The Diary of a Bookseller by Shaun Bythell review – memoir

A proprietor’s journey from ‘amenable and friendly’ to ‘intolerant and antisocial’According to George Orwell, “there are always plenty of not quite certifiable lunatics walking the streets and they tend to gravitate towards bookshops”. Bythell’s diary suggests that not much has changed, in this respect at least, since Orwell worked in a bookshop in the 1930s.Bythell has owned the Book Shop in Wigtown, Scotland, since 2001. When he bought it he was “amenable and friendly”, but the constant barrage of bizarre questions from customers, relentless haggling over prices and the impossibility of competing with Amazon have morphed him into the stereotype of “the impatient, intolerant, antisocial proprietor”. Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2018-09-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #george orwell #book shop #constant barrage

Other Publishing stories related to: 'The Diary of a Bookseller by Shaun Bythell review – memoir'


Anonymous Orchid Outlaw memoir goes to John Murray in 24-hour pre-empt

An anonymous academic’s memoir about his underground mission to save flowers from extinction, The Orchid Outlaw, has gone in a 24-hour pre-empt to John Murray.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-11-30 09:54:47 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #john murray #24-hour pre-empt #memoir


How Four Bestselling Authors Connected with Readers, Helped Indie Booksellers, and Beat the Pandemic

What launched as a sort of support group in the early days of Covid-19, Friends & Fiction celebrated its 100th episode on November 24. PW caught up with show's creators and hosts, Mary Kay Andrews, Kristin Harmel, Kristy Woodson Harvey, and Patti Callahan Henry, to talk about the remarkable... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-11-30 05:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #support group #early days #pw caught #kristin harmel


Former Trump Defense Secretary Sues Pentagon for Blocking Portions of his Memoir

In the suit, filed on November 28, attorneys for Esper say that “significant text” is being “improperly withheld from publication…under the guise of classification.” Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-11-29 05:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


What Makes a Good Food Memoir?

What all comes together to make a food memoir good? A combination of food, context, history, voice, and more. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2021-11-26 11:34:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #memoir


‘In the Eye of the Wild,’ a Haunting Memoir About Life After a Bear Attack

The anthropologist Nastassja Martin has written a slender but expansive book in which she grapples with the physical and philosophical fallout of a near-death experience. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2021-11-24 10:00:04 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #near-death experience #memoir


6 Memoirs on Audio Read by Their Authors

Audiobook performances by talented narrators is wonderful, but an audiobook memoir read by its author gives such a personal touch. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2021-11-23 11:30:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #audiobook performances #talented narrators #personal touch #audiobook


Supreme Court Asked to Rein In Government Pre-Publication Reviews

A petition was filed this week by the Knight First Amendment Institute and the ACLU on behalf of five former government employees, who claim their First Amendment rights are being unreasonably stifled by an expansive and non-transparent review process. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-11-23 05:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #amendment rights


Children's Starred Reviews 2021

Our Children’s Starred Reviews Annual features more than 350 reviews of exceptional books for young readers, a selection of interviews with some of today’s top authors and illustrators, our 50 Best Books of 2021, and a cover by Ruth Chan. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-11-22 05:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #exceptional books #young readers #top authors


Bad Form Review and PRH's Lit in Colour among FutureBook Award winners

Bad Form Review and Penguin Random House's Lit in Colour scheme have jointly won the Discover award at this year's FutureBook Awards ceremony.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-11-19 17:09:55 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #colour scheme #jointly won


Book Review: ‘These Precious Days,’ by Ann Patchett

In her essay collection “These Precious Days,” the novelist and bookstore owner explores friendship, marriage and mortality. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2021-11-19 15:41:34 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book review #precious days #ann patchett #essay collection #bookstore


Twin Cities Booksellers Bounce Back

The pandemic, coupled with the protests that followed George Floyd’s murder in Minneapolis last year, has transformed the Twin Cities bookselling scene in the last 20 months. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-11-19 05:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #george floyd


Odenkirk's memoir goes to Hodder Studio

Bob Odenkirk's "highly entertaining and heartfelt memoir" has been signed by Hodder Studio. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-11-17 17:45:59 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #bob odenkirk #heartfelt memoir #hodder studio #hodder #memoir


Canadian booksellers are struggling, but not in the way you might think

Ongoing global supply issues and a paper shortage have conspired to create the "perfect storm" for the book industry as publishers, booksellers and authors are all finding it difficult to keep up with reader demand. Continue reading at CBC

[ CBC | 2021-11-17 09:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #canadian booksellers #paper shortage #perfect storm #reader demand #book industry


Wisconsin Booksellers Win 'PW's Star Watch Award

Gretchen Treu and Wes Lukes, co-owners of A Room of One’s Own in Madison, Wis., were named the 2021 Superstars at last night’s virtual celebration of PW Star Watch, a program that honors up-and-coming creatives in the book business. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-11-17 05:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #virtual celebration #book business


‘It is surreal’: the five-second book reviews going viral on TikTok

With 26bn views – and the ability to influence global sales – the social media app’s reading corner #BookTok is not as niche as it seemsFifteen seconds is all you need. Point your phone camera to a shelf and hold up your favourite book, or three. Add a trending soundtrack, a caption, a couple of... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2021-11-16 16:30:13 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book reviews #phone camera #favourite book #stuck inside #book review


Born Black and poor in Stockton, he was mayor by 26. Michael Tubbs' memoir tells the tale

Out this week, 'The Deeper the Roots' is an intimate, personal story of defying odds, helping others do the same and making history along the way. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2021-11-16 14:36:39 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #memoir tells #personal story #memoir


A Charming, Poignant Middle-Grade Memoir of Soviet Russia

In “The Genius Under the Table,” the artist and writer Eugene Yelchin recalls his boyhood in 1970s Leningrad. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2021-11-12 20:41:15 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #memoir


iOS 15.1 review: Apple tries sharing

After iOS 14 shook up the iPhone’s interface with stackable widgets and an app library, iOS 15 at launch didn’t seem so dramatic. Given that several major features, like SharePlay, were delayed, little seemed different from the public beta. But now, with iOS 15.1, everything seems to be in full... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2021-11-12 15:00:30 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #physical activity #machine learning #actively seeking #latest season #ted lasso #lulu


Sour Grapes by Dan Rhodes review – a vengeful satire on the publishing world

The comic novelist takes aim at the industry’s elitism, but his story of a farcical literary festival is dated – and overly focused on Will SelfFunny ha-ha is tricky. For every reader who cackles with laughter at an author writing “this person was making plans to micturate upon one’s pommes... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2021-11-12 09:00:32 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #making plans #literary festival


Bookselling Spotlight: Parable

Inspired by Octavia Butler’s Parable novels, the hybrid bookstore/cultural center Parable in Tacoma, Wash., aims to be a community gathering space. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-11-12 05:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #bookselling spotlight #octavia butler