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The Diary of a Bookseller #2
Neue Bekenntnisse eines Buchhändlers: Die Fortsetzung des Kult-Bestsellers aus Schottland
A memoir of a year in the life of a Scottish used bookseller as he stays afloat while managing staff, customers, and life in the village of Wigtown.
Inside a Georgian townhouse on the Wigtown highroad, jammed with more than 100,000 books and a portly cat named Captain, Shaun Bythell manages the daily ups and downs of largest bookshop, with internet and Amazon presence. Shaun drives to distant houses to buy private libraries, meditates on the nature of independent bookstores ("There really does seem to be a serendipity about bookshops, not just with finding books you never knew existed, or that you've been searching for, but with people too."), and, of course, finds books for himself because he's a reader, too.
Inside a Georgian townhouse on the Wigtown highroad, jammed with more than 100,000 books and a portly cat named Captain, Shaun Bythell manages the daily ups and downs of largest bookshop, with internet and Amazon presence. Shaun drives to distant houses to buy private libraries, meditates on the nature of independent bookstores ("There really does seem to be a serendipity about bookshops, not just with finding books you never knew existed, or that you've been searching for, but with people too."), and, of course, finds books for himself because he's a reader, too.
465 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 29, 2019
781 people are currently reading
12353 people want to read
About the author
Shaun Bythell
7 books1,299 followersShaun Bythell is the owner of The Bookshop in Wigtown, Scotland's National Book Town, and also one of the organisers of the Wigtown Festival.
When not working amongst The Bookshop’s mile of shelving, Shaun’s hobbies include eavesdropping on customers, uploading book-themed re-workings of Sugarhill Gang songs to YouTube and shooting Amazon Kindles in the wild.
https://www.facebook.com/thebookshopw...
When not working amongst The Bookshop’s mile of shelving, Shaun’s hobbies include eavesdropping on customers, uploading book-themed re-workings of Sugarhill Gang songs to YouTube and shooting Amazon Kindles in the wild.
https://www.facebook.com/thebookshopw...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,235 reviews
August 19, 2019
Shaun Bythell takes us through a year of his life in 2015 as a second hand bookseller, a financially precarious business, in the small Scottish town of Wigtown. This is a biographical read guaranteed to delight all of us book obsessives and those curious about the nature of the book trade in all its glories and vagaries, narrated by a man who describes himself as both cantankerous and a curmudgeon. It is in the format of a diary, where every entry gives us information on the amount of online orders and orders found, the day's weather, the total taken at the till and the number of customers who come into the shop. Nicky, a woman in her late forties, is the sole remaining employee left with her foodie Fridays and there are belly dancing classes that take place in the store. The bookshop has over a mile of shelving, real log fires, a dream destination for all book lovers.
Bythell gives us a real sense of Wigtown's community, that includes many from from various parts of Europe and the American Anna, Shaun's partner for five years, who has slotted into the area with ease, although their relationship breaks up, thanks to what he refers as his fear of commitment, as he continues to miss her. We follow him as he makes trips to buy book collections and meets their owners, books sent to FBA (fulfilled by Amazon), because there is insufficient space in the shop, despite his hatred of Amazon and Kindles. He finds scraps of paper in old books that turn out to be worth a lot more valuable than he could ever have expected. His love of books is unmistakable, the pleasure he gets from handling books, and from reading. His descriptions and accounts of customers are a joy to read about, some real oddballs abound, such as those who cannot differentiate between a bookshop and a library, in search of a book they have practically no information about, and many other embarrassing scenarios.
This is a fun and entertaining read, often hilarious, that provides a real sense of place and community, of the memorable Shaun, his life and his bookshop. It is full of eccentric and quirky characters, not to mention the unforgettable Granny, home invasions and book festivals. I can imagine it appealing to many readers, many of whom probably dream of running a bookstore, with its eye opening account of just how difficult it is to survive in this business sector. Highly recommended! Many thanks to Profile Books for an ARC.
Bythell gives us a real sense of Wigtown's community, that includes many from from various parts of Europe and the American Anna, Shaun's partner for five years, who has slotted into the area with ease, although their relationship breaks up, thanks to what he refers as his fear of commitment, as he continues to miss her. We follow him as he makes trips to buy book collections and meets their owners, books sent to FBA (fulfilled by Amazon), because there is insufficient space in the shop, despite his hatred of Amazon and Kindles. He finds scraps of paper in old books that turn out to be worth a lot more valuable than he could ever have expected. His love of books is unmistakable, the pleasure he gets from handling books, and from reading. His descriptions and accounts of customers are a joy to read about, some real oddballs abound, such as those who cannot differentiate between a bookshop and a library, in search of a book they have practically no information about, and many other embarrassing scenarios.
This is a fun and entertaining read, often hilarious, that provides a real sense of place and community, of the memorable Shaun, his life and his bookshop. It is full of eccentric and quirky characters, not to mention the unforgettable Granny, home invasions and book festivals. I can imagine it appealing to many readers, many of whom probably dream of running a bookstore, with its eye opening account of just how difficult it is to survive in this business sector. Highly recommended! Many thanks to Profile Books for an ARC.
November 12, 2019
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
After enjoying the first book from Shaun Bythell, The Diary of a Bookseller, I was excited to read more diary installments from Shaun Bythell's life as a second hand book seller in Wigtown. I wasn't disappointed. This is full of the charm of the original book, with Bythell's usual introspective views on life, love and buying and selling books to various oddball customers.
Although misanthropic, Bythell still manages to come across as genuinely witty and down to earth. His interactions with staff members are a particular highlight, as he affectionately records what Nicky has brought in from the Morrison's dumpsters on a Friday and the amount of food that Granny can pack away. It's also the people of Wigtown, from Fiona next door to the grumpy postmaster, that seem to make Shaun more grounded and relatable to the reader. There are a few rather poignant moments scattered throughout the documented year that managed to elicit emotion from Shaun that may otherwise have been lost among the more lighthearted chapters and offhand comments if it weren't for his neighbors. I also really enjoyed the interactions with customers and sellers, and found it fascinating to read about the types of people who have large book collections to sell on various, often rather niche, topics.
I also enjoyed the starting chapters for each month, which include an extract from an parody novel about booksellers, followed by Shaun's own interpretation on the subject matter and various insights into the trade itself. The paragraphs on book binding and book plates I found particularly interesting. Bythell''s writing style is also always fun, and the chapters are quick and easy to read, flowing well. This made it easy to put down and pick up, and I finished it quickly.
As the previous novel, this is a fun and insightful look into life as a second hand bookseller that will interest anyone with a love of books.
After enjoying the first book from Shaun Bythell, The Diary of a Bookseller, I was excited to read more diary installments from Shaun Bythell's life as a second hand book seller in Wigtown. I wasn't disappointed. This is full of the charm of the original book, with Bythell's usual introspective views on life, love and buying and selling books to various oddball customers.
Although misanthropic, Bythell still manages to come across as genuinely witty and down to earth. His interactions with staff members are a particular highlight, as he affectionately records what Nicky has brought in from the Morrison's dumpsters on a Friday and the amount of food that Granny can pack away. It's also the people of Wigtown, from Fiona next door to the grumpy postmaster, that seem to make Shaun more grounded and relatable to the reader. There are a few rather poignant moments scattered throughout the documented year that managed to elicit emotion from Shaun that may otherwise have been lost among the more lighthearted chapters and offhand comments if it weren't for his neighbors. I also really enjoyed the interactions with customers and sellers, and found it fascinating to read about the types of people who have large book collections to sell on various, often rather niche, topics.
I also enjoyed the starting chapters for each month, which include an extract from an parody novel about booksellers, followed by Shaun's own interpretation on the subject matter and various insights into the trade itself. The paragraphs on book binding and book plates I found particularly interesting. Bythell''s writing style is also always fun, and the chapters are quick and easy to read, flowing well. This made it easy to put down and pick up, and I finished it quickly.
As the previous novel, this is a fun and insightful look into life as a second hand bookseller that will interest anyone with a love of books.
November 5, 2020
This was great fun! Having worked in both a bookshop, and a public library, I was practically snorting at all the been-there-done-that scenarios presented by Bythell. (How many times have I had to come down the ladder to answer a question about the wifi password, or give directions to the restrooms? The world may never know . . . ) I think this title would be enjoyed by anyone who has ever worked in the book trade, or perhaps dreamed of owning their own book store. I highly recommend the audio book, read by Peter Kenny. He does exasperation very well.
January 4, 2022
One year in the life of bookseller Shaun Bythell, told in the form of a diary.
I enjoyed this although it was not quite as charming as the first book. There were moments when events were a little dull and I also felt that Shaun was not always funny with his comments about his customers. Maybe he needs a career change! I was also sad to see important characters like Anna and Nicky disappearing.
So although Confessions of a Bookseller was really good in parts and had many funny and quotable moments the overall feeling was a little sad.
I enjoyed this although it was not quite as charming as the first book. There were moments when events were a little dull and I also felt that Shaun was not always funny with his comments about his customers. Maybe he needs a career change! I was also sad to see important characters like Anna and Nicky disappearing.
So although Confessions of a Bookseller was really good in parts and had many funny and quotable moments the overall feeling was a little sad.
January 23, 2021
Confessions of a Bookseller by Shaun Bythell is a most enjoyable audiobook. The author owns a bookstore in Scotland and fills this book with bits of conversations between the book browsers and the staff. It is a laugh-out-loud kind of book due to the dry wit of Shaun Bythell. In this day and age, bookshop owners are to be admired and encouraged: the battle against Amazon is always threatening. Only people who love books own independent bookstores and they have seen it all when it comes to what a customer is looking for. And Bythell’s dedication shines through. Highly recommended.
July 5, 2020
More of the same, but I enjoyed it as much as his first book. Light reading in worrying times.
March 27, 2020
Another enjoyable diary of a year in the life of a used bookseller in Scotland. Like the previous book, I read a few entries every night. I see from the GR blurb that this is being made into a TV series. I sure hope we can get it here in the states.
September 14, 2020
I enjoyed this book and would especially recommend it for those who read and liked The Diary of a Bookseller by the same author. He owns the second largest second-hand bookstore in Scotland (in Wigtown, situated in the southwest of Scotland).
I could have sworn Nicky left for another job by the end of the last book, but she is back in this book. She’s pretty funny. Shaun at times pays her compliments (to us, not her) but mostly he is down on her (to the reader, I don’t know whether to her personally…I get the feeling he does not ridicule her to her face). A young woman from Italy volunteers to work at the bookshop the entire summer for free in exchange for room and board. Her name is Emanuela but soon after she starts work, because she is always complaining about her various maladies, she acquires the nickname of Granny. I dunno…. maybe the first time she playfully swears to Shaun, it is somewhat shocking but humorous but thereafter it gets a bit old as she swears like a sailor in many of his diary entries. Oh, I forgot to mention. This is his diary of his life and his bookstore starting from January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2015. At the beginning and end of each entry he informs us about such minutiae as what’s in the till, how many customers he had that day, number of online orders and orders found. Each month starts off with a passage from another book about second-hand bookshops and selling: The Intimate Thoughts of John Baxter, Bookseller by Augustus Muir (London, Methuen & Co. Ltd.,1942).
Oh yeah and he has this annoying habit of feeding back to us how Emanuela/Granny talks…. I guess it was supposed to be funny but it started to get a bit old for me.
• “I like to read-a books-a which have been read by many, many people. I love-a the folded corners of books-a because it makes me wonder what caused the person to stop a-reading at this point? What-a happened? Did the cat need-a to be fed? Did the police-a knock on the door-a to tell you that your husband had been killed? Or did you just need-a go for a piss? All of these-a things, all of them make you fink about-a the other people who have read-a the book.” Ha- ha….that is a-funny.
Bythell is the same sardonic self as he was in his last book, and I guess some people are put off by him, but I think if he was a Mr. Rogers (from Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood) the book would be borrrrring. Some of his observations, and some of the stuff that comes out his customer’s mouths, are quite interesting and /or funny. He typically gives us the weather for each day and I like that because I like rainy days to curl up with a book and there certainly were enough of those days where his bookshop was located. He made many a run to different homes to assess books the person at the home wanted to sell, and that was interesting enough.
For those people who think owning a second-hand bookshop in which one wants to have their head above water (i.e., be solvent, make more money than lose money) is easy, find some other business to start. I would have to guess that so many different businesses have been adversely affected by the Covid pandemic and I would think second-hand bookshops are one cluster of businesses that have been harmed. But I don’t know that for a fact…certainly there has been more time being at home, and so maybe book sales have been positively affected as this is a leisure time activity.
Reviews:
https://www.theguardian.com/books/201...
(definitely worth reading…) https://www.startribune.com/review-co...
https://www.scotsman.com/arts-and-cul...
https://literaryreview.co.uk/me-my-sh...
Here is his website for The Bookshop! https://www.wigtown-booktown.co.uk/th...
I could have sworn Nicky left for another job by the end of the last book, but she is back in this book. She’s pretty funny. Shaun at times pays her compliments (to us, not her) but mostly he is down on her (to the reader, I don’t know whether to her personally…I get the feeling he does not ridicule her to her face). A young woman from Italy volunteers to work at the bookshop the entire summer for free in exchange for room and board. Her name is Emanuela but soon after she starts work, because she is always complaining about her various maladies, she acquires the nickname of Granny. I dunno…. maybe the first time she playfully swears to Shaun, it is somewhat shocking but humorous but thereafter it gets a bit old as she swears like a sailor in many of his diary entries. Oh, I forgot to mention. This is his diary of his life and his bookstore starting from January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2015. At the beginning and end of each entry he informs us about such minutiae as what’s in the till, how many customers he had that day, number of online orders and orders found. Each month starts off with a passage from another book about second-hand bookshops and selling: The Intimate Thoughts of John Baxter, Bookseller by Augustus Muir (London, Methuen & Co. Ltd.,1942).
Oh yeah and he has this annoying habit of feeding back to us how Emanuela/Granny talks…. I guess it was supposed to be funny but it started to get a bit old for me.
• “I like to read-a books-a which have been read by many, many people. I love-a the folded corners of books-a because it makes me wonder what caused the person to stop a-reading at this point? What-a happened? Did the cat need-a to be fed? Did the police-a knock on the door-a to tell you that your husband had been killed? Or did you just need-a go for a piss? All of these-a things, all of them make you fink about-a the other people who have read-a the book.” Ha- ha….that is a-funny.
Bythell is the same sardonic self as he was in his last book, and I guess some people are put off by him, but I think if he was a Mr. Rogers (from Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood) the book would be borrrrring. Some of his observations, and some of the stuff that comes out his customer’s mouths, are quite interesting and /or funny. He typically gives us the weather for each day and I like that because I like rainy days to curl up with a book and there certainly were enough of those days where his bookshop was located. He made many a run to different homes to assess books the person at the home wanted to sell, and that was interesting enough.
For those people who think owning a second-hand bookshop in which one wants to have their head above water (i.e., be solvent, make more money than lose money) is easy, find some other business to start. I would have to guess that so many different businesses have been adversely affected by the Covid pandemic and I would think second-hand bookshops are one cluster of businesses that have been harmed. But I don’t know that for a fact…certainly there has been more time being at home, and so maybe book sales have been positively affected as this is a leisure time activity.
Reviews:
https://www.theguardian.com/books/201...
(definitely worth reading…) https://www.startribune.com/review-co...
https://www.scotsman.com/arts-and-cul...
https://literaryreview.co.uk/me-my-sh...
Here is his website for The Bookshop! https://www.wigtown-booktown.co.uk/th...
February 20, 2020
This is an absolute delight. Shaun Bythell brings to life the trials, tribulations and thoughts of a independent bookshop owner.
The approach is in diary-form from 1st January to 31 December 2015 where the year starts with the shop, which is located in the Scottish town of Wigtown in Dumfries and Galloway, closed for New Year's Day.
It is endlessly entertaining and genuinely laugh out loud in places. Customers, those oh so wanted people, come in many shapes and sizes and we learn of their foibles, manners and interests. There are descriptions of regular customers, as well as many who drive the author to despair.
The shop's place in Wigtown is well described, as we see the various life of the town interact with the people - and tourists - and see how Shaun plays his part in festivals and other's initiatives and events.
The visits to people across the county to buy books is interesting in what people offer, think is of value, and why they are selling collections, as is the insight into what actually sells well, what doesn't and what did but does no longer; allied to this is the constant reduction of process and as such margin.
This latter point is a theme throughout where we (many of us on GR already know this and do the same) are made aware of the way Amazon has changed the books market and the retail trade in both new and second-hand. But in the way that Goodreaders will buy books from shops and wish to support them, The Bookshop in Wigtown, like many Goodreaders, uses Amazon and Abe: in Shaun's case as a sales and fulfilment tool. The prices are low, the margin lower and the customers' expectation is cheaper, cheaper and more discount. The backend cataloguing system called Monsoon as gets a mention, mainly for its problems and failings that do nothing to make a bookseller's life easy.
One constant across the book are the people who work in his shop: Nicky, Granny and Flo; Captain the cat also has many mentions. They provide labour, help and assistance, as well as much humour and in equal measure exasperate and support the author running his shop. Granny is as hilarious; Flo grumpy and teenage; Nicky is, well...Nicky :) Anna, also plays a part, but it seems only right for readers of this review to discover her and Shaun's relationship themselves.
I wanted the book to continue, but rather like when the shop closes and Shaun goes off for a pint to read a book from his ever growing TBR, I have to do the same.
Recommended for all lovers of books, and those who enjoy diaries and observations of others.
The approach is in diary-form from 1st January to 31 December 2015 where the year starts with the shop, which is located in the Scottish town of Wigtown in Dumfries and Galloway, closed for New Year's Day.
It is endlessly entertaining and genuinely laugh out loud in places. Customers, those oh so wanted people, come in many shapes and sizes and we learn of their foibles, manners and interests. There are descriptions of regular customers, as well as many who drive the author to despair.
The shop's place in Wigtown is well described, as we see the various life of the town interact with the people - and tourists - and see how Shaun plays his part in festivals and other's initiatives and events.
The visits to people across the county to buy books is interesting in what people offer, think is of value, and why they are selling collections, as is the insight into what actually sells well, what doesn't and what did but does no longer; allied to this is the constant reduction of process and as such margin.
This latter point is a theme throughout where we (many of us on GR already know this and do the same) are made aware of the way Amazon has changed the books market and the retail trade in both new and second-hand. But in the way that Goodreaders will buy books from shops and wish to support them, The Bookshop in Wigtown, like many Goodreaders, uses Amazon and Abe: in Shaun's case as a sales and fulfilment tool. The prices are low, the margin lower and the customers' expectation is cheaper, cheaper and more discount. The backend cataloguing system called Monsoon as gets a mention, mainly for its problems and failings that do nothing to make a bookseller's life easy.
One constant across the book are the people who work in his shop: Nicky, Granny and Flo; Captain the cat also has many mentions. They provide labour, help and assistance, as well as much humour and in equal measure exasperate and support the author running his shop. Granny is as hilarious; Flo grumpy and teenage; Nicky is, well...Nicky :) Anna, also plays a part, but it seems only right for readers of this review to discover her and Shaun's relationship themselves.
I wanted the book to continue, but rather like when the shop closes and Shaun goes off for a pint to read a book from his ever growing TBR, I have to do the same.
Recommended for all lovers of books, and those who enjoy diaries and observations of others.
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May 10, 2020Жила-була і переклала.
Продовження "Щоденника книгаря" - щоденник за наступний рік по тому.
Для тих, хто пропустив перший том: це нонфікшн-сага про життя чоловіка, який вирішує, що гірше вже все одно не буде, й купує величезну букіністичну книгарню в закутку Шотландії, забутому Богом і національним туристичним бюро, в малесенькому містечку, де позакривалися всі підприємства. І все це - в переддень економічної кризи 2008 року і під час наступу Амазон на малі бізнеси.
Загалом, можна було б очікувати безнадії й соціальної драми, але насправді це зізнання в любові до всіх прекрасних диваків цього химерного закутка Шотландії, і до краєвидів, і до тихого життя зі своїми радощами.
Другий том мені сподобався ще більше, ніж перший - Байзелл натренувався й об'ємніше виписує портретики відвідувачів і працівників. А всі наскрізні мотиви, штибу образи на амазон і електронні читалки, лишилися з нами ("Після роботи записав у саду коротке відео про те, як оновити свій кіндл до моделі Kindle Fire. Потрібно два літри бензину і сірники").
А ось фрагментик, який прям ващє жиза:
Нікі чергує у книгарні. Предмет її любові, теж зі Свідків Єгови, буде на вихідних у нашому районі — даватиме виступ у Залі Царства у Странрарі.
Нікі: Мені треба скинути 10 кіло за два дні.
Я: І як же?
Нікі: Ну, я поголила ноги. Це мінус два кіло.
Я: Що вдягнеш на зустріч?
Нікі: Вдягнуся, ніби я польська комуністка у 1972-му.
Ми вирішили, що найефективніший спосіб скинути 10 кіло за два дні — це ампутація. Зійшлися на думці, що найкраще відрізати голову: це ще й вирішить проблему з вибором зачіски.
Продовження "Щоденника книгаря" - щоденник за наступний рік по тому.
Для тих, хто пропустив перший том: це нонфікшн-сага про життя чоловіка, який вирішує, що гірше вже все одно не буде, й купує величезну букіністичну книгарню в закутку Шотландії, забутому Богом і національним туристичним бюро, в малесенькому містечку, де позакривалися всі підприємства. І все це - в переддень економічної кризи 2008 року і під час наступу Амазон на малі бізнеси.
Загалом, можна було б очікувати безнадії й соціальної драми, але насправді це зізнання в любові до всіх прекрасних диваків цього химерного закутка Шотландії, і до краєвидів, і до тихого життя зі своїми радощами.
Другий том мені сподобався ще більше, ніж перший - Байзелл натренувався й об'ємніше виписує портретики відвідувачів і працівників. А всі наскрізні мотиви, штибу образи на амазон і електронні читалки, лишилися з нами ("Після роботи записав у саду коротке відео про те, як оновити свій кіндл до моделі Kindle Fire. Потрібно два літри бензину і сірники").
А ось фрагментик, який прям ващє жиза:
Нікі чергує у книгарні. Предмет її любові, теж зі Свідків Єгови, буде на вихідних у нашому районі — даватиме виступ у Залі Царства у Странрарі.
Нікі: Мені треба скинути 10 кіло за два дні.
Я: І як же?
Нікі: Ну, я поголила ноги. Це мінус два кіло.
Я: Що вдягнеш на зустріч?
Нікі: Вдягнуся, ніби я польська комуністка у 1972-му.
Ми вирішили, що найефективніший спосіб скинути 10 кіло за два дні — це ампутація. Зійшлися на думці, що найкраще відрізати голову: це ще й вирішить проблему з вибором зачіски.
November 28, 2025
جورج اورول معتقد است کتابدوستهای واقعی کسانی هستند که نهتنها کتاب را میخوانند، بلکه حاضرند برای داشتنش هزینه کنند. او در نوشتههایش بارها تأکید کرده که خرید کتاب نشانهی جدی گرفتن فرهنگ است؛ چراکه کتاب چیزی فراتر از یک کالای مصرفیست و بخشی از هویت و حافظهی فردی و جمعی ما را میسازد...
کتاب خاطرات یک کتابفروش روایتی طنزآمیز از زندگی صاحب بزرگترین کتابفروشی دستدوم اسکاتلند است. راوی کتاب خودِ کتابفروش است که همراه با نامزدش مغازه را اداره میکند. او با زبانی طنزآمیز، تجربههای روزانهاش را بازگو میکند؛ از مشتریان عجیب و غریب گرفته تا مشکلات اقتصادی و هزینههای کتاب. حتی ظاهر مشتریان را با دقت توصیف میکند و نشان میدهد که تعیین قیمت برای کتابهای دستدوم کار سادهای نیست، بهویژه وقتی مشتریان مدام سر قیمت چانه میزنند.
بخشهایی از کتاب به فروش آنلاین و چالشهای آن اختصاص دارد. همچنین در ابتدای هر فصل، گزارشی دقیق از تاریخ، تعداد مشتریان، سفارشهای اینترنتی، جمع دخل و آمار کتابهای موجود ارائه میشود. همین سبک گزارشنویسی، کتاب را به ترکیبی جذاب از خاطرات روزمره و مستندات واقعی تبدیل کرده است. اگر به روایتهای طنز، گزارشهای روزانه و پشتصحنهی زندگی یک کتابفروش علاقه دارید، این کتاب میتواند برایتان بسیار خواندنی و دلنشین باشد. ولی امتیاز من همان ۳ستاره است...
کتاب خاطرات یک کتابفروش روایتی طنزآمیز از زندگی صاحب بزرگترین کتابفروشی دستدوم اسکاتلند است. راوی کتاب خودِ کتابفروش است که همراه با نامزدش مغازه را اداره میکند. او با زبانی طنزآمیز، تجربههای روزانهاش را بازگو میکند؛ از مشتریان عجیب و غریب گرفته تا مشکلات اقتصادی و هزینههای کتاب. حتی ظاهر مشتریان را با دقت توصیف میکند و نشان میدهد که تعیین قیمت برای کتابهای دستدوم کار سادهای نیست، بهویژه وقتی مشتریان مدام سر قیمت چانه میزنند.
بخشهایی از کتاب به فروش آنلاین و چالشهای آن اختصاص دارد. همچنین در ابتدای هر فصل، گزارشی دقیق از تاریخ، تعداد مشتریان، سفارشهای اینترنتی، جمع دخل و آمار کتابهای موجود ارائه میشود. همین سبک گزارشنویسی، کتاب را به ترکیبی جذاب از خاطرات روزمره و مستندات واقعی تبدیل کرده است. اگر به روایتهای طنز، گزارشهای روزانه و پشتصحنهی زندگی یک کتابفروش علاقه دارید، این کتاب میتواند برایتان بسیار خواندنی و دلنشین باشد. ولی امتیاز من همان ۳ستاره است...
July 5, 2019
(3.5) This picks up right where The Diary of a Bookseller left off and carries through the whole of 2015. So long as you keep in mind that this is more of the same stuff – the daily routines of buying and selling books, including customers’ and colleagues’ quirks, and of being out and about in a small town – and you aren’t looking for big thrills in your reading, you should enjoy it. Some may find the built-in repetition boring, while for others it will be comforting. I read this on a summer trip to Milan and found it unexpectedly addictive; I certainly wished that I was in Wigtown instead of a sweltering city! Also, because of where I was reading the book I got particular enjoyment out of the characterization of Emanuela (soon known as “Granny” for her poor eyesight and myriad aches and gripes), who comes over from Italy to volunteer in the bookshop for the summer.
Bythell’s break-up with “Anna” is a recurring theme in this volume, I suspect because his editor/publisher insisted on an injection of emotional drama; he strikes me as someone who would have kept this part of his life completely private if he had the choice. The month-heading epigraphs are all from Augustus Muir’s The Intimate Thoughts of John Baxter, Bookseller this time. Once again we get a full accounting of each day’s sales and customer numbers, with delightful anecdotes about his weirder encounters with the public (and Nicky) and notes about his reading and any escapes from the town for fishing, book buying excursions or brief vacations. If you loved the first book, go ahead and read the sequel. Just don’t expect it to break any new ground.
Bythell’s break-up with “Anna” is a recurring theme in this volume, I suspect because his editor/publisher insisted on an injection of emotional drama; he strikes me as someone who would have kept this part of his life completely private if he had the choice. The month-heading epigraphs are all from Augustus Muir’s The Intimate Thoughts of John Baxter, Bookseller this time. Once again we get a full accounting of each day’s sales and customer numbers, with delightful anecdotes about his weirder encounters with the public (and Nicky) and notes about his reading and any escapes from the town for fishing, book buying excursions or brief vacations. If you loved the first book, go ahead and read the sequel. Just don’t expect it to break any new ground.
November 12, 2019
the latest book in the bookseller series is enjoyable its funny as it documents a year in the shop with the different customers and the characters. the book doesn't disappoint
April 2, 2023
سنة أخرى من يوميات بائع كتب في مدينة صغيرة .
August 30, 2021
This falls strictly in the 'more of the same' category. Those who have read Bythell's previous book The Diary of a Bookseller will find Bythell offers up the same diary format with the same catalogue of interactions - his customers, his staff, his friends and acquaintances, the Wigtown community in general. (Wigtown is in the Dumfries and Galloway region of Scotland, and is known as "Scotland's National Book Town" with a high concentration of second-hand book shops and an annual book festival.)
The good news, for those who liked his first book, myself included, is this one offers another whole year of his trials and tribulations. Others have identified the year as 2015, but my edition either doesn't impart that information, or (more likely) I missed it!
We are also provided details of the second-hand book trade, and the inevitable impact that Amazon has on high street retailers (through their Amazon sales site, but also the Amazon owned Abe Books site), and the way the wider accessibility drives prices (and margins) even lower. Throughout the book there are frustrations with Amazon and with the backend cataloguing software called monsoon, but at least Shaun can be reassured he gets better support that that other Amazon owned book related website, which stutters its way into history with pointless cosmetic updates and functionality downgrades instead of updating technology to improve it... you know the one.
In this book, Bythell starts each month with an excerpt from a book called The Intimate Thoughts of John Baxter, Bookseller by Augustus Muir, a spoof diary (published 1942) in which a fictional John Baxter comments on the equally fictional Mr Pumpherston, and his interactions in his second hand bookshop of the era. Very relevant selections made. No doubt the value of this somewhat obscure book has increased.
As noted above - similar content to the previous book, but as a diary - a few year of happenings! Just don't go in expecting there to be many new revelations!
For me, I am happy to roll out the same star rating as last time - 4 stars.
The good news, for those who liked his first book, myself included, is this one offers another whole year of his trials and tribulations. Others have identified the year as 2015, but my edition either doesn't impart that information, or (more likely) I missed it!
We are also provided details of the second-hand book trade, and the inevitable impact that Amazon has on high street retailers (through their Amazon sales site, but also the Amazon owned Abe Books site), and the way the wider accessibility drives prices (and margins) even lower. Throughout the book there are frustrations with Amazon and with the backend cataloguing software called monsoon, but at least Shaun can be reassured he gets better support that that other Amazon owned book related website, which stutters its way into history with pointless cosmetic updates and functionality downgrades instead of updating technology to improve it... you know the one.
In this book, Bythell starts each month with an excerpt from a book called The Intimate Thoughts of John Baxter, Bookseller by Augustus Muir, a spoof diary (published 1942) in which a fictional John Baxter comments on the equally fictional Mr Pumpherston, and his interactions in his second hand bookshop of the era. Very relevant selections made. No doubt the value of this somewhat obscure book has increased.
As noted above - similar content to the previous book, but as a diary - a few year of happenings! Just don't go in expecting there to be many new revelations!
For me, I am happy to roll out the same star rating as last time - 4 stars.
October 21, 2020
What can I say, it's about books- and in spite (or because) of Shaun's curmudgeonly ways I liked it just as much as the first! What a wonderful place to visit and find a book or two you've always wanted...
August 16, 2021
Прекрасно 🙌 український переклад дуже сподобався ❤️❤️❤️
Як не знаєте, що почитати або потрібно "відійти" від сильної попередньої - це ідеальний варіант
Як не знаєте, що почитати або потрібно "відійти" від сильної попередньої - це ідеальний варіант
December 27, 2020
Oh no, the bookseller lost his charm in the sequel, at least for me. I so wanted to like this book, as I truly respect (and envy) people who have the courage to try and make their living by selling books. But I just could not much enjoy reading these confessions.
The reasons are twofold. Firstly, this book did not seem to bring anything new compared to the first volume. The job, the people, the annual clock of the bookshop, the style, all are the same. And the style is the second problem. I just could not escape the feeling that Mr. Bookseller is a bit too sarcastic, going over the border of being arrogant and even contemptuous of his customers.
Thus, sadly, after having read this book I do not feel like visiting the Bookshop anymore. As a customer I would feel that I am not welcome, as any question I may have would be stupid, and any price that I would be paying is too small. I will continue loving books and bookshops in general, and the idea of the Bookshop, but I got the message, and will keep my distance.
The reasons are twofold. Firstly, this book did not seem to bring anything new compared to the first volume. The job, the people, the annual clock of the bookshop, the style, all are the same. And the style is the second problem. I just could not escape the feeling that Mr. Bookseller is a bit too sarcastic, going over the border of being arrogant and even contemptuous of his customers.
Thus, sadly, after having read this book I do not feel like visiting the Bookshop anymore. As a customer I would feel that I am not welcome, as any question I may have would be stupid, and any price that I would be paying is too small. I will continue loving books and bookshops in general, and the idea of the Bookshop, but I got the message, and will keep my distance.
October 28, 2020
What a charming book. It was so amusing, and I adored hearing about Shaun's trips to stately homes to look at book collections, as well as his daily life interacting with Emanuela, otherwise known as 'Granny' because she was "born old" a hilarious character from Italy who came to help Shaun with the shop over the summer, and could barely speak a word of English. All the people coming into the shop left some sort of impression on Shaun, whether it was good or bad; and some of the good ones made me snort with laughter. It makes me obsessed with the idea of running a bookshop, and despite the days of the year when very few people come in the shop, and despite the rude customers who expect something for nothing, it sounds as though Shaun adores what he does.
December 2, 2019
It sounds perfect, a mile of bookshelves, 100,000 books to choose from, open fires, a bookshop cat and when you have selected your purchases then you can take a walk down to the sea to sit and read them. This place can be found in Scotland’s book town, Wigtown, and if you were a visitor you’d hope that the proprietor, Shawn Bythell would be pleased to see every customer who walked in the door. Well, he is, sometimes, but he often isn’t…
“Do you have a list of your books, or do I just have to stare at them?”
Inundated with requests from customers that range from the regular requests for a particular copy of a book, people wanting to take selfies with the kindle to the slightly strange and often the outright bizarre requests from customers who really are not engaging their brains before opening their mouths. He also has to battle with those that think nothing of selecting a number of books off the shelf, coming up to the counter and then offering a paltry sum for the books that they want. No one would think of doing that in any other shop, so why should he be different.
He is still buying collections of books, from people who think that their value is far and above what he is prepared to pay. And every now and again he finds a gem of a book in those collections, however, I never cease to be amazed just how many he takes to be pulped. He lists the book via Amazon and Abe books, and while I can see that if a book listed will get snapped up, he frequently gets a book in the day after someone has asked for it…
Amazon is the bane of his life. The Monsoon system that they have to use to sell through Amazon seems not to work most of the time. They don’t get the orders, so, therefore, have no way of knowing what to ship and the customer rightly complains that they haven’t had the book yet. It makes the shop look bad, even though they are not at fault in any way and Amazon berates them and holds onto their money for longer.
On top of all that he has to cope with belligerent staff, one of whom has a unique way of stacking the books on the shelves and around the shop and he is assisted by an Italian lady who is working for free but gets board and lodgings. His home fills up with people during the festival, bits of the wall fall off the building and he has a few hangovers to cope with. I thought that this was a really good follow up to his first book, Diary of a Bookseller. It is hilarious at times and occasionally quite melancholy. He is not afraid to talk about the problems facing those in the new and second-hand book trade and the massive problems caused by Amazon. I liked the way that he shows his daily takings and the books ordered online compared to those found. So go missing because of customers and others because of erratic filing… Somehow through all of this he manages to only be slightly sarcastic some of the time, exasperated most of the time and I have this sneaky feeling that he wouldn’t be anywhere else.
“Do you have a list of your books, or do I just have to stare at them?”
Inundated with requests from customers that range from the regular requests for a particular copy of a book, people wanting to take selfies with the kindle to the slightly strange and often the outright bizarre requests from customers who really are not engaging their brains before opening their mouths. He also has to battle with those that think nothing of selecting a number of books off the shelf, coming up to the counter and then offering a paltry sum for the books that they want. No one would think of doing that in any other shop, so why should he be different.
He is still buying collections of books, from people who think that their value is far and above what he is prepared to pay. And every now and again he finds a gem of a book in those collections, however, I never cease to be amazed just how many he takes to be pulped. He lists the book via Amazon and Abe books, and while I can see that if a book listed will get snapped up, he frequently gets a book in the day after someone has asked for it…
Amazon is the bane of his life. The Monsoon system that they have to use to sell through Amazon seems not to work most of the time. They don’t get the orders, so, therefore, have no way of knowing what to ship and the customer rightly complains that they haven’t had the book yet. It makes the shop look bad, even though they are not at fault in any way and Amazon berates them and holds onto their money for longer.
On top of all that he has to cope with belligerent staff, one of whom has a unique way of stacking the books on the shelves and around the shop and he is assisted by an Italian lady who is working for free but gets board and lodgings. His home fills up with people during the festival, bits of the wall fall off the building and he has a few hangovers to cope with. I thought that this was a really good follow up to his first book, Diary of a Bookseller. It is hilarious at times and occasionally quite melancholy. He is not afraid to talk about the problems facing those in the new and second-hand book trade and the massive problems caused by Amazon. I liked the way that he shows his daily takings and the books ordered online compared to those found. So go missing because of customers and others because of erratic filing… Somehow through all of this he manages to only be slightly sarcastic some of the time, exasperated most of the time and I have this sneaky feeling that he wouldn’t be anywhere else.
April 10, 2024
4.25⭐
somehow, this was even better than the first book!
somehow, this was even better than the first book!
January 11, 2022
This is a bit tricky as it's really Vol. II of The Diary of a Bookseller, rather than a separate book to me.
I appreciated Shaun's further insights, as well as meeting a new character, Granny. As usual, I've forgotten the specific details of the previous book, but here I wasn't particularly fond of Anna. From what I gather she can be clingy (needy), which might explain his fear of commitment with her.
Then there's Nicky... first of all, she's clearly a frenemy here, though Shaun seemed unwilling to face that. Without a spoiler, I'd say she was responsible for a couple of the serious problems he faced. Moreover, there's an incident where she bought a book he was certain would never sell, money down the drain, with her assertion 'It'll be gone within a week!' So it was, though I'm convinced the buyer was a 'ringer' on Nicky's behalf.
His dismissive attitude towards the pension office was a minus here, being his own fault when issues came back to bite him later. I don't blame the Post Office manager for resenting his wanting 100 quid of small change without notice - he had a year to order that specifically in advance of the annual festival.
On the other hand, he seems incredibly generous and enthusiastic regarding volunteer projects. Nor did I have an issue with his frustration over 'stupid questions' when they came up - hard to believe many of the worse incidents actually happened! There was regular railing over Amazon/Abe, but not everyone has access to a decent independent bookshop; it may be paltry at times, but (one hopes) shops do make some sort of margin on those orders.
So, if you liked the first book, you'll like this one as well, as I did. Strong recommendation to read that one first to get background on Shaun and his world. Library book for me, but would've been worth a purchase.
I appreciated Shaun's further insights, as well as meeting a new character, Granny. As usual, I've forgotten the specific details of the previous book, but here I wasn't particularly fond of Anna. From what I gather she can be clingy (needy), which might explain his fear of commitment with her.
Then there's Nicky... first of all, she's clearly a frenemy here, though Shaun seemed unwilling to face that. Without a spoiler, I'd say she was responsible for a couple of the serious problems he faced. Moreover, there's an incident where she bought a book he was certain would never sell, money down the drain, with her assertion 'It'll be gone within a week!' So it was, though I'm convinced the buyer was a 'ringer' on Nicky's behalf.
His dismissive attitude towards the pension office was a minus here, being his own fault when issues came back to bite him later. I don't blame the Post Office manager for resenting his wanting 100 quid of small change without notice - he had a year to order that specifically in advance of the annual festival.
On the other hand, he seems incredibly generous and enthusiastic regarding volunteer projects. Nor did I have an issue with his frustration over 'stupid questions' when they came up - hard to believe many of the worse incidents actually happened! There was regular railing over Amazon/Abe, but not everyone has access to a decent independent bookshop; it may be paltry at times, but (one hopes) shops do make some sort of margin on those orders.
So, if you liked the first book, you'll like this one as well, as I did. Strong recommendation to read that one first to get background on Shaun and his world. Library book for me, but would've been worth a purchase.
February 10, 2022
روی هم رفته کتاب جالبی بود... از خوندن بعضی صفحات واقعا لذت میبردم
یکی از متفاوت ترین کتاب هایی بود که خوندم . به معنای واقعی کلمه خاطرات یک کتابفروش بود و خب چون داستان مهیج و ادامه داری نبود باعث میشد خیلی جذاب نباشه و اینطوری نباشه که بچسبی بهش ببینی در ادامه چه اتفاقی میفته . به خصوص اوایل کتاب که واقعا کسل کننده بود...با خودم میگفتم که چی واقعا؟
اما به مرور که همه شخصیت ها رو شناختم و با این روند جدید نوشتن خو گرفتم، خیلی خیلی بهتر شد و از صفحه 100 به بعد دیه خوندنش برام مشکل نبود کتاب کادوی تولدی بود که به خواهرم داده بودن و انقدر جذب خلاصه ی داستان شدم که فورا شروعش کردم اوایل نا امیدم کرد اما وقتی کتاب رو بستم کاملا راضی بودم.
تصیفات کتاب از کتابفروشی، آدم ها و شهری که توش زندگی میکردن جذاب و قشنگ بود که شهر ویگتون رو گذاشتم توی لیست جاهایی که دلم میخواد یه روز حتما برم و ببینم...مخصوصا این مغازه ی کتابفروشی کتاب های دست دوم رو که شان بایتل اداره میکنه
اگه خیلی به کتاب و کتابفروش و کتابفروشی ها علاقه داشته باشید کتاب ممکنه خیلی براتون جالب باشه
و واقعا هم بود
آخر کتاب توی دو صفحه یه اپدیت از زندگی حال ش و وضع جدید کتابفروشی گذاشته بود که حقیقتا شوکه م کرد
یکی از متفاوت ترین کتاب هایی بود که خوندم . به معنای واقعی کلمه خاطرات یک کتابفروش بود و خب چون داستان مهیج و ادامه داری نبود باعث میشد خیلی جذاب نباشه و اینطوری نباشه که بچسبی بهش ببینی در ادامه چه اتفاقی میفته . به خصوص اوایل کتاب که واقعا کسل کننده بود...با خودم میگفتم که چی واقعا؟
اما به مرور که همه شخصیت ها رو شناختم و با این روند جدید نوشتن خو گرفتم، خیلی خیلی بهتر شد و از صفحه 100 به بعد دیه خوندنش برام مشکل نبود کتاب کادوی تولدی بود که به خواهرم داده بودن و انقدر جذب خلاصه ی داستان شدم که فورا شروعش کردم اوایل نا امیدم کرد اما وقتی کتاب رو بستم کاملا راضی بودم.
تصیفات کتاب از کتابفروشی، آدم ها و شهری که توش زندگی میکردن جذاب و قشنگ بود که شهر ویگتون رو گذاشتم توی لیست جاهایی که دلم میخواد یه روز حتما برم و ببینم...مخصوصا این مغازه ی کتابفروشی کتاب های دست دوم رو که شان بایتل اداره میکنه
اگه خیلی به کتاب و کتابفروش و کتابفروشی ها علاقه داشته باشید کتاب ممکنه خیلی براتون جالب باشه
و واقعا هم بود
آخر کتاب توی دو صفحه یه اپدیت از زندگی حال ش و وضع جدید کتابفروشی گذاشته بود که حقیقتا شوکه م کرد
May 19, 2022
Bythell’s daily diary entries about his life running one of Scotland’s largest second-hand bookshops are by turns informative, wryly amusing, melancholic, insightful, wistful, and comedic. They’re a joy to read, and any book/bookshop lover will relish time spent with the Wigtown gang, in addition to contemplating dragging your Kindle outside and shooting it while longing to make a trip to the Bookshop.
February 10, 2024
خاطرات (یادداشتهای روزانه) بامزه یک کتابفروش :)
حدود ۲۰۰ صفحه از کتاب رو وقتی نگهبان بودم خوندم
اگر بخاطر بی خوابی سربازی نبود کل کتاب رو یک روزه تموم میکردم
به عنوان کسی که مدتی در کتابفروشی کار می کرده وقتی راجع به مشتری های عجيب و غریب صحبت میکرد واقعا درکش کردم،
بیشتر افرادی که اهل مطالعه هستند ( چه کتاب خوان های حرفه ای و چه نیمه حرفه ای!) وقتی وارد کتابفروشی میشن دوست دارن با فروشنده گفتگو کنن و این روند شاید برای روز های اول کار جالب و جذاب باشه ولی در طولانی مدت خسته کننده میشه
خیلی دوست داشتم عکس نیکی رو ببینم و وقتی صورتش رو دیدم تصوراتم بهم ریخت! فکر میکردم مُسن تر باشه
و بی نهایت دلم برای آقای دیکن میسوزه که بخاطر آلزایمر دیگه نمیتونه کتاب بخونه
اگر فروشنده کتاب هستید یا سابقه کار در کتابفروشی داشتید خوندن این کتاب رو به شما پیشنهاد میکنم
این کتاب رو با ترجمه نازنین فیروزی خوندم
اگر ساکن خارج از کشور هستید پیشنهاد میکنم از بزرگترین کتابفروشی دسته دوم انگلیس خرید کنید
www.the-bookshop.com
حدود ۲۰۰ صفحه از کتاب رو وقتی نگهبان بودم خوندم
اگر بخاطر بی خوابی سربازی نبود کل کتاب رو یک روزه تموم میکردم
به عنوان کسی که مدتی در کتابفروشی کار می کرده وقتی راجع به مشتری های عجيب و غریب صحبت میکرد واقعا درکش کردم،
بیشتر افرادی که اهل مطالعه هستند ( چه کتاب خوان های حرفه ای و چه نیمه حرفه ای!) وقتی وارد کتابفروشی میشن دوست دارن با فروشنده گفتگو کنن و این روند شاید برای روز های اول کار جالب و جذاب باشه ولی در طولانی مدت خسته کننده میشه
خیلی دوست داشتم عکس نیکی رو ببینم و وقتی صورتش رو دیدم تصوراتم بهم ریخت! فکر میکردم مُسن تر باشه
و بی نهایت دلم برای آقای دیکن میسوزه که بخاطر آلزایمر دیگه نمیتونه کتاب بخونه
اگر فروشنده کتاب هستید یا سابقه کار در کتابفروشی داشتید خوندن این کتاب رو به شما پیشنهاد میکنم
این کتاب رو با ترجمه نازنین فیروزی خوندم
اگر ساکن خارج از کشور هستید پیشنهاد میکنم از بزرگترین کتابفروشی دسته دوم انگلیس خرید کنید
www.the-bookshop.com
August 8, 2019
The second book by Wigtown, Scotland, book store owner, Shaun Bythell, is another amusing look at the life of a book seller. He is in an unique position as Wigtown is the National Book Town of Scotland and his bookstore is the second largest second hand bookstore in Scotland. There are a lot of book activities and tourists who come to town for the books. The book is written in diary style.
For most of us book lovers, owning a bookstore is a dream job. The reality? Not so much. It's a tough field now with Amazon's control of the market and the author makes his displeasure of their practices known. In some ways, I love the ease of finding books with Amazon but in others I miss the joy of exploring second hand bookstores and discovering a book I have been searching for awhile. I remember finding an old Rex Stout Nero Wolfe and almost skipping home. Now I just click a button on the computer. It's not the same thrill.
It's a frustrating job and I was surprised at the number of people that tried to bargain with him on prices. Of course he did mention Americans rarely do that so it may be a cultural thing. I also cannot imagine entering a bookstore and not buying anything. I visited No Alibis bookstore in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and staggered out with 9 books which I mailed home. That's right. On vacation I visit bookstores. I have an illness.
Anyway, it's a cute book although it does get dull in spots. I mean no one's life is that interesting 365 days a year but his life is pretty darn close. I mean visiting places and looking through their book collections to buy, working in an actual store and reading actual books seems ideal to me.
Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for a fair review.
For most of us book lovers, owning a bookstore is a dream job. The reality? Not so much. It's a tough field now with Amazon's control of the market and the author makes his displeasure of their practices known. In some ways, I love the ease of finding books with Amazon but in others I miss the joy of exploring second hand bookstores and discovering a book I have been searching for awhile. I remember finding an old Rex Stout Nero Wolfe and almost skipping home. Now I just click a button on the computer. It's not the same thrill.
It's a frustrating job and I was surprised at the number of people that tried to bargain with him on prices. Of course he did mention Americans rarely do that so it may be a cultural thing. I also cannot imagine entering a bookstore and not buying anything. I visited No Alibis bookstore in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and staggered out with 9 books which I mailed home. That's right. On vacation I visit bookstores. I have an illness.
Anyway, it's a cute book although it does get dull in spots. I mean no one's life is that interesting 365 days a year but his life is pretty darn close. I mean visiting places and looking through their book collections to buy, working in an actual store and reading actual books seems ideal to me.
Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for a fair review.
December 14, 2019
This and The Diary of A Bookseller have been the best books I have read this year! Technically I didn't read them I listened through Audible and have had to buy physical copies just so I can take my time and reread them!
This just has me feeling all sorts of tingly and good throughout. Its one of those books you could curl up in front of a fire and let the hours slide by being completely engrossed in Shaun's book shop and everything his days entail.
I loved it so much I'm going to plan a trip to visit the Bookshop before the end of next year.
I advise reading The Diary of A Bookseller before-hand if you haven't already, as a few names are in this second instalment that we got to know very well from the first.
Absolute 5 star read/listen.
This just has me feeling all sorts of tingly and good throughout. Its one of those books you could curl up in front of a fire and let the hours slide by being completely engrossed in Shaun's book shop and everything his days entail.
I loved it so much I'm going to plan a trip to visit the Bookshop before the end of next year.
I advise reading The Diary of A Bookseller before-hand if you haven't already, as a few names are in this second instalment that we got to know very well from the first.
Absolute 5 star read/listen.
July 30, 2019
I was intrigued by the concept of getting a behind-the-scenes look into a bookseller's life - the backstory to owning a bookstore, encountering the myriad of customers a bookseller would come across, and of course the “confessions” of a bookseller, which sounded interesting and fun! But, sadly it was literally a day-by-day account of 365 days in the life of a bookseller - the customers who visited the shop, books they asked for, what they bought, down to the number of customers who visited, sales per day, number of online orders and the number of orders found - oh no! When we’re at the point where I’m reading that “The rain began at 10 a.m.” or “The bathroom was occupied until 10 a.m.” or “my mother dropped round at about 4 p.m. and talked without interruption for half an hour”... I rest my case. But I was wondering if the book would continue in this vein, so I read on, then began scanning the pages to see if this would continue…and it did for the full year - from January 1 all the way through December 31. And, what was all that Amazon bashing about? One of the author’s channels for orders is through Amazon, a very viable part of his business... There were a few interesting customers and insights into the history behind some books, but apart from that I was not wowed by the book nor the writing style - the book could have been so much better, sadly. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this book. It’s unfortunate I cannot offer a more positive perspective.
November 27, 2020
I wasn't sure what to make of this book. At first, I thought this was a diary of activities throughout the year. I thought the book was rather boring for the first 50 pages.
I decided to explore the author's bookshop online and listened to him read a letter of recommendation for a former employee online. I couldn't stop laughing at his little excerpt and started to understand his sense of humor. My appreciation for his writing style grew with each page read.
I still don't understand how he makes a living. After each day, the author tells how much money he brought in for the day. How can one afford to keep a shop open on anywhere between £47 to £600 a day?
Overall, I did like this book and would recommend it
I decided to explore the author's bookshop online and listened to him read a letter of recommendation for a former employee online. I couldn't stop laughing at his little excerpt and started to understand his sense of humor. My appreciation for his writing style grew with each page read.
I still don't understand how he makes a living. After each day, the author tells how much money he brought in for the day. How can one afford to keep a shop open on anywhere between £47 to £600 a day?
Overall, I did like this book and would recommend it
January 31, 2022
I felt rather sad to say goodbye to Shaun & his diary. I've been reading it on and off for a while, and it was riveting in a way I can't put a finger on. There were insights and brief meetings with interesting people, but most just the everyday type, perhaps that is the attraction. In any case, I enjoyed it, and may read the earlier Diary of a Bookseller, and even look forward to a #3?
I found this book via a GR group read and it was a nice change of pace from most of my usual reading material, not the sort of thing I seek out, and so I'm glad I did.
I found this book via a GR group read and it was a nice change of pace from most of my usual reading material, not the sort of thing I seek out, and so I'm glad I did.
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