation, in which children read a selection of books and vote for their favourites. Children between the ages of 9 and 15 are encouraged, through the campaign, to expand their minds and engage with literature from a diverse range of genres.
The One Club Prize runs from 01 March to 30 June 2009, and Exclusive Books has enlisted the help of school teachers and librarians to recruit young critics, motivating them to put their thinking caps on as they read through the list of eight popular titles. The selected books have been carefully chosen to capture their attention and captivate their imagination, and the different genres represent day to day challenges, history, humour and fantasy.
Click here to view the 2009 One Club list.
After reading some or all of the eight titles, the young critics cast a vote for their favourite. Every opinion counts! The three schools with the most votes are rewarded for their participation with 20 book titles for their library and 20 book titles to donate to their “outreach partner school.”
“The primary objective of One Club is to get young minds pumped up about reading! We at Exclusive Books wish to show young readers that we value their opinions, and not only want but need their feedback about the books we offer them to read. We are on a mission to create a nation of avid readers, learners and successful future leaders.” says Penny Hochfeld, Children’s Books Manager, Exclusive Books.
How learners and schools can get started and participate in the promotion:
1. Request Information pack via email from promotions@exclusivebooks.co.za.
The information pack will consist of the following:
a) Voting Forms
b) Posters
c) Information on each book on the list
2. Contact your nearest Exclusive Books Store to place orders for the books.
3. Voting Forms can be sent via the following methods:
a) Post: One Club Promotion, PO BOX 605, Rivonia, 2128
b) Fax: 086 682 8829
c) Email: promotions@exclusivebooks.co.za
For any further information or queries please contact:
Edem Foli on 011 798 0185 or via email on edemf@exclusivebooks.co.za
OR contact:
Kim Winter, Catalyst Communications
Tel: 021 480 0423, Cell: 082 379 3337
E-mail: kim@catalystcommunications.co.za
[23 March 2009]
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The Boeke Prize 2008 winner named at the Durban opening of Exclusive Books’s 48th store.
Click here to buy the Boeke Prize 2008 books.
A cocktail party was held at the Westwood Mall in Durban 7 October 2008 to celebrate the opening of Exclusive Books’ newest and 48th store in South Africa. The guests of honour were Vikas Swarup, from the Indian Embassy (and a former Boeke Prize-winner himself) and Barry Ronge, renowned film and book critic.
At the party, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Scandinavian author, Stieg Larsson, was named as the winner of the 2008 Exclusive Books BOEKE PRIZE.
Larsson’s debut novel is an epic tale of serial murder and corporate trickery spanning several continents and taking in complicated international financial fraud and the buried evil past of a wealthy Swedish industrial family. It won Sweden’s Glass Key Award in 2005 for best crime novel of the year.
Stieg Larsson was a campaigning journalist. He dedicated his life to opposing racism and was a leading expert on anti-democratic, right wing extremist organisations. His other great preoccupation was violence against women. This is reflected in the novel’s original Swedish title, ‘Men Who Hated Women’.
‘The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo’ is the first volume in the Millennium trilogy, named after the magazine where the main character, journalist-hero Mikael Blomkvist works. Tragically, Stieg Larsson did not live to enjoy the enormous success of the first volume; he died in 2004 of a heart attack, aged 50, soon after delivering the text of the novels that make up the Millennium Trilogy - before ‘The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo was published.
Larsson’s award marks the 10th time in the 14-year history of the Boeke Prize that a debut novel has scooped the award. In 2004, two debut novels were joint winners of the Prize, making a total of 11 debut novel-winners in 14 years.
The Boeke Prize promotes the enjoyment of discovering books that compel, that are fresh, original and captivating good reads. The judges’ panel comprised 40 book critics across South Africa. They had to choose “the ultimate page turner” from a shortlist of eight titles. The other titles were:
‘Shatter’, Michael Robotham (Penguin Books)
‘The Blood of Flowers’, Anita Amirresvani (Jonathan Ball)
‘Bright Shiny Morning’, James Frey (Jonathan Ball)
‘Lullabies for Little Criminals’, Heather O’Neill (Book Promotions)
‘The Behaviour of Moths’, Poppy Adams (Penguin Books)
‘Night Train to Lisbon’, Pascal Mercier (Penguin Books)
‘Things I Want My Daughters to Know’, Elizabeth Noble (Penguin Books)
Click here to buy the Boeke Prize 2008 books.
[8 October 2008]
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Exclusive Books announces shortlist for the Boeke Prize 2008
Exclusive Books has shortlisted eight novels for the 2008 Boeke Prize. Now in its 14th year, the Boeke Prize celebrates accessible, original, compelling good reads.
This year's shortlist is:
• Bright Shiny Morning, James Frey (Jonathan Ball, R214)
• Lullabies for Little Criminals, Heather O’Neill (Book Promotions, R127)
• Night Train to Lisbon, Pascal Mercier (Penguin Books, R195)
• Shatter, Michael Robotham (Penguin Books, R195)
• The Behaviour of Moths, Poppy Adams (Penguin Books, R195)
• The Blood of Flowers, Anita Amirrezvani (Jonathan Ball, R127)
• The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Stieg Larsson (Book Promotions, R194)
• Things I Want My Daughters to Know, Elizabeth Noble (Penguin Books, R190)
Click here for more information on the shortlisted books.
Most of the shortlist titles were released in the last six months.
The Boeke Prize is awarded to the book deemed to be the most "unputdownable" of the eight shortlisted titles. A panel of 40 book reviewers from the media must decide which book they believe is the ultimate page-turner - most compulsive, riveting good read. The judges must consider each book’s originality, freshness, readability and accessibility to anyone who enjoys a really good book.
Launched in 1995 by Exclusive Books, the Boeke Prize was conceived as a light-hearted dig at the celebrated British Booker Prize, which in those days was regarded as being somewhat stuffy and too highbrow for most book buyers.
Batya Bricker, marketing manager for Exclusive Books says: “With the Boeke Prize, we wanted to draw attention to captivating books - the sort that you just cannot put down. These are not cheap fiction: they must be top quality novels which, while being finely written, are also highly accessible to the general reading public.”
Bricker says that the shortlisted titles reflect the 'gut feel' of many of SA’s most knowledgeable booksellers. “These are people who have their ears to the ground, a keen sense of the books that avid readers are currently demanding.”
Book sellers and book buyers from the group’s 48 bookstores nationally nominate the initial long list of titles and ultimately vote for the eight that make the final shortlist.
The winning book will be announced on 2 October 2008.
[7 August 2008]
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Exclusive Books announces winners in national Shopping Bag Design competition
Out of 10 finalists, Elske Nel, a 21 year old student from the University of Pretoria, has been awarded first place in the Exclusive Books Shopping Bag Design competition finalised in Hyde Park, Johannesburg on Thursday, 7 August.
Says Batya Green-Bricker, Exclusive Books Marketing Manager: “The winning bag design answered our brief deftly, with a witty, sophisticated and intelligent drawing that captured the Exclusive Books brand perfectly. The naïve line drawing was simple, playful and unusual, and added a touch of whimsy to the Exclusive Books brand.”
Second and third places were awarded to Raees Khan from Vega Brand Communication School in Durban and Samantha Linakis from the University Johannesburg respectively.
Says Bridget Johnson, creative director from advertising agency, Ogilvy Johannesburg and one of the judges: “There was a wonderful variety of work submitted, showcasing a wealth of talent and different perspectives. There were designs of an extremely high standard, as well as ideas and approaches that are fresh and engaging.”
Says Batya: “Ideas do matter. Exclusive Books is in the business of ideas, at the cutting edge of culture. Our books are so often the catalyst for great things. Entries to the plastic bag competition proved how even a retailer can inspire imagination, and we were delighted that our shopping bags are the moving billboards for creative talent in South Africa.”
The competition was open to all design students across South Africa. Each finalist received Exclusive Books gift vouchers to the value of R1,000 and the grand prize is an Apple Mac I-Book and merchandise to the value of R20 000 and Exclusive Books gift vouchers to the value of R5000.
The competition formed part of the Exclusive Books Fanatics 10th anniversary celebrations this year, celebrating the success of the loyalty programme which has over 600 000 members.
[7 August 2008]
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Chill out under the covers – the Exclusive Books Winter Sale 2008 starts on 16 July
There will be plenty of inspiration to be found at exceptionally low cost this winter under the covers of more than 340,000 fabulous books on sale at Exclusive Books. The Winter Sale starts on Wednesday 16 July when doors at branches right around the country open at 7.30 am.
Prices of the sale books offer really good value for money: with discounts of up to 75% off the normal retail price and an average book price of R53, you could chill out through the remainder of the cool season, and a long time after.
As always, variety is the focus – there are books across the widest range of categories to suit every bibliophile and collector, and it’s a great occasion to stock up on gifts for those special someones.
[26 June 2008]
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Exclusive Books wins Silver Lion Award at Cannes
Leading South African bookseller Exclusive Books was awarded a Silver Lion in the Film- Retail Stores Category at the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival on 21 June 2008.
The International Advertising Festival - Cannes Lions - is the largest annual gathering of worldwide advertising professionals and advertisers as well as the most prestigious annual advertising award ceremony. Each year, over 10,000 visitors from the advertising and allied industries attend this event to celebrate the best of creativity across all media, to discuss industry issues and network with one another.
Exclusive Books won the award for their Fanatics Interview Cinema Advert. The advert was up against strong contenders such as Boots Pharmacies from London and some fresh, well-executed work for Ikea - among others. Exclusive Books was one of only three entries of South African film honoured with an award at Cannes. Allan Gray's Beautiful commercial took the other silver in the financial services category, and MTN's Clap-Clap took a bronze.
Says Jaco Nel, Exclusive Books Fanatics Marketing Manager: “We are very pleased and delighted with this award and want to acknowledge and thank the many talented people within Exclusive Books and Ogilvy Johannesburg who contribute enormous creativity and passion to the Exclusive Books brand.”
The ad can be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7BeqFyDpwCQ
Synopsis of advertisement
Exclusive Books is celebrating its Fanatics 10th anniversary, the perfect opportunity to celebrate and amplify the brand. This campaign, aimed at book lovers, is a fresh new take on the brand's core message, namely that Fanatics is a club for people who simply love to read. In a nutshell, the commercials show avid readers weaving 'literary speak' (ie. the style in which books are written) into, and out of, their everyday conversations and situations. The Interview commercial uses the well-known scenario of a job interview with all its tensions and awkwardness, to illustrate a Fanatical reader's quirky approach to life.
[26 June 2008]
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10 finalists bagged in Exclusive Books design competition
The recent nationwide challenge to South Africa’s young designers to submit fresh concepts for national retailer Exclusive Books’ distinctive shopping bags, has yielded a bounty of talent and 10 exceptional finalists, from design schools across South Africa.
The 10 finalists shortlisted for the awards to be announced on 7 August are:
- Jolene van Dyk (North West University, Potchefstroom)
- Zamokuhle Nefale (Vaal University of Technology)
- Kevin Meiring (Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University)
- Martine Hazell (Red and Yellow School of Logic and Magic)
- Ben Cox (Red and Yellow School of Logic and Magic)
- Stacey Burr (Red and Yellow School of Logic and Magic)
- Raees Khan (Vega Brand Communication School, Durban)
- Samantha Linakis (University of Johannesburg)
- Elske Nel (University of Pretoria)
- Joubert Smit (Central University of Technology, Bloemfontein)
Says Bridget Johnson, creative director from advertising agency, Ogilvy Johannesburg and one of the judges: “There was a wonderful variety of work submitted, showcasing a wealth of talent and different perspectives. There were designs of an extremely high standard, as well as ideas and approaches that are fresh and engaging.”
“Criteria the designs were judged on include bold, fresh design; original thinking in approach or idea; longevity of design and campaignability across all categories of books.”
Says Batya Green-Bricker, Exclusive Books Marketing Manager: “Our shopping bag has an iconic status. It has been used and seen all over the world in many different hands. In keeping with Exclusive Books’ mission, we strive to remain at the cutting edge of producing creative, innovative and thought-provoking ways of marketing our brand and this competition is one of the ways we want to achieve this”.
Says Bridget: “This is a fantastic competition from Exclusive Books. Books are an incredibly rich resource of inspiration to us all, and it is great to see a company that supports and promotes young talent in such a unique and creatively challenging way. It was truly a fascinating experience to see so many different perspectives in one room. It is yet another demonstration that talent abounds among South Africa’s youth.”
The competition was open to all design students across South Africa. Each finalist will receive Exclusive Books gift vouchers to the value of R1,000 and the grand prize is an Apple Mac I-Book and merchandise to the value of R20 000 and Exclusive Books gift vouchers to the value of R5000.
The competition forms part of the Exclusive Books Fanatics 10th anniversary celebrations this year, celebrating the success of the loyalty programme which has over 600 000 members.
[26 June 2008]
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Exclusive Books celebrates 10 years of Fanatics favourites at the Cape Town Book Fair
Exclusive Books will be pulling out all the stops to celebrate its loyalty programme, Fanatics’ 10th birthday, and the top books for the last 10 years bought by members of the 600 000 strong Fanatics club, at its stand at the Cape Town Book Fair, taking place in the Cape Town International Convention Centre from 14-17 June 2008.
Reading enthusiasts are invited to join Jaco Nel, Exclusive Books Fanatics Marketing Manager, and reminisce about the defining book that “changed the way you think about… food, life, love or the world”, or the book that “turned you into an armchair traveler”, the book that “reminded you what it was like to be young”, or the book that “got you hooked on thrillers,” – the list is endless and the celebratory launch is happening on the Exclusive Books stand [C2] on 14 June 2007 at 14:00.
Says Jaco Nel, Exclusive Books Marketing Manager: “For the Fanatics 10th birthday we picked our favourites from the bestselling titles from 1998 to 2007. The Top 10 bestsellers for each year did not entirely capture the spirit of the bookselling year, the “book hits” for each of the ten years. There are years you simply cannot consider without mention of that VIB - Very Important Book.”
“The Top 10 books for the last ten years captures the blossoming of the South African publishing market over the decade, and the facilitation of “local readers reading local books” by promotions like Homebru. For example, in 1998, not one book on the Top 10 list was South African. In 2006, 4 out of 10 bestsellers were South African. The 100 books capture the zeitgeist of each year. Indeed, what we were reading at the time tells a lot about what we were thinking, how we were living and what we were doing. Good examples are books like: Dr Atkins New Diet Revolution, Globalization and its Discontents, I Don’t Know How She Does It, Freakonomics, After the Party, and In Black and White.”
Fanatics members are in for a real treat at the fair - Not only will they enjoy free entry but they will also receive 400 bonus points and a R35.00 discount voucher on all titles purchased at the Exclusive Books stand.
[3 June 2008]
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Exclusive Books wins BASA Award for innovative Homebru campaign
Leading South African bookseller Exclusive Books, was rewarded for its innovative Homebru campaign at the Eleventh Annual Business Day BASA Awards on Monday, 26 May 2008 at the gala event at the Johannesburg Park Station.
Business & Arts South Africa (BASA), in partnership with Business Day, launched awards for business sponsors of the arts in 1997, to recognise and highlight businesses that make effective and innovative use of arts sponsorship and, in so doing, lift the profile of the arts in South Africa.
Exclusive Books was presented with the Increasing Access to the Arts Award for its 2007 Homebru campaign. The award focuses on those sponsors who have helped bring the arts to people who might not otherwise have access to them. Other nominees in this category were: Cell C for Cell C Gospel Festival; Distell for Takeaway Theatre’s ‘Die Liefdeskind’; Fairheads Trust Company for the Clanwilliam Arts Development Project and Standard Bank Limpopo for ‘Double 07’.
Says Fred Withers, Exclusive Books MD: “Exclusive Books is very pleased, proud and excited to have won the BASA Increasing Access of the Arts Award.
There are over 100 000 new books published every year. Historically, South African writers have become somewhat “lost” in this large array of books. The purpose of Homebru is therefore to expose South Africans to great local authors, thus creating a greater demand for South African books.”
The Homebru campaign is a celebration of South African writing, and has had an enormous influence on the South African Book publishing and reading market as a whole, as well as showcasing the finest (and overlooked) South African writing talent. The 2007 Homebru campaign was very effective as Exclusive Books brought the term “Homebru” to life by partnering with iconic South African brands: Mrs Ball’s Chutney, Zambuk, Freshpak Rooibos tea and Inkomazi. The intention of the association with these brands was to match the Homebru experience to real, well-known and loved South African brands such as Breyten Breytenbach, Albert Luthuli and Zakes Mda.
Exclusive Books has had a phenomenally successful 2007, as the organisation won the Marketing Organisation of the Year Award as well as the inaugural Loerie Award for Marketing Excellence, the two top marketing and advertising industry awards (across all brand categories) in South Africa.
[27 May 2008]
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Exclusive Books and Gina Mhlope to celebrate new Richard’s Bay store opening
National book retailer, Exclusive Books, will be celebrating the opening of its Richard’s Bay store at the Boardwalk Mall on Tuesday 27 May 2008, with renowned children’s author Gina Mhlope and illustrator Kalle Becker. As guests of honour, they will be launching their children’s book entitled The Singing Chameleon (Shuter & Shooter Publishers) at the event.
Marketing Manager, Batya Green-Bricker says: “This store is the 47th store to open in South Africa and true to the Exclusive Books brand, it really offers shoppers a vibrant and welcoming environment in which people can experience a fabulous selection of books.”
Gcina Mhlope, one of South Africa’s most famous storytellers, was born in Hammarsdale, KwaZulu-Natal, and has been performing on stage and screen for over 20 years. She has written many children’s books as well as adult-audience poetry, short stories and plays, and has received numerous awards.
Mhlope holds Honorary Doctorates from the London Open University and the University of Kwazulu-Natal. Her work has been published in many languages and her talent and passion for storytelling and –writing inspires everyone that meets her.
Kalle Becker and Gcina Mhlope have collaborated on other titles, including Fudukazi’s Magic and Stories of Africa.
The Singing Chameleon is an inspirational and compelling Malawian fable and will be available in the following five languages: English, Afrikaans, Xhosa, Zulu and Sesotho.
[20 May 2008]
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2008 Homebru explores the politics and people of our own backyard
Exclusive Books has put out a challenge to South Africa’s young designers to submit fresh concepts for the national retailer’s new plastic shopping bag, in a nationwide competition to all design schools.
“Exclusive Books believes in promoting fresh talent and innovative thinking and ideas, and that’s why we are approaching design students and giving them the opportunity to showcase their talent”, says Batya Green-Bricker, Exclusive Books Marketing Manager.
“Books are a key to creativity and innovation, and we would like our new plastic bag design to reflect this relationship. In fact, many people in creative industries spend time browsing at Exclusive Books as an invaluable part of their research and brainstorming process – The competition gives us the opportunity to interact with that creative energy and to make Exclusive Books a platform to showcase the cutting edge of South Africa’s young design talent.”
The competition is open to all design students across South Africa and the closing date for the competition is 30 May. Ten finalists will be announced on 11 June and the winner will be announced on 10 July. Each finalist will receive Exclusive Books gift vouchers to the value of R1,000 and the grand prize is an Apple Mac I-Book and merchandise to the value of R20 000 and Exclusive Books gift vouchers to the value of R5000.
“Our shopping bag has an iconic status. It has been used and seen all over the world in many different hands. In keeping with Exclusive Books’ mission, we strive to remain at the cutting edge of producing creative, innovative and thought-provoking ways of marketing our brand and this competition is one of the ways we want to achieve this”, says Green-Bricker.
The competition forms part of the Exclusive Books Fanatics 10th anniversary celebrations this year, celebrating the success of the loyalty programme which has over 600 000 members.
[17 April 2008]
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2008 Homebru explores the politics and people of our own backyard
A potjie of hot topics and key issues, with a dash of humour, best describes the 2008 Homebru offering released by Exclusive Books this month. The eclectic 2008 Homebru list features 25 of the best books that South Africa has to offer, under the provoking theme, ‘political influence and how it has shaped every aspect of our world’.
“All the books resonate in some way with what South Africans are feeling and doing right now, and politics is the backdrop to much of that. Homebru encourages South Africans to read real stories told by ordinary South Africans, exploring societal issues and our rich cultural heritage – much of which has been misrepresented in the past,” says Batya Green-Bricker, Marketing Manager of Exclusive Books.
“It is so interesting to see the flavour of the Homebru campaign, now six years old, return to a strong theme of politics. Whilst the Homebru list of 2002 addressed largely historical politics, the politics on the top of our minds now is much broader, and based on the economic and societal consequences of politics. The 2008 list reflects on current hot topics and key news issues that affect our lives such as HIV, politics, racial relationships and the political situation in Zimbabwe.
Some books that lay bare sensitive issues include Laying Ghosts to Rest: Dilemmas of the Transformation, by Mamphela Ramphele, HIV: Three Letter Plague: A young man’s journey through a great epidemic by Jonny Steinberg and Dinner with Mugabe by Heidi Holland.
“We received 120 submissions from various publishers for consideration for the Homebru list. More than half of the selected titles are new releases,” says Green-Bricker.
Fiction is a dominant category on the 2008 Homebru list, with thrillers such as Payback by Mike Nicol, Rosie Kendal’s Karma Suture, a medical drama that is reminiscent of Grey’s Anatomy and After Tears, Niq Mhlongo’s hilarious novel about a young man wavering between right and wrong.
Cookery, travel and cutting edge Afrikaans reads feature strongly. POMP reflects the current reinvention of Afrikaaner culture, while fascinating must-reads include, Ander Lewens by Andre P Brink and Nataniel’s Kaalkop 2.
Food highlights the extremes of our country from Hilton Little’s experience as personal chef to Nelson Mandela and Thabo Mbeki in Bon Appétit, Mr President, to Life’s A Beach Cottage, Neil Roake and Sean Laurenz’s beautiful coffee table reflection on relaxed seaside living.
Travel sees maverick brothers Christiaan and Johan Bakkes recount their adventures in, In Bushveld and Desert and To Hell and Gone, while Sibusiso Vilane describes his life on top of the world’s highest peaks in, To the Top from Nowhere.
On a more serious note, Homebru pays a fitting tribute to Phaswane Mpe, whose book Welcome to Hillbrow first featured on Homebru in 2001, and who is now remembered with Brooding Clouds, an anthology of poetry and short stories.
Selected authors from the 2008 Homebru list will be speaking at Exclusive Books stores countrywide during April and May. Please visit your nearest Exclusive Books store to obtain a programme or visit www.exclusivebooks.com
[3 April 2008]
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The Exclusive Books Children’s Best Books Guide
Parents struggling to choose books for their children or to tear them away from the television to read a book, will be delighted to know that Exclusive Books has just published a comprehensive recommended reading list for children.
The Exclusive Books Children’s Best Books Guide is a definitive guide to help parents and children make their selection of books in the library, online or in bookstores, much easier and will be available at Exclusive Books stores countrywide from 15 March 2008.
“Parents constantly ask us to help them identify suitable books for their children - The Best Books Guide has been developed by the experienced children’s reading experts at Exclusive Books to aid parents in identifying appropriate books to suit different age groups, interests and life experiences,” says Batya Green-Bricker, marketing manager of Exclusive Books.
“Books are invaluable tools that can be used to address children’s worries, or explore their questions and special interests. Many of the stories chosen feature familiar scenarios, places and characters ‘from home’ and deal with situations children and parents are confronted with, such as particular fears or developmental issues.”
“We have selected a wide range of international and local children’s literature, including books written in indigenous languages, to expose children to different cultures and life experiences.”
The guide is categorised according to age groups from age 0 to young adults; however, it is only a rough guide since certain books appeal to a broad age category, and children’s reading interests mature at vastly different rates. Each recommended title in the guide also notes the themes addressed by that particular book.
Says Batya Green-Bricker, Exclusive Books Marketing Manager: “The age categories are merely a guide – we find older children often enjoy books meant for younger children and some avid younger readers may want to read advanced books. The most important thing is that they should enjoy reading!”
The guide will be available at Exclusive Books stores nationwide from mid-April 2008 and costs R6. All proceeds will go towards the Exclusive Books Reading Trust to assist in the upliftment of disadvantaged communities. For more information about the Exclusive Books Best Books Guide, please visit www.exclusivebooks.com.
[15 March 2008]
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Exclusive Books and Steve Hofmeyr celebrate new Irene Village Mall store
National book retailer Exclusive Books will be celebrating the opening of its store at Irene Village Mall on Tuesday, 26 February 2008, with Afrikaans musical icon, Steve Hofmeyr, as the guest of honour. Hofmeyr will launch his book, “Jêmbekseep” (Riffel Publishers) at the event.
Says Batya Green-Bricker, Exclusive Books Marketing Manager: “We are very honoured that Steve has agreed to be a part of Exclusive Books Irene Village Mall. He is a prominent figure in the Afrikaans community and we could not have asked for a more suitable person to launch the opening of our store. True to the Exclusive Books brand, the new store offers shoppers a vibrant atmosphere that invites people to really experience and enjoy a fabulous selection of books, including a substantial selection of Afrikaans literature.”
In Jêmbekseep, Steve gives his candid opinion on almost any topic. The book promises to spark debate around the dinner table, at a braai or even at the office. As a performer, Steve Hofmeyr is one of South Africa’s most successful artists. He is the recipient of many awards, including SAMA (South African Music Awards) awards for Best Selling South African Artist in 2003 and 2004 and he has sold over 1 million albums. He is also the host of “Dis hoe dit is met Steve” on DSTV’s KykNET channel and the show recently celebrated its 150th episode.
[7 February 2008]
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Exclusive Books launches “The Exclusive Books List”
The 2007 Exclusive Books List of the 51 best books to give or get this festive season was officially announced at a celebratory luncheon for journalists, authors and publishers in Hyde Park today. Formerly known as the Publishers’ Choice, The List is a tradition that bibliophiles eagerly await; the essential guide to the most delectable titles available, it offers much-needed inspiration as you frantically search for the perfect gift in the holiday rush.
“The development of The Exclusive Books List a labour of love on the part of our staff and we believe that it is the definitive Festive Season buyers’ guide to the very best books on the market,” says Batya Green-Bricker, marketing manager of Exclusive Books.
The Exclusive Books List caters for all tastes, from beach reads and humour to bibliographies, from political commentary to cookery and travel, and offers a fascinating and intriguing insight into the current concerns and passions of our society.
Politics, business, philosophy, science, history and religion feature strongly in the selection. Behind-the-scenes intrigues are explored in The Secret History of the World by Jonathan Black - an insider’s view of secret societies; Thabo Mbeki: The Dream Deferred by Mark Gevisser and Jake White with Craig Ray’s book In Black & White: The Jake White Story. Otherwise, if you want to spark a dinner party debate, try Screw it let’s do lunch by David Bullard; God explained in a taxi ride, by Paul Arden or Quantum Theory cannot hurt you by Marcus Chown.
Afrikaans authors are well represented with popular local authors Deon Meyer, Abraham De Vries, Etienne Van Heerden and Pat Stametelos among those featured. “Around 40% of the titles are from South African authors, which really indicates the growing strength of this sector of the market and also reflects Exclusive Books’ commitment to supporting local authors,” comments Green Bricker.
Wild adventures and delicious food combine well on The Exclusive Books List with Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations: Around the World on an Empty Stomach, Michael Poliza’s Eyes over Africa, Ranulph Fiennes’ Mad, Bad and Dangerous to Know and Sihle Khumalo’s Dark Continent My Black Arse, all offering a travel feast.
“People are living fast paced lives, and long to escape their daily routines – The Exclusive Books List is wonderful in that it offers the chance to slow down and enjoy life, and provides a window into the alternative worlds of explorers, rockers, cooks, politicians, scientists and tree-huggers,” comments Green-Bricker.
“The Exclusive Books List also mirrors what is happening in society - This year, we invited social commentator Dion Chang to celebrate the launch of the list with us, because Exclusive Books is always right on top of trends in bookselling and has an uncanny knack for tapping into the zeitgeist of the market.”
[19 October 2007]
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Markus Zusak’s ‘The Book Thief’ scoops judges vote for the 2007 Boeke Prize
Markus Zusak has won the 2007 Exclusive Books Boeke Prize for his ‘unputdownable’ novel, The Book Thief, published by Random House. The Book Thief was chosen by a panel of 38 judges representing book critics from the South African media who were called upon to decide which of the eight shortlisted titles they considered to be impossible to put down, a compelling story that is highly accessible to all book lovers.
Markus Zusak, a prize-winning children’s author, lives in Australia. The Book Thief is his first adult novel. It was published to critical acclaim in Australia, the UK and America, where it reached No. 1 one the New York Times bestsellers list, and has been optioned for film adaptation.
It is the ninth time in the 12 year history of the Boeke Prize that a debut novel has scooped the top award. Vikas Swarup was last year’s winner with his first book, Q&A.
It is also the second time that the Boeke Prize has been won by a novel that has been published in both children’s and adult versions, following Mark Haddon as joint first place winner in 2004 for The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.
Curiously, the other joint winner in 2004 was Khaled Hosseini (The Kite Runner) whose second novel, A Thousand Splendid Suns (Jonathan Ball) was chosen by Fanatics members as their best Boeke book of 2007. It was the judges’ runner-up.
The Boeke Prize promotes the enjoyment of discovering books that compel, that are fresh, original and captivating good reads. The other titles on this year’s shortlist of eight were:
No Country for Old Men, Cormac McCarthy (Pan Macmillan); Exile, Richard North Patterson (Pan Macmillan); The Emperor’s Children, Claire Messud (Pan Macmillan); The End of Mr Y, Scarlett Thomas (Penguin); Measuring the World, Daniel Kehlman (Book Promotions); Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, Paul Torday (Jonathan Ball).
Set during World War 11 in Germany and narrated by the voice of Death, The Book Thief is the story of a young orphan girl who steals books. With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, she learns to read and shares her stolen books with her neighbours during the bombing raids, and with the Jewish boxer hidden in her basement before he is marched off to Dachau.
Commenting on winning, Markus Zusak said he was “absolutely thrilled and honoured to receive the Boeke Prize. The idea behind the award is the very reason I started writing...When I was sixteen, I was suddenly reading books that had me turning pages without noticing. I was inside the world of those books. I was living them, believing them completely, and that was when I said: this is what I want to do with my life. I want to be a writer and nothing is going to stop me. Those books performed the magic act of compelling me to believe, and to keep reading, because that story and those characters were the most important thing to me at that point in time.
“Winning an award that celebrates books in that spirit is something I'm still finding hard to believe. It's even harder to fathom given the competition for the award. The authors on that list are people I would find myself stuttering in front of while I ask for their signature in one of their books, so I am honoured more than you can imagine.”
In a written statement, Mr Zusak said he regretted not being able to be at the awards party held in Sandton last night (Tuesday 25 September 2007) as receiving the prize in person was “definitely one of those moments you don’t want to miss”. He dedicated the award to his parents, who not only had brilliant stories but knew how to tell them. “Without them, this book would not exist, and I wouldn’t be a writer,” he said.
[25 September 2007]
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Letter to all customers who missed their copy of Harry Potter on the launch weekend
Dear customer,
We are amazed at your response to the launch of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. What we sold in two weeks last time is what we sold in two days this year. Thank you for all your tremendous support.
We certainly agree, that as you had pre-booked and prepaid for your book, you would have expected that your book would be ready and waiting for you. We are sorry that the demand for this book exceeded our supply, and that we were not able to get all pre-ordered book to all our customers.
This is the result of a series of unfortunate events.:
We had customers who pre-ordered in one shop, and collected in another store. This made it difficult to predict how many pre-paid books should be allocated to each store. In addition, a short-delivery from the publisher by 80% of particularly the adult edition has meant that many stores gave customers who may have ordered the adult edition the children's edition instead. They then ran low of the children's edition.
We, and the books' distributor Jonathan Ball, are doing absolutely everything in our power to rush books to meet the needs of you, our valued customer.
We understand should you wish to claim a refund for your pre-ordered book, and assure you that you will still be rewarded with your 600 bonus Fanatics points. We hope that this in some way compensates for your disappointment, and we hope that the pleasure of finally delving into Harry's world will make up for it.
[23 July 2007]
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Exclusive Books chooses parties over price for Harry Potter launch
The imminent release of JK Rowlings' Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows has once again sparked a controversial price war between many booksellers and general retailers in South Africa.
Leading national bookseller Exclusive Books is opposed to the practice of undercutting prices and has described the practice as opportunistic.
Exclusive Books's marketing manager Batya Green comments, "It is ethically unfair and economically unsound in any market to compete by undercutting prices - The phenomenal sales of the Harry Potter books benefit small independents and national retailers alike and more importantly provide a healthy boost for the book industry, all of which is undermined by unsustainable price cuts."
"The book business is very different to any other retail - it's about selling far fewer quantities of a much wider range of items (we probably stock more line items than Pick 'n Pay). It is a duty as booksellers to sell a wide range of books, representative of the body of reading material available - a shop like Hyde Park has around 30 000 titles on their current system. Again, unlike other retailers, we can hold stock for up to 18 months. These factors mean that we do not have the luxury of deep discounting as a FMCG retailer like Pick 'n Pay might have."
Green Bricker concludes, "We believe in rewarding our customers by adding value rather than by undercutting our competitors; We are committed to nurturing a love of reading in children and with this in mind we have chosen to enrich the launch of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows for our customers, by hosting a series parties across South Africa that bring the books to life and celebrate the event in style."
[19 July 2007]
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Exclusive Books Kloof Street is Renovating
Kloof Street customers will be delighted to know that we are revamping our Kloof Street store to bring it up to the standard of our very best stores in South Africa. Our Kloof Street branch will be closed from 24 June 2007 and run from temporary premises from 28 June. The new store will open in October 2007.
We apologise for inconvenience during the renovations. Your nearest stores are at Constantia Village, V&A Waterfront and Cavendish Square.
[22 June 2007]
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Exclusive Books One Club Prize 2007 winners announced
Our young readers have cast their votes and their favourite book out of the
six books on the 2007 shortlist is:
THE KILLING SEA by Richard Lewis.
In second place is: THE BOY IN STRIPED PYJAMAS by John Boyne
And in third place: DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE by Peter Abrahams.
[20 June 2007]
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Exclusive Books launches the 101 Books to Read Before You Die list
The creation of the novel has unlocked a world as extraordinary as the millions of hearts and minds that have shaped it. To celebrate, Exclusive Books would like to present the Exclusive Books 101 Books To Read Before You Die list. The books that made the list are the books you've read, re-read and always wanted to read. Books which have made the list have defined eras, created friends instead of characters, entertained generation upon generation and have become true legends of literature.
So how did we go about choosing the 101 best books?
Selecting the 101 Books To Read Before You Die was no simple task. That's why we consulted the experts. You. Exclusive Books Fanatics members across South Africa were given the opportunity to vote for their 10 favourite fiction titles of all time. The nomination period lasted for two weeks and over 35000 votes were received.
With only 10 traditional classics on the list, plus a strong selection of fantasy, South African and children's books and a host of contemporary cult titles featured, the list also promises to be thought-provoking and contentious.
The 101 Books To Read Before You Die booklet is available for a short time only at Exclusive Books stores countrywide.
Click here to see the full list.
[17 June 2007]
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New Exclusive Books branch opens at Greenstone Mall, Edenvale
Exclusive Books is proud to announce the opening of our newest store in Gauteng - at the new Greenstone Shopping Mall, Shop L113, Modderfontein Road, Edenvale. Exclusive Books now has over 40 stores nationwide and in Botswana and with the opening of the Greenstone Mall branch, we take a step further toward serving our customers where they are.
The newly launched Greenstone Mall branch officially opened on 26 April 2007 and offers a quality range of titles, excellent service and experience synonymous with Exclusive Books. The store manager, Sharon Naidoo, invites you to visit her new store.
Participate in one of our many competitions and be informed on promotions happening this month, such as our Homebru selection; our celebration of local talent. Or simply come in and browse all the latest releases.
We look forward to your visit.
The Greenstone branch's contact details:
Tel / Fax: (011) 553 5560/1/2
[17 May 2007]
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Older news stories:
Exclusive Books asks South Africa’s young design talent to bag it
[17 April 2008]
2008 Homebru explores the politics and people of our own backyard
[3 April 2008]
The Exclusive Books Children’s Best Books Guide
[15 March 2008]
Exclusive Books and Steve Hofmeyr celebrate new Irene Village Mall store
[7 February 2008]
Exclusive Books launches “The Exclusive Books List”
[19 October 2007]
Markus Zusak’s ‘The Book Thief’ scoops judges vote for the 2007 Boeke Prize
[25 September 2007]
Letter to all customers who missed their copy of Harry Potter on the launch weekend
[23 July 2007]
Exclusive Books chooses parties over price for Harry Potter launch
[19 July 2007]
Exclusive Books Kloof Street is Renovating
[22 June 2007]
Exclusive Books One Club Prize 2007 winners announced
[20 June 2007]
Exclusive Books launches the 101 Books to Read Before You Die list
[17 June 2007]
New Exclusive Books branch opens at Greenstone Mall, Edenvale
[17 May 2007]
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