‘I’m giddy to be here’: the risk-takers who opened bookshops during Covid

More than 60 bookshops launched in the UK and Ireland in the past 18 months – but who would open one in a pandemic? We asked five to share their stories, while bestselling author Val McDermid remembers the bookshops of her youthWhen I was growing up in a small Scottish town, we had a bookshop that was utterly terrifying. The books were housed on high shelves behind counters staffed by intimidating assistants. If you didn’t go in knowing what you wanted, tough. There was no possibility of browsing. If I got a book token for my birthday or a school prize, I’d always pick a title I hadn’t read yet from a favourite author so I knew what to ask for. Chances were, they didn’t have it and it would have to be ordered. Cue pursed lips and a frown.Honestly, it’s a miracle that I ever managed to amass a book collection at all.Val McDermid’s new novel, 1979 (Little, Brown, £20), is published on 19 August Related: Shakespeare and Company: a 'socialist utopia masquerading as a bookstore' – in pictures Related: 10 independent bookshops you should visit worldwide: our readers recommend Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2021-08-15 11:00:06 UTC ]

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Joan Rivers – bibliophile? Oh yes, very much so

Joan Rivers was not only a bestselling author, but also an avid reader of some pretty serious volumes. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2014-09-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Julie Kagawa Talks Talon, Dragons and Bookselling

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[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-08-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Floating libraries take to the water

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[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2014-08-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Val McDermid on Scotland 'Yes' vote

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[ The Bookseller | 2014-08-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Lysa TerKeurst : The Best 'Yes' Is Sometimes 'No'

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[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-08-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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DeMille Moves to S&S In Major Deal

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[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-06-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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BEA 2014: Myriad Thoughts on Dystopia

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[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-05-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Galbraith, le Carré and McDermid on CrimeFest shortlist

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[ The Bookseller | 2014-04-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Bestsellers, Social Media and Humor as a Path to God

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Dan Brown to release new book in May

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[ BBC News | 2013-01-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Impact of Evan Connell

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[ Publishers Weekly | 2013-01-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Val McDermid to rework Northanger Abbey

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[ The Bookseller | 2012-07-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Print book sales decline in first half of 2011

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[ The Bookseller | 2011-07-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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[ The Bookseller | 2011-05-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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