BOOK REVIEW: The Diary of a Bookseller by Shaun Bythell

The Diary of a Bookseller by Shaun Bythell
Genres: Nonfiction

Pages: 315, Kindle Edition

Published: September, 2017 by Profile Books

Cover Rating: 5/5

I have always loved books about books or booksellers. I find booksellers are one heck of an interesting personalities and more, they get observe equally interesting ones. Interesting personality, a bookseller? Why? ‘Cause they read books that no one else reads or majority of people do not and sometimes they write about their observations of customers/bibliophiles in their shops. The whole concept is a bit funny too.

Another joyful book is Shaun Bythell’s The Diary of a Bookseller. Released in September, 2017, Shaun owns The Bookshop in Wigtown, Scotland and is the largest second-hand bookshop in the country. It contains more than 100,000 books covering over a mile of shelves. It indeed is a book lover’s paradise. If I ever visited The Bookshop, I do not think I’ll like to come out of the shop on my own will. Written somewhat in a hilarious manner, Shaun provides an insight through daily summaries for an year with trials and tribulations of life in book trade including the his own staff, and eccentric customers. He takes us, readers, through his routine in his shop with occasional visits on buying trips to old estates, and auction houses. In this memoir, he introduces us to a different type of livelihood and makes us understand the the thrill it possess of unexpected findings, new book discoveries, and the charms of a small town life.

Terry Pratchett, John Buchan, P.G. Wodehouse and E.F. Benson books are also perennial best sellers.

When I first say the book cover, it knew I had to read this one. His daily life is described  with enough detail in his summaries inclduing the statistics on the day’s takings and olnie orders. The writing style of the book is rich and smooth. Some readers might find it tedious to go through these daily summaries but I think there are interesting points. One of the most fascinating and hilarious point in the book is that he gets angry at some point and decides to visit his parents house, take his Kindle, and shoot at it many times.

December is by far the quietest month. (“The few people who give second-hand books as gifts for Christmas are usually eccentric” – count me as one of them!)

A perfect read for winter and bibliophiles and someone who wants to good laugh or two over this weekend.

4 out of 5!

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