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4.1 AVERAGE
4.1 AVERAGE
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
As usual, this bookshop memoir made me chuckle and yearn for a simple but full life such as that one might find in Wigtown. I actually looked up The Open Book, which is the bookstore airbnb in that town, and even though the memoir tracks the year 2016, the airbnb is still operating. If it weren't for the fact that it would do nothing for my husband, I'd probably see about booking that busman's holiday. Although, perhaps it might be a bit too "behind the curtain" to actually go there, after reading all about it. Still though, my heart beats a little harder each time I read one of these diaries. It's a lovely description of what seems like a satisfying life in the book trade. This one has a coda that makes it seem as if it might be the last one -- I can't be sure, but it felt a bit like an ending. I hope not, because I like to look in on Wigtown once in a while.
Very good! Diary of 2016 showed that Shaun is slowly getting grumpier and grumpier! The epilogue has some unexpected twists and would love future diaries to learn how these ended up occuring!
Shaun posted today about rewriting his 2017 diaries so hope soon we get the next year of diaries! Defo been by favourite books this year and would read the series again!
Shaun posted today about rewriting his 2017 diaries so hope soon we get the next year of diaries! Defo been by favourite books this year and would read the series again!
Full review here: https://theresnoenjoymentlikereading.co.uk/remainders-of-the-day/
Bythell's diaries make me feel like I'm working in a bookstore again, where even the irritations can provide fodder for entertainment.
Saved this one for a comfort read during the holidays, and what an excellent decision. I could read many, many books about this quirky, bookish small town community.
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
informative
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
I really enjoyed this, just like I did with the others in this collection. I just enjoy reading about the odd characters that come into the shop and just getting the author’s day to day life as a bookshop owner. I am glad we got that epilogue and I hope we get another book as I want to hear about his life is like now with his change in personal life. I still want to visit the shop one day as it just seems like a book lovers dream. Overall, a good interesting read.
Content Warnings
Minor: Death, Mental illness, Terminal illness, Pandemic/Epidemic
Pandemic only mentioned in the epilogue and all others are not mentioned in any detail but death and mental illness is mentioned a few times through out as someone is dealing with it or death being a reason for someone selling the books.
About one third in, I decided to DNF this book for now. It's not that I don't like it as such, but I decided I'm reading it in the wrong way: since the book is a written account (almost like a diary) of the going ons in the bookstore, I'm going to pick it up again when the next year has caught up with the daily entries I've read. From there on, I think I'll rejoin again, reading only a short, daily entry, 'living along' the pace of the book.