Reflections From a Bookshop Window

by Clive Linklater

196 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1994

Reviews

[Rogue Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit wacky but ultimately admirable narrative of a year in a British bookseller's life. Hastings has lots of them, but this one, Clive Linklater, is hard working though somewhat hapless, and has a scheme. His scheme - his dream - is to progressively reinvest earnings in ever more expensive stock to come out ahead, really ahead, at the end of the year.

Well written, if a bit whiney which perfectly suits the author's striving and self-caricature. Such a hard working bloke, for such little gain in an honorable, historic trade. Maybe someday I'll get to Hastings.

[Deb (Readerbuzz) Nance · Rating 3 out of 5]

Clive Linklater runs a used-books bookshop in Hastings in England. He comes up with a scheme to buy a book for two and a half pounds and sell it for twice that, and then continue reinvesting in successively more and more expensive books while selling them for twice their initial cost. This book is a diary of his adventures in this experiment.

It's a little book for anyone who enjoys, or thinks they might enjoy, the selling of used books.

[Kara · Rating 3 out of 5]

A diary format of the life of a used book dealer in England. It is definitely showing it's age and makes you wonder why he stays in business. The round and round with the other book shop owners and the descriptions of trying to understand how auctions work are ongoing funny parts. I wonder if Shaun Bythell read this before writing his books. It seems curmudgeonly behavior is common in used book shops.

#52bookclub2022 prompt 2 featuring a book store

[Kristin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Written over twenty years ago before the internet changed secondhand bookselling completely. I was dismayed by how awful secondhand bookselling sounded. Of course, the author exaggerates immensely. I had a hard time determining if the stories he was relating were true. I didn't think that they could be true.

[may · Rating 1 out of 5]

folie comment c'était chiant ouah. D'habitude lire des journaux intimes me dérange pas mais là c'était vraiment à dormir debout