Book: The Diary of a Bookseller
Author: Shaun Bythell
Country: Scotland
Review: 3/5
When I was in Scotland, I clearly remember the feeling of entering one of Scotland’s largest second-hand bookshops. I visited Leakey’s Bookshop, which is located in a 1793 church in Inverness, in 2019 and remember the twists and turns of the building, spiral staircases, employees that were as warm as the wood-burning stove that was at the centre of the shop, and the feeling that that were many surprises to be found within those walls. If only I wasn’t on a student budget and could have bought every wonderful item that I saw there. So, for my Scottish read, I reached for a copy of The Diary of a Bookseller by Shawn Bythell, the owner of another large second-hand bookshop in a rural town by the edge of the sea in Scotland. Bythell’s anecdotes from the shop provide a less glorified view into the used book trade and the modern battles with digital books, social media, and Amazon. At times, his diary entries are a bit dry as you can imagine not every aspect of this work would be exciting; however, a wry humour, tales of his staff and family, and stories of eccentric customers are relatable to anyone who has worked in customer service. Each month begins with a quotation from George Orwell’s Bookshop Memories and compare’s each author’s experiences in their respective bookshops giving brilliant perception into the ways the industry has changed, but as well the crucial ways that it has not.
I for one will always have a soft spot for second-hand book stores (with their sense of mystery, community, and their sustaining nature) and the efforts made by the people who help them to survive. This book will not be for everyone as it doesn’t have the most exciting or remarkable events. While parts of this book were slow, repetitive, and a bit tedious, I found this enjoyable to read and gave some insight into the places that many of us hold close. If you are able, go out and support your local second-hand book store: as you can see, it makes a great difference to the people who own them and will keep them in business fur future generations!
Stay tuned for other book recommendations for this country and other countries, and follow my journey on Instagram @beyondpageone and find more reviews on my GoodReads page: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/116494925-kaitlyn-nightingale Thank you and happy reading!
Feature image from Goodreads.