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arctos_the_sixth's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
4.0
katykelly's review against another edition
5.0
Perfect for book lovers, fascinating glimpse behind the scenes and a reminder that monopolies on book are changing the industry forever...
It's funny, it's fascinating, it's got the ring of truth. A diary of a bookseller's life in his shop.
We hear about the customers who come in to find out when the next bus is, we hear about what books are requested, how a shop gets its stock, the highs and lows of the year - and a lot of comments on how the big retailers are changing the market completely.
Bythell tells it 'like it is', with days of few takings, of customers requesting discounts, of children snuggling in the corner spellbound by a novel, of people selling books to the shop that turn out to be valuable.
I loved it - as a librarian and book lover who uses Amazon (sorry!) it really did show the difference between an 'older' world of buying books, with professionals who know their stock, their prices, their authors and the modern world of cut-price paperbacks and expectations of mint condition early editions.
Amusing, bittersweet and a look at what may one day become merely a quaint-seeming part of our literary history. May the book shop never die out.
I enjoyed the narrator of this (audio version), who gave the diarist a world-weary yet still hopeful tone as he chronicled the daily grind and little triumphs of the business.
It's funny, it's fascinating, it's got the ring of truth. A diary of a bookseller's life in his shop.
We hear about the customers who come in to find out when the next bus is, we hear about what books are requested, how a shop gets its stock, the highs and lows of the year - and a lot of comments on how the big retailers are changing the market completely.
Bythell tells it 'like it is', with days of few takings, of customers requesting discounts, of children snuggling in the corner spellbound by a novel, of people selling books to the shop that turn out to be valuable.
I loved it - as a librarian and book lover who uses Amazon (sorry!) it really did show the difference between an 'older' world of buying books, with professionals who know their stock, their prices, their authors and the modern world of cut-price paperbacks and expectations of mint condition early editions.
Amusing, bittersweet and a look at what may one day become merely a quaint-seeming part of our literary history. May the book shop never die out.
I enjoyed the narrator of this (audio version), who gave the diarist a world-weary yet still hopeful tone as he chronicled the daily grind and little triumphs of the business.
ageekybibliophile's review against another edition
4.0
This was such an enjoyable read about the life of the book seller Shaun. The characters are real and after reading a couple of pages you feel as if you know them, I loved Nicky she was fun. I also loved the random interactions customers has in the store. The epilogue did make me tear up a wee bit as you remember that these people are real and life does in fact move on. Defo worth a read.
tonyrg's review against another edition
Just a question of taste. The initial charm
had worn off. What insight I hoped for was given, but as there is little story to follow I eventually found it a little mundane. I find Bythell quite witty, and the characters that move through the bookshop all have their charming quirks.
had worn off. What insight I hoped for was given, but as there is little story to follow I eventually found it a little mundane. I find Bythell quite witty, and the characters that move through the bookshop all have their charming quirks.
alanaheade's review against another edition
3.0
This was very enjoyable, it was very nice to read about terrible customers instead of experiencing them for once. This part I found particularly relatable:
"When I asked her for the money, the customer - an elderly, well spoken woman - spat '£16.50? That's daylight robbery, I am not paying that for an old book.' I followed her to the door and watched as she got into her brand-new Range Rover and drove off."
Funny how bookshop customers in Scotland are very similar to chocolate shop customers in Melbourne.
"When I asked her for the money, the customer - an elderly, well spoken woman - spat '£16.50? That's daylight robbery, I am not paying that for an old book.' I followed her to the door and watched as she got into her brand-new Range Rover and drove off."
Funny how bookshop customers in Scotland are very similar to chocolate shop customers in Melbourne.