Shaun Bythell, The Diary of a Bookseller. Brooklyn, NY: Melville House, 2018. ISBN: 9781612197241.
The author writes about the business, trips to estates in search of books, his eccentric patrons, and his own quirks. There is at times a charm about small towns and bookstores, and the author captures that well. He also captures the trials and tribulations of running a book business in a small town, a business threatened by the growing online trade and the Amazon behemoth.
Though some blurbs describe this as outright laugh-out-loud funny, I would not go that far. Is the book amusing? At times it can be amusing and has funny moments, but much of it is just daily routine and even dreariness at times. The book also has some moving moments and descriptions of places that draw you in. The diary as a whole is a very humane experience where we see the ups and downs, the joys and frustrations of the bookseller. If you are expecting a hilarious comedy as some blurbs suggest, you might be disappointed. If you enjoy memoirs and slice of life reading, and you like reading about books and book traders, this may be for you.
The book is a diary, and the entries are arranged by month from February to February. At the start of each month, the author opens with a quote from George Orwell's "Bookshop Memories" to give a bit of context along with some opening thoughts. The author then writes a commentary to introduce the month and adds any extra thoughts. After that we get the diary entries, which can vary in length.
The characters we meet vary in attitudes and temperaments. To be honest, I would have fired Nicky, his book shop assistant who more often than not chooses not to follow directions and does what she wants. I am guessing either the worker pool in Wigtown is too bad to replace her, or he is just a wuss. Then there is Mr. Deacon, the regular patron who every so often comes in to order a book. Could he order it online? Yes, but he chooses to to go the store. Then there is the rest of the cast.
If you enjoy reading about the used book trade, you may like this book. His outings to visit estates, auctions, and other places where old books may be found are interesting. We learn a bit about what books are valuable and which are just good enough for recycling. We also see him struggle with Amazon. On the one hand, he uses the "Fulfilled by Amazon" (FBA) service for some of his business in order to sell books online. Also, like many antiquarian booksellers, he also uses ABE Books to sell online, which by that time had been bought by Amazon. So he does realize the threat Amazon represents to his business long term, yet to keep his business up, and for customers' convenience, he has to deal with Amazon. The Amazon issue caught my attention after recently reading Fulfillment (link to my review). If you've read that book or you just pay attention to what is going on you know the odds are not in the small business's favor.
Overall, I liked the book, but it is not a big deal. It is amusing and heartwarming in moments, but it is also slow and a bit dreary at times. Like real life, it is not hilarious all the time, contrary to what some blurb writers claim. This is one to borrow and return. Yet at times it makes you wish you could visit the place. It does have a strong sense of place.
3 out of 5 stars.
Additional reading notes:
The author early on mentions the book Weird Things Customers Say in Bookshops by Jen Campbell. I thought I had read it, but I don't have any notes on it in the blog, so I may need to look it up to read down the road. I may be able to get it via Interlibrary Loan (ILL).
On clearing the books from a deceased's estate. In this case, a deceased couple without children; a nephew was clearing the house, and the author was there to see what books he could buy:
"Dismantling such a book collection seems to be the ultimate act of destruction of their character-- you are responsible for erasing the last piece of evidence of who they were. This woman's book collection was a record of her character: her interests, as close as anything she left to some kind of genetic inheritance. Perhaps that's why her nephew waited so long before asking us to look at the books, in the same way that people who lose a child often can't bear to remove anything from their bedroom for years" (31).
A moving passage. Personally makes me think about the fate of my personal book collection, which will likely be dispersed as I doubt our daughter would keep it intact or at all. I've pondered here or there how my books reflect my character. I probably should write about that down the road. To contrast, in my work I am used to weeding book collections. It makes a difference whether your books are your own or not.
Book mentioned in the book I am listing for possible TBR: The Intimate Thoughts of John Baxter, Bookseller (1942). This one may be hard to find as it appears to be an antiquarian item. I hope I can find it via ILL.
On why it can be difficult for secondhand traders to buy erotica (as in serious erotica, not the shady guy crap):
"It is difficult buying erotica, as very little can be sold on Amazon or eBay because they violate the puritanical sensibilities of the prudes in charge of both organizations" (174).
And speaking of the shady guy stuff, on why you need to verify details when acquiring a book:
"While I was repairing a broken shelf in the crime section, I overheard an elderly customer confusing E.L. James and M.R. James while discussing horror fiction with her friend. She is either going to be pleasantly surprised or deeply shocked when she gets home the copy of Fifty Shades of Grey she bought" (191).
Another book mentioned: Jen Campbell's The Bookshop Book. This one I did read and review.
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