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3.71 AVERAGE
3.71 AVERAGE
I cannot remember the last time I slowed down my reading of a book to savour it for longer. I am genuinely sad to have finished reading it, but very glad I bought it. The author has a wonderful tone and his ability to portray seemingly mundane events as riveting is just brilliant. I found myself right there in the bookshop and town for every day of the diary; the descriptions of the places and people were beautifully captured and I felt physically transported - I could see and feel the fire, I could read Nicky’s bookshelf signs, I could taste the Morrison’s Friday treats, and I have such strong images of Sandy the Pagan’s sticks. Not since the Quiet American have I felt so much a part of a book, though this one was a lot cosier a feel! This is probably going to be my stand out read of 2021.
medium-paced
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
funny
informative
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
That was a fun, quick read, but it made no sense to me that the author could do the things he did and have (a) a solvent business or (b) customers, employees, or colleagues who didn't beat him to a pulp. Also, the author's idea of a bookseller don't match those of any bookstore owner I've ever known. Call me a quibbler. But for me, nonfiction and memoir need credible narratives as much as fiction does. And this book failed that basic test. Also, based on this book, I don’t much like the author, and I just spent a year of his life with him.
Then again, perhaps the whole book was meant as a joke on people who take things literally, and really it's all nothing like the way he's portrayed it, in which case the joke's on me!
Either way, the book has lots of amusing spots but I got tired of it, and of the ridiculously hard to read font and format, and of the author, before the book was done. Your experience may differ.
Then again, perhaps the whole book was meant as a joke on people who take things literally, and really it's all nothing like the way he's portrayed it, in which case the joke's on me!
Either way, the book has lots of amusing spots but I got tired of it, and of the ridiculously hard to read font and format, and of the author, before the book was done. Your experience may differ.
Have just devoured this. Horah for witty diaries and horah for bookshops. I wanted to crack straight on with the next one, except it seems it won't be out in paperback until September. You can't curl up with a hardback.
This is the diary of a bookshop owner in Wigtown, in Galloway, Scotland. A year in the life, in 2014 and it really does feel like you get to expire what it is to own and run a second hand bookshop without taking on the commitment or the hard work. I love my books, and maybe I have a romanticised idea of owning a bookshop and skipping up and down the shelves in great joy, but this has made me realise I wouldn't want to own a bookshop. Don't get me wrong, the love for the books is here and it's a great read, but here are my observations:
1. You have to deal with the general public. Idiots and annoying people.
2. You will read less and have less magical love for the books because it is your relentless job. And you take boxes and boxes of unsellable paperbacks for recycling - a thought that has me feeling a little ill
3. You will be struggling against the might of Amazon. I was under no illusion about Amazon, but some of his observations are quite eye opening as to what Amazon will be destroying, in regards to independent shops, community... but also to creativity and writing - because their effects go all the way through the system. And less sellable books, unknown authers etc will struggle more and more to ever be published.
4. You don't have a life. Your life is your work. In the year this guy has afternoons off now and then to go fishing, mountainbiking or whatever, and has a couple of weekends away, including Christmas, but other than that he is always working. The turnover means he simply can't afford other full time staff.
It's full of wonderful off the cuff remarks, odd observations of the crazy world of humanity and staff and regulars. Oh Mr Deacon, what an oddity you were. It's so sad to read in the afterword that he was really suffering with the Alzheimers. Or the wonderfully mad part time employee Nicky. And now she works elsewhere.
Oh, and the book has a cat. What more do you need?
I discovered this book because the shop's website put a video on facebook basically strolling through the bookshop. It's covid-19 and lockdown and I can't stroll through bookshops and browse, so I loved this. And hence how I discovered the book. BUT here's the thing. In 2017 I was on holiday in Galloway - it's a wonderful corner of Scotland. Beautiful but very much not on the tourist trail so you can go there and not see many people - bliss! I went to Wigtown for a morning, got a bit giddy at the thought of all those bookshops (over 12 when I was there) but was all booked out by 5 shops. I was very restrained and only bought 3 books. Two from a shop that might have been called the OLD BYRE.... it was in an old wooden farmshed in a garden... and one from a shop on the square which might have been the bookshop but I think might have been down the far bottom corner. But I know I went into the bookshop and in my usual odd ways enjoyed it so much I took photos of the interior the way other people take landscape photos so I could remember the wonderfulness. I don't remember the kindle (shot) but I do remember the fire, armchairs, the skeleton playing the fiddle... I love browsing places like this and it will be a sad day if all such places disappear.
This is the diary of a bookshop owner in Wigtown, in Galloway, Scotland. A year in the life, in 2014 and it really does feel like you get to expire what it is to own and run a second hand bookshop without taking on the commitment or the hard work. I love my books, and maybe I have a romanticised idea of owning a bookshop and skipping up and down the shelves in great joy, but this has made me realise I wouldn't want to own a bookshop. Don't get me wrong, the love for the books is here and it's a great read, but here are my observations:
1. You have to deal with the general public. Idiots and annoying people.
2. You will read less and have less magical love for the books because it is your relentless job. And you take boxes and boxes of unsellable paperbacks for recycling - a thought that has me feeling a little ill
3. You will be struggling against the might of Amazon. I was under no illusion about Amazon, but some of his observations are quite eye opening as to what Amazon will be destroying, in regards to independent shops, community... but also to creativity and writing - because their effects go all the way through the system. And less sellable books, unknown authers etc will struggle more and more to ever be published.
4. You don't have a life. Your life is your work. In the year this guy has afternoons off now and then to go fishing, mountainbiking or whatever, and has a couple of weekends away, including Christmas, but other than that he is always working. The turnover means he simply can't afford other full time staff.
It's full of wonderful off the cuff remarks, odd observations of the crazy world of humanity and staff and regulars. Oh Mr Deacon, what an oddity you were. It's so sad to read in the afterword that he was really suffering with the Alzheimers. Or the wonderfully mad part time employee Nicky. And now she works elsewhere.
Oh, and the book has a cat. What more do you need?
I discovered this book because the shop's website put a video on facebook basically strolling through the bookshop. It's covid-19 and lockdown and I can't stroll through bookshops and browse, so I loved this. And hence how I discovered the book. BUT here's the thing. In 2017 I was on holiday in Galloway - it's a wonderful corner of Scotland. Beautiful but very much not on the tourist trail so you can go there and not see many people - bliss! I went to Wigtown for a morning, got a bit giddy at the thought of all those bookshops (over 12 when I was there) but was all booked out by 5 shops. I was very restrained and only bought 3 books. Two from a shop that might have been called the OLD BYRE.... it was in an old wooden farmshed in a garden... and one from a shop on the square which might have been the bookshop but I think might have been down the far bottom corner. But I know I went into the bookshop and in my usual odd ways enjoyed it so much I took photos of the interior the way other people take landscape photos so I could remember the wonderfulness. I don't remember the kindle (shot) but I do remember the fire, armchairs, the skeleton playing the fiddle... I love browsing places like this and it will be a sad day if all such places disappear.
Дневникът на един книжар е точно това - дневник, ден по ден, на собственик на антикварна книжарница в Англия.
Чрез него можем да надникнем, донякъде, в бизнеса с антикварни книги, който си отива в момента на писането на книгата и вече е съвсем убит от Амазон и интернет търговията. Съответно, голямата част от обема на дневника се запълва от досадното мрънкане на автора как Амазон и интернет търговията му убиват бизнеса и колко е трудно да си книжар.
Може би това е прословутият "английски хумор" или може би просто Шон Бител е досаден мрънкач. Едно от двете, но по-скоро второто.
Чрез него можем да надникнем, донякъде, в бизнеса с антикварни книги, който си отива в момента на писането на книгата и вече е съвсем убит от Амазон и интернет търговията. Съответно, голямата част от обема на дневника се запълва от досадното мрънкане на автора как Амазон и интернет търговията му убиват бизнеса и колко е трудно да си книжар.
Може би това е прословутият "английски хумор" или може би просто Шон Бител е досаден мрънкач. Едно от двете, но по-скоро второто.
funny
informative
relaxing
slow-paced
This is a cute read and the audiobook has Shaun narrating. I felt it getting a bit repetitive and dry by the end. Funny but a bit long.
Lovely, I spent the afternoon in a Scottish bookshop.
A diary of the work life and personal life of a bookseller, providing stats about books sold, and whether they were online, number of customers, etc. alongside stories of customer interaction, book purchases, and problem employees.
It's meant to be entertaining, but I didn't really find it so.
It's meant to be entertaining, but I didn't really find it so.