Take a photo of a barcode or cover
A review by darling_beige
The Bookseller's Tale by Martin Latham
5.0
If you could see my face right now it is one of pure bliss and contentment. A book about the history of books, “The Booksellers Tale” was a hidden gem along the front counter of my local independent bookstore and I’m so glad I was drawn to it.
By exploring the history of books through the eyes of past collectors, sellers, admirers, critics, Pedlars, printers, publishers and authors, Latham’s thoughts, anecdotes and insights are imbued with a sense of awe and deep love for not only the physical objects of books, but the stories which they hold within, and their personal journeys throughout the changing physical and spiritual events of humanity.
I’m just so struck but how connected I felt to so many of these individuals mentioned. How their personal experiences and love for books has inspired within me a deeper respect for the impactful nature of “The Story,” as well as the physical placement of books. Whether they are situated in crates along the Seine, displayed lovingly within an expansive personal collection, curated in a public library, or waiting patiently on a shelf under the dim light of a bookstore, books and their physical placeholders hold so much magic and potential.
This book, I believe, was the physical manifestation of my passion for books that I truly needed at this singular moment in time. As I stand on the threshold of a new chapter in my life, beginning University, and all my aspirations for such an endeavour, this book has shown me every way in which such a passion can manifest within a life. It has sparked that little fire within me that has always wanted to be a bookseller, if only for a moment. It has shown me the power of the written word in catapulting a philosophical movement, and it has instilled within me a determination that my passion, and the deep desire I felt for books whilst reading this, shall never be lost, and instead, shall always be nurtured, so that a simple passion may grow into a happy and fulfilling vocation.
By exploring the history of books through the eyes of past collectors, sellers, admirers, critics, Pedlars, printers, publishers and authors, Latham’s thoughts, anecdotes and insights are imbued with a sense of awe and deep love for not only the physical objects of books, but the stories which they hold within, and their personal journeys throughout the changing physical and spiritual events of humanity.
I’m just so struck but how connected I felt to so many of these individuals mentioned. How their personal experiences and love for books has inspired within me a deeper respect for the impactful nature of “The Story,” as well as the physical placement of books. Whether they are situated in crates along the Seine, displayed lovingly within an expansive personal collection, curated in a public library, or waiting patiently on a shelf under the dim light of a bookstore, books and their physical placeholders hold so much magic and potential.
This book, I believe, was the physical manifestation of my passion for books that I truly needed at this singular moment in time. As I stand on the threshold of a new chapter in my life, beginning University, and all my aspirations for such an endeavour, this book has shown me every way in which such a passion can manifest within a life. It has sparked that little fire within me that has always wanted to be a bookseller, if only for a moment. It has shown me the power of the written word in catapulting a philosophical movement, and it has instilled within me a determination that my passion, and the deep desire I felt for books whilst reading this, shall never be lost, and instead, shall always be nurtured, so that a simple passion may grow into a happy and fulfilling vocation.