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

Other Publishing stories related to: 'Confessions of a Bookseller by Shaun Bythell review – a brilliant sequel'


Sequel to Stieg Larsson’s Millennium novels: title and cover revealed

The Girl in the Spider’s Web, continuing the Girl With the Dragon Tattoo sequence, was written by David Lagercrantz and will be published worldwide this AugustFirst, there was The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Then, she Played With Fire and Kicked the Hornet’s Nest. Now, more than 10 years since... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2015-03-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #stieg larsson #millennium novels #david lagercrantz #published worldwide #dragon tattoo #lisbeth salander #british publisher


Rock Stars Stole My Life by Mark Ellen review – misty-eyed, touchingly nerdy memoir

From the mud and thunder of early festivals to Live Aid and Rihanna, music journalist Mark Ellen was usually in the right place at the right timeMark Ellen surveys the happy youngsters comfortably cavorting at Glastonbury, marvelling at Primal Scream beneath a harvest moon. “You bastards,” moans... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2015-03-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #jonathan coe


Booksellers praise new Harper Lee cover

The cover for Harper Lee’s forthcoming novel is “striking”, and will stand out on shelves, booksellers have said. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-03-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #harper lee


Bookselling Roundup, Week Ending March 27, 2015

The potential fragility of new bookstore ventures was driven home when two-year-old Granada Books in Santa Barbara announced that it needs $50,000 to stay open. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-03-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #driven home #stay open


O/R Teams with 'Evergreen Review'

Independent publisher O/R Books has partnered with the literary magazine 'Evergreen Review,' in a deal which will see O/R distributing content from the magazine via the press's direct-to-consumer model. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-03-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #literary magazine #independent publisher #distributing content


Reviews of New and Forthcoming Spirituality and Religion Books, March 25, 2015

Rachel Held Evans offers astute reflections on faith; biologist Jerry Coyne argues that science has made religion obsolete. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-03-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #forthcoming spirituality #religion books


Pan Mac to publish Nelson Mandela sequel

Pan Macmillan is to publish the sequel to the late Nelson Mandela’s autobiography Long Walk to Freedom (Abacus). An incomplete draft of the new book, which does not yet have a title and which was started by Mandela before his death last year, is in the archives of the Nelson Mandela Foundation. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-03-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #pan mac #pan macmillan


Bookselling Roundup, Week Ending March 20, 2015

Lhooq Books opens, while Sparta Books marks its 50th anniversary. And Independent Bookstore Day (May 2) moves forward with a new interactive map. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-03-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #interactive map


BA welcomes 'radical' business rates review

The Booksellers Association has welcomed the launch of a “radical” review of the business rates system in the UK. The government revealed today (16th March) that the review had begun and would report back in time for the 2016 budget.  "The time has come for a radical review of this important... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-03-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #booksellers association #report back


Confessions of a Gay Erotica Writer in the Era of Indie Publishing

Self-published gay erotica writer M.P. Rey reveals his joy at moving from the dusty shelves of hidden rainbow-flag bookstores to better status on Amazon. The post Confessions of a Gay Erotica Writer in the Era of Indie Publishing appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-03-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #post confessions #indie publishing #dusty shelves


Confession of a traditional publisher: Inhabiting ‘that moral middle ground’

Robots haven't completely replaced media salespeople, but they've forced the role to evolve. In the latest in our Confessions series, an anonymous publishing exec says that while it's hard to get print reps with digital skills, too many digital salespeople don't even bother to read the company's... Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2015-03-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #traditional publisher #confessions series #digital skills


Hachette, Pan Mac, Foyles lead Bookseller Industry Awards chase

A near-record haul from Hachette UK, an impressive total for Pan Macmillan and a history-making all-female Manager of the Year category are some of the highlights in this year's Bookseller Industry Awards (BIA) shortlists. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-03-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #hachette uk #year category #pan mac #pan macmillan


Booksellers Advised to Keep Momentum Going

Booksellers should use the current favorable trends to tap into new and existing markets to expand their customer base, said ABA CEO Oren Teicher at SIBA 's Day of Education. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-03-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #customer base


Bookselling Roundup, Week Ending March 13, 2015

Two bookstores changed hands this week—Main Street Books in Davidson, N.C., and Partners Village in Westport, Mass. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-03-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Shantaram sequel to be published in October

Little, Brown will publish a sequel to Gregory David Roberts' Shantaram this October, 10 years after the release of the original. The Mountain Shadow will get a global publication on 13th October, with Little, Brown publishing across the UK and Commonwealth, and Pan Macmillan releasing it in... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-03-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #13th october #global publication


Reviews of New and Forthcoming Spirituality and Religion Books, March 11, 2015

Theologian Harvey Cox offers simple advice on reading the complex Bible; Pope Francis ponders Jesus and the life of faith. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-03-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #forthcoming spirituality #religion books


Bestselling author Alice Hoffman's children's book, 'Nightbird,' receives mostly positive reviews

Hoffman's book tells the story of a girl whose family had a curse placed upon them and whose town is fearful of what they believe to be a monster living in their midst. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2015-03-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book tells #positive reviews


Academic booksellers frozen out by D2C

Academic publishers will put bookshops out of business if they continue to target universities and students with “aggressive” direct sales marketing, the chairman of the Booksellers Association’s Academic Committee has warned.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-03-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #academic publishers #put bookshops #booksellers association


Bookselling Roundup, Week Ending March 6, 2015

The NEA’s Read Across America program continues through Saturday with a number of locations around the country celebrating children's literacy. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-03-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Bestselling author Erik Larson garners rave reviews for his upcoming book 'Dead Wake'

'Wake' centers on the sinking of the British ship the Lusitania in 1915. The book will be released on March 10. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2015-03-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #upcoming book