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The Diary of a Bookseller

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( 30,166 ratings, 4,859 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
In The Diary of a Bookseller by Shaun Bythell, readers get an amusing and insightful glimpse into the day-to-day life of the owner of Scotland's largest second-hand bookshop. Through a series of diary entries, Bythell shares his encounters with quirky customers, the occasional absurdities of running a bookshop, and the unique challenges faced in the world of bookselling. The memoir paints a vivid picture of both the charms and the realities of life in the literary trade.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you have an interest in the charming quirks of a Scottish bookshop, the humorous experiences of working in the retail book trade, and the daily adventures of a book lover in a small town. This memoir offers a behind-the-scenes look at the trials, triumphs, and eccentric characters encountered by a bookseller.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

Love, Nina meets Black Books: a wry and hilarious account of life in Scotland's biggest second-hand bookshop and the band of eccentrics and book-obsessives who work there.

Love, Nina meets Black Books: a wry and hilarious account of life in Scotland's biggest second-hand bookshop and the band of eccentrics and book-obsessives who work there

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

The Diary of a Bookseller by Shaun Bythell offers a humorous and insightful glimpse into the world behind the shelves of The Bookshop, Wigtown—Scotland's largest second-hand bookshop. Nestled in a beautiful, rural town by the sea, the shop boasts 100,000 books spread over a mile of shelving, complete with twisting corridors and roaring fires. It seems like a paradise for book-lovers. Well, almost...

In these wry and hilarious diaries, Shaun shares an insider's view of the trials and tribulations of the life in the book trade. From eccentric customers to wrangles with his own staff, including the ski-suit-wearing, bin-foraging Nicky, his tales are both entertaining and enlightening.

Join him on buying trips to old estates and auction houses, explore lost classics and new discoveries, and delight in the thrill of unexpected finds. Shaun evokes the rhythms and charms of small-town life with a sharp and sympathetic eye, making this a must-read for anyone who appreciates the quirks and joys of the book world.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

The Diary of a Bookseller by Shaun Bythell is widely praised for its humour, warmth, and portrayal of British eccentricity. Reviews highlight its hilarious anecdotes about bookshop life, the quirky charm of its characters, and Bythell's wry observations. It vividly captures the trials of running a small business and the joys of second-hand books, making it a compelling read for bibliophiles.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781781258637

Publisher: Profile Books Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 13 September 2018

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Profile Books Ltd

Edition: Main

Illustration: Integrated black and white photographs

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 20.0mm

Width: 128.0mm

Height: 194.0mm

Weight: 260g

Pages: 320

About the Author

Shaun Bythell is the owner of The Bookshop in Wigtown, and also one of the organisers of the Wigtown Festival.

Also by Shaun Bythell

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  • Confessions of a Bookseller
    SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER "Do you have a list of your books, or do I just have to stare at them?" Confessions of a Bookseller by Shaun Bythell offers an irreverently funny and engaging account that had readers giggling all week, according to Scotland on Sunday. Shaun Bythell is the owner of The Bookshop in Wigtown, Scotland. Boasting more than a...
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  • Remainders of the Day
    The Bookshop in Wigtown is a bookworm's idyll—with thousands of books across nearly a mile of shelves, a real log fire, and Captain, the bookshop cat. You'd think after twenty years, owner Shaun Bythell would be used to the customers by now. Don't get him wrong—there are some good ones among the antiquarian porn-hunters, die-hard Arthurians, people who confuse bookshops...
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  • Remainders of the Day
    The Bookshop in Wigtown is a bookworm's idyll - with thousands of books across nearly a mile of shelves, a real log fire, and Captain, the bookshop cat. You'd think after twenty years, owner Shaun Bythell would be used to the customers by now. Don't get him wrong - there are some good ones among the antiquarian porn-hunters, die-hard Arthurians,...
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  • Seven Kinds of People You Find in Bookshops
    In twenty years behind the till in The Bookshop, Wigtown, Shaun Bythell has met pretty much every kind of customer there is – from the charming, erudite and deep-pocketed to the eccentric, flatulent and possibly larcenous. In Seven Kinds of People You Find in Bookshops he distils the essence of his experience into a warm, witty and quirky taxonomy of...
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  • Seven Kinds of People You Find in Bookshops
    Everyone knows who you find in bookshops: people who want to buy books. But, as Shaun Bythell, author of the bestselling Diary of a Bookseller and Confessions of a Bookseller, reveals, that's really only half the story. Join Shaun as he introduces us to seven bookshop characters, from the Person Who Doesn't Know What They Want (But Thinks It Might...
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