ecooper99 's review for:

The Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians by Matt Eversmann, James Patterson

2.75

informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

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Having worked in four bookstores over the course of my career, I thought this book would be right up my alley. I was looking forward to reading about other booksellers' and librarians' experiences and feeling a sense of connection to people who, like me, love the world of books. But wow, was I ever disappointed.

First, let’s talk about the writing. It’s basic, almost juvenile. I’m no literary snob, but I expected a book about the magic of reading to have a bit more substance. The essays were short, repetitive, and felt like they were written for a much younger audience. This was my first time reading anything by James Patterson, and if this is his usual style, I think I’ll pass on the rest of his work.

The repetition was my biggest issue. Every story seemed to follow the same formula: “I love books, I help people find books, working in this industry is harder than you think, censorship is bad, and oh, by the way, I love James Patterson!” I get it: people love reading. But after about a dozen variations of the same sentiment, it all started to feel redundant. I felt like I was reading the same essay on repeat.

Also, where are the international voices? This book exclusively features American booksellers and librarians. Are there no booksellers anywhere else in the world? I would have loved to hear more diverse perspectives. What a missed opportunity to celebrate the global love of books.

And then there’s the praise for James Patterson. I mean, I get that he co-wrote the book, but the constant shout-outs to how amazing he is got old fast. It made me feel like I was reading an extended advertisement for his work. It was hard to focus on the real magic of bookselling when every other essay seemed to slip in some form of “Oh, and James Patterson is the best! We all LOVE him!”

On the positive side, there were a few interesting stories that stood out, but they were few and far between. In the end, I found myself wondering why I was reading it at all. There’s nothing here that’s particularly insightful, entertaining, or thought-provoking. If you’re passionate about books, you already know the good parts. Skip this one.