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The Diary of a Bookseller
- Narrated by: Peter Kenny
- Length: 8 hrs and 23 mins
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The Diary of a Bookseller
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Summary
Shaun Bythell owns The Bookshop, Wigtown - Scotland's largest second-hand bookshop. It contains 100,000 books, spread over a mile of shelving, with twisting corridors and roaring fires, and all set in a beautiful, rural town by the edge of the sea. A book-lover's paradise? Well, almost...
In these wry and hilarious diaries, Shaun provides an inside look at the trials and tribulations of life in the book trade, from struggles with eccentric customers to wrangles with his own staff, who include the ski-suit-wearing, bin-foraging Nicky. He takes us with him on buying trips to old estates and auction houses, recommends books (both lost classics and new discoveries), introduces us to the thrill of the unexpected find, and evokes the rhythms and charms of small-town life, always with a sharp and sympathetic eye.
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What listeners say about The Diary of a Bookseller
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Sarah
- 26-01-24
Makes me want to work in a bookshop again
I read the books out of order, but still very enjoyable hearing about the crazy customers
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Paul Jennings
- 09-04-24
Fantastic
I really like the narrative man who runs a bookshop might be or is sarcastic to customers from time to time. Very funny in place and is very enjoyable, can’t get enough of this fantastic book. Well done Shaun for delivering such a good book. Enjoyed the fact that other people are talked about with real compassion and sometimes despair.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Dot Glide
- 27-10-23
Very enjoyable
I loved this so much I am buying the hard copy of this book. A delight to listen to.
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Joan Trinder
- 04-03-24
A wry dissection of independent bookselling
I learned so much about independent bookselling from this diary, but it has taken the sheen off the pleasure I normally get from browsing in bookshops. I always buy at least one book when I go into a bookshop, but having read this book I shall feel a certain guilt and prickly awareness of the attitude of the bookseller in future. What a shame!
I think the book has been written with humour, but it gave me no pleasure.
The performance was sibilant (which detracted) and there were strange inflections and emphases.
Overall, the book was interesting, but did not draw me in, engage my empathy (which I would have loved it to have done) or relax me with smooth delivery.
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1 person found this helpful