Confessions of a Bookseller by Shaun Bythell review – a brilliant sequel

A heart-warming love letter to books and bookshops, by an amenable fellow turned antisocial old misanthrope“I was in here two years ago and you had a book by Roger Penrose. Do you know what happened to it?” Shaun Bythell – owner of the Book Shop in Wigtown, Galloway – has 100,000 books in stock, sells 20,000 a year, and has handled nearly 1m second-hand books since he bought the shop in 2001. Unsurprisingly, the Roger Penrose volume had not stuck in his mind.Before he entered the book trade at the tender age of 31, he was “amenable and friendly”. Now, after many years of fielding bizarre questions, constant haggling over prices (why is it “acceptable to try to screw the profit out of struggling small businesses” but not supermarkets?), and struggling to survive despite Amazon’s “icy grip” on bookselling, he has been forced to embrace the stereotype of the “impatient, intolerant, antisocial proprietor”. Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2019-08-24 10:58:38 UTC ]
News tagged with: #book shop #shaun bythell #tender age #book trade #bookseller

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Harper Lee 'Mockingbird' sequel greeted with joy – and skepticism (+video)

Harper Lee's second novel 'Go Set a Watchman' was discovered by her attorney. The new novel – a sequel to 'To Kill a Mockingbird' – is due to be published July 14, 2015.   Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2015-02-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Harper Lee 'Mockingbird' sequel greeted with joy – and skepticism

Harper Lee's second novel 'Go Set a Watchman' was discovered by her attorney. The new novel – a sequel to 'To Kill a Mockingbird' – is due to be published July 14, 2015.   Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2015-02-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Booksellers given role in prison book delivery

The government has relaxed the prison book ban, but said inmates can only receive parcels from four named booksellers – Waterstones, Blackwell’s, Foyles or WH Smith. The prison book ban was relaxed from 31st January, The Bookseller understands, following a High Court ruling that the ban,... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-02-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Poland’s Top Online Bookseller For Sale, Consolidation Looms

Poland's top online bookstore, Merlin.pl, is up for sale, and many believe this is that of consolidation in a saturated Polish online marketplace. The post Poland’s Top Online Bookseller For Sale, Consolidation Looms appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-02-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Lee to publish Mockingbird 'sequel'

An unpublished novel by Harper Lee is to finally see the light of day, 60 years after the US author put it aside to write To Kill a Mockingbird. Continue reading at BBC News

[ BBC News | 2015-02-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Draft2Digital Inks E-book Deal with German Bookseller

Draft2Digital is a self-published ebook platform offering about 40,000 titles and adding more than 3,000 titles a month. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-02-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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On Writers and Writing review – Margaret Atwood on her profession

Drawing on her panoramic reading and her experiences of the authorly life cycle, Atwood surveys her trade with a mix of seriousness and gentle fun“You may find the subject a little peculiar,” warns Margaret Atwood, before she discusses the writer’s relationship with mortality. “It is a little... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2015-01-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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ABA Winter Institute 2015: A Growing State Offers Growing Opportunities For Booksellers

The book business is strong in North Carolina as booksellers in the Tar Heel State come out of the economic downturn that wreaked havoc across the nation starting in 2008. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-01-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Bookselling Roundup, Week Ending January 30, 2015

The indie bookstore revival continues with a newly opened store in Plattsburgh, N.Y., and new stores slated for Detroit and Decatur. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-01-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Quercus to publish Millennium trilogy sequel in August

The sequel to late author Stieg Larsson’s Millennium trilogy will go on sale in the UK in August. The book, which is entitled That Which Does Not Kill in Swedish, was penned by David Lagercrantz and will go on sale in at least 35 countries, said Swedish publisher Norstedts. A spokesperson for... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-01-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Reviews of New and Forthcoming Religion and Spirituality Books, January 28, 2015

A starred review for the powerful story of forgiving a murderer; eminent historian Garry Wills looks at the Catholic Church under Pope Francis. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-01-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Review of the Year: Authors - A broad spectrum

The robust children’s market in 2014 has been the main theme of The Bookseller’s Review of the Year features, and it is driven home in our look at last year’s bestselling authors. The top 50 writers are once again eclipsed by the shadow of the Gruffalo, with the mighty Julia Donaldson taking... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-01-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Bookselling News Roundup

Less than one month into the new year, stores continue to open, including a third Vermont location for Phoenix Books and an eighth store for Gottwals Books and the Walls of Books. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-01-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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UK Booksellers urged to join European-wide campaign

Booksellers are being called on to join in the #mynextread campaign – designed to galvanise readers across Europe. The campaign, which launched to the public today (21st January) is spearheaded by the European International Booksellers Federation (EIBF) and encourages booksellers and readers to... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-01-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Bookselling Roundup, Week Ending January 16, 2015

Transition continues among college stores at the start of the second semester. Beginning in May, UMass, Amherst students will be ordering and renting textbooks from Amazon. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-01-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Bookseller killed by falling sign at Blackpool Waterstones

Waterstones has confirmed the tragic death of one of its "much-loved" booksellers, Margaret Sheridan, after an incident at its Blackpool shop yesterday (12th January).  The company paid tribute to Sheridan, 68, from Singleton, who died at the scene after being hit by a falling Waterstones sign.... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-01-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Booksellers criticise latest Man Booker rule changes

Booksellers have criticised the Man Booker Prize's change of stance on the print availability of longlisted titles as “disappointing”. However others have applauded the ruling, saying publishers must be able to set publication dates as they wish. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-01-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Reviews of New and Forthcoming Religion and Spirituality Books, January 14, 2015

A call to nonviolent action with examples from history; stories of the quest for grace. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-01-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Bookseller Industry Awards to celebrate 'book of the year'

The Bookseller Industry Awards will this year celebrate the ‘book’ of the year alongside the publishers, editors, and retailers who bring the titles to market. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-01-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Bookselling Roundup, Week Ending January 9, 2015

Indies could be headed into another good year, with a number of new stores opening, including Walls of Books in Zanesville, Ohio, and Mustard Seed in Bath, Maine. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-01-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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