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The Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians: True Stories of the Magic of Reading
Booksellers and librarians are superheroes, saving lives every single day. Here are their amazing, inspiring true stories as told to the greatest storyteller of our time, James Patterson.
To be a bookseller or librarian…
You have to play detective.
Be a treasure hunter. A matchmaker. An advocate. A visionary.
A person who creates “book joy” by pulling a book from a shelf, handing it to someone and saying, “You’ve got to read this. You’re going to love it.”
Step inside The Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians and enter a world where you can feed your curiosities, discover new voices, find whatever you want or require. This place has the magic of rainbows and unicorns, but it's also a business. The book business.
Meet the smart and talented people who live between the pages—and who can’t wait to help you find your next favorite book.
To be a bookseller or librarian…
You have to play detective.
Be a treasure hunter. A matchmaker. An advocate. A visionary.
A person who creates “book joy” by pulling a book from a shelf, handing it to someone and saying, “You’ve got to read this. You’re going to love it.”
Step inside The Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians and enter a world where you can feed your curiosities, discover new voices, find whatever you want or require. This place has the magic of rainbows and unicorns, but it's also a business. The book business.
Meet the smart and talented people who live between the pages—and who can’t wait to help you find your next favorite book.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published April 8, 2024
About the author
James Patterson
1,552 books346k followersOfficial US Site
Official UK Site
JIMMY Patterson Books
ReadKiddoRead
James Patterson is the most popular storyteller of our time. He is the creator of unforgettable characters and series, including Alex Cross, the Women’s Murder Club, Jane Smith, and Maximum Ride, and of breathtaking true stories about the Kennedys, John Lennon, and Tiger Woods, as well as our military heroes, police officers, and ER nurses. Patterson has coauthored #1 bestselling novels with Bill Clinton and Dolly Parton, and collaborated most recently with Michael Crichton on the blockbuster Eruption. He has told the story of his own life in James Patterson by James Patterson and received an Edgar Award, ten Emmy Awards, the Literarian Award from the National Book Foundation, and the National Humanities Medal.
Official UK Site
JIMMY Patterson Books
ReadKiddoRead
James Patterson is the most popular storyteller of our time. He is the creator of unforgettable characters and series, including Alex Cross, the Women’s Murder Club, Jane Smith, and Maximum Ride, and of breathtaking true stories about the Kennedys, John Lennon, and Tiger Woods, as well as our military heroes, police officers, and ER nurses. Patterson has coauthored #1 bestselling novels with Bill Clinton and Dolly Parton, and collaborated most recently with Michael Crichton on the blockbuster Eruption. He has told the story of his own life in James Patterson by James Patterson and received an Edgar Award, ten Emmy Awards, the Literarian Award from the National Book Foundation, and the National Humanities Medal.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 135 reviews
December 12, 2023
"[Community] libraries level the playing field. They're free and open to the public. All are welcome. Our doors are open. Come in and learn to become your best self. Follow your dreams and reach your true potential. Let your reach exceed your grasp. Whatever book you want to read, it's free on the honor system. It's hard to imagine anywhere else in our society so devoted to the concept of everyone being completely equal." -- Cuyahoga County, Ohio managing librarian Bill Kelly, on page 304
Much like their previous winner Walk the Blue Line (excerpts on the lives of our police officers and sheriff's deputies from across the nation) earlier this year, bestselling author Patterson and U.S. Army vet Eversmann re-team to bring us another effort in a similar stylish vein with their newest entry called The Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians. As the title makes clear, this time they've spoken to dozens of folks in either the bookselling business (ranging from the owners of used book stores often found in small-town areas and up to the managers of Barnes & Noble businesses in major metropolitan areas) or libraries (working in various pubic schools systems or community-level branches in a nationwide array of cities or counties) in America. Those interviewed truly seem to love their chosen and/or happily accidental careers in the book-related arena, and love the magical power of reading plus then bringing it to the huddled masses yearning to be free. There are a number of notable stories / anecdotes - equally dispersed among heartwarming (a store owner unexpectedly receives assistance from customers after a storm wrecks his business), the humorous (the Nerf gun wielding patron often observed at the Seattle B&N) and even controversial (a high school librarian finds herself under attack regarding her staunch support of banned books) - and by the conclusion it was reassuring that there are sincere people fueled by the love books AND then providing them to people to simply make them happy. Or, as bookseller Janice Turbeville comments in her final pages that "there's nothing better than recommending books that can have a meaningful and positive impact on someone's life". Thank you to GR friend Jen for the 'buddy read' and the ARC.
Much like their previous winner Walk the Blue Line (excerpts on the lives of our police officers and sheriff's deputies from across the nation) earlier this year, bestselling author Patterson and U.S. Army vet Eversmann re-team to bring us another effort in a similar stylish vein with their newest entry called The Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians. As the title makes clear, this time they've spoken to dozens of folks in either the bookselling business (ranging from the owners of used book stores often found in small-town areas and up to the managers of Barnes & Noble businesses in major metropolitan areas) or libraries (working in various pubic schools systems or community-level branches in a nationwide array of cities or counties) in America. Those interviewed truly seem to love their chosen and/or happily accidental careers in the book-related arena, and love the magical power of reading plus then bringing it to the huddled masses yearning to be free. There are a number of notable stories / anecdotes - equally dispersed among heartwarming (a store owner unexpectedly receives assistance from customers after a storm wrecks his business), the humorous (the Nerf gun wielding patron often observed at the Seattle B&N) and even controversial (a high school librarian finds herself under attack regarding her staunch support of banned books) - and by the conclusion it was reassuring that there are sincere people fueled by the love books AND then providing them to people to simply make them happy. Or, as bookseller Janice Turbeville comments in her final pages that "there's nothing better than recommending books that can have a meaningful and positive impact on someone's life". Thank you to GR friend Jen for the 'buddy read' and the ARC.
March 12, 2024
I received a free copy of, The Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians, by James Patterson: Matt Eversman, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I love books, I also love libraries and book shops. I still read books, I prefer old school books to reading on a kindle, phone, or computer. This is a really good book about people who love books too.
April 19, 2024
4.25 stars
Read
March 6, 2024When I was a little girl I wanted to sit at a desk in the library and have children come up to me and ask what book they should read. I was eager to recommend my favorites. Charlotte’s Web. The Black Stallion. A Child’s Garden of Verses. The Shy Stegosaurus of Cricket Creek.
A few years later we moved and the new city had a large library. I wanted to see the books on the other side, but Mom said they were for adults. I wondered what was in those books. When I was twelve I prowled the stacks on that side, bringing home books on art and Greek myths. There was a large desk in the middle of the library, and I was sure that the job of the woman who sat there was the one I had coveted.
I was a bookstore manager for a few years where my husband was attending seminary. Students hung out there to kill time between classes. I learned what books the teachers were talking about and ordered copies which were quickly claimed. I was the first to make a profit at the nonprofit bookstore! I could order books at a 40% discount and took advantage of it to build my personal library. It was my favorite job ever. I peaked in my career at age 22.
After completing my degree in English I thought about going for a librarian degree. Instead, I got a job writing promotional literature, had a baby, and took our son to libraries. As a teenager, our son volunteered at the library’s resale store. My spouse is on the library board where we now live. We helped start a library book club that has been going on for nearly nine years.
Our librarians must contend with so many things today: shrinking budgets, open carry guns, individuals complaining about specific books that don’t meet their personal standards. Even the quilts we hang in the library sometimes get censored!
When a social media friend, a librarian, mentioned she was in this book I had to pick it up. It is a delightful read, full of the kind of people I imagined becoming some day.
My goal, my passion, is to become a special kind of matchmaker–matching people with books.
Kelley Moore quoted in The Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians
The people who were interviewed for this book reflect on the joy of their work and the challenges they face in today’s culture. Holly Strong, a Barnes & Noble bookstore manager, tells the story of helping a troubled teenager find books that could bring affirmation and connection. She ends with, “To be that support for a complete stranger, who doesn’t feel like a stranger anymore–that’s the power and magic of my job.”
Those who love books want to get books into the hands of others. I may not be a seller of books or librarian, but as a book reviewer I still get to tell people about books they should read. If you are a reader, a lover of book, and want to be inspired by the stories of others who love books, this book is for you!
Thanks to the publisher for a free book.
A few years later we moved and the new city had a large library. I wanted to see the books on the other side, but Mom said they were for adults. I wondered what was in those books. When I was twelve I prowled the stacks on that side, bringing home books on art and Greek myths. There was a large desk in the middle of the library, and I was sure that the job of the woman who sat there was the one I had coveted.
I was a bookstore manager for a few years where my husband was attending seminary. Students hung out there to kill time between classes. I learned what books the teachers were talking about and ordered copies which were quickly claimed. I was the first to make a profit at the nonprofit bookstore! I could order books at a 40% discount and took advantage of it to build my personal library. It was my favorite job ever. I peaked in my career at age 22.
After completing my degree in English I thought about going for a librarian degree. Instead, I got a job writing promotional literature, had a baby, and took our son to libraries. As a teenager, our son volunteered at the library’s resale store. My spouse is on the library board where we now live. We helped start a library book club that has been going on for nearly nine years.
Our librarians must contend with so many things today: shrinking budgets, open carry guns, individuals complaining about specific books that don’t meet their personal standards. Even the quilts we hang in the library sometimes get censored!
When a social media friend, a librarian, mentioned she was in this book I had to pick it up. It is a delightful read, full of the kind of people I imagined becoming some day.
My goal, my passion, is to become a special kind of matchmaker–matching people with books.
Kelley Moore quoted in The Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians
The people who were interviewed for this book reflect on the joy of their work and the challenges they face in today’s culture. Holly Strong, a Barnes & Noble bookstore manager, tells the story of helping a troubled teenager find books that could bring affirmation and connection. She ends with, “To be that support for a complete stranger, who doesn’t feel like a stranger anymore–that’s the power and magic of my job.”
Those who love books want to get books into the hands of others. I may not be a seller of books or librarian, but as a book reviewer I still get to tell people about books they should read. If you are a reader, a lover of book, and want to be inspired by the stories of others who love books, this book is for you!
Thanks to the publisher for a free book.
December 31, 2023
What a pleasure it was to read this book! I am a retired librarian, having spent time in school, public, and medical/scientific libraries over an almost 40=year career. I so enjoyed reading the stories presented by librarians and booksellers in this book. Readers can learn tricks of the trades and inspirations for future jobs. You can read this book straight through or dip back into it between other books for small doses. Either way will work. Reading it feels like informally talking to colleagues at an annual meeting. I appreciate that Patterson used his power to compile this gem. Thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for providing an ARC.
March 12, 2024
As a former archivist and in and out of library roles my whole life, I wanted to love this book. It was a fun and quick read of first-person reflections, full of book joy and library/bookseller love. I saw myself in many of them— the satisfaction of serving the public, sharing a favorite read with a patron, or successfully tracking down the answer to an elusive reference request. A highlight: my local independent bookstore was featured. Hooray!
So why the disappointment?
There is too much redundancy of both the reflections and of the types of libraries and bookstores. (Too much Barnes & Noble for sure). Less of the usual and more of the unique would have added interest. For example, I especially enjoyed the entries of Diego Sandoval Hernandez and his work with prison libraries in Brooklyn, Amy Cheney’s Juvenile Justice Literary Project, and Carolyn Foote’s entry reflecting on her consultant work as an Intellectual Freedom award winner.
What was most disappointing was a lack of structure to the book and any information about the background and context of the entries. Reflections were loosely grouped by subtitles that didn’t make much sense to me. Too, the book began and ended abruptly. Tell us the background of its writing, the criteria for choosing the entries, the writing prompts shared. While edited for length and first person narrative, the entries seemed to be plopped down into the manuscript and that was that. Done. I’m hoping the final publication will provide additional info in the forward and afterward to make it a more substantive and satisfying narrative.
I’m grateful to James Patterson and Matt Eversmann for sharing the hard work that librarians and booksellers do every day to benefit us all. As many narratives mentioned, no one is in it for the money. And as many noted, our libraries continue to grow in importance to our communities and in relevance to all of our lives. Maybe it’s a little love letter to booksellers and librarians everywhere, but I hope that if it preaches to the choir, that it also reaches a larger audience.
Thank you to my fabulous Lewes DE Public Library for an ARC of this book, out on April 8.
So why the disappointment?
There is too much redundancy of both the reflections and of the types of libraries and bookstores. (Too much Barnes & Noble for sure). Less of the usual and more of the unique would have added interest. For example, I especially enjoyed the entries of Diego Sandoval Hernandez and his work with prison libraries in Brooklyn, Amy Cheney’s Juvenile Justice Literary Project, and Carolyn Foote’s entry reflecting on her consultant work as an Intellectual Freedom award winner.
What was most disappointing was a lack of structure to the book and any information about the background and context of the entries. Reflections were loosely grouped by subtitles that didn’t make much sense to me. Too, the book began and ended abruptly. Tell us the background of its writing, the criteria for choosing the entries, the writing prompts shared. While edited for length and first person narrative, the entries seemed to be plopped down into the manuscript and that was that. Done. I’m hoping the final publication will provide additional info in the forward and afterward to make it a more substantive and satisfying narrative.
I’m grateful to James Patterson and Matt Eversmann for sharing the hard work that librarians and booksellers do every day to benefit us all. As many narratives mentioned, no one is in it for the money. And as many noted, our libraries continue to grow in importance to our communities and in relevance to all of our lives. Maybe it’s a little love letter to booksellers and librarians everywhere, but I hope that if it preaches to the choir, that it also reaches a larger audience.
Thank you to my fabulous Lewes DE Public Library for an ARC of this book, out on April 8.
April 5, 2024
It's safe to say that I'm a voracious reader; every year for the past half-dozen or so, I've read more than 100 (mostly mysteries and thrillers, if anyone cares to know). During the years our children were, well, children, and I had little free time to read for my own pleasure, I read to them - until they learned to read and took matters into their own hands. The point is, I've more than paid my dues at libraries and bookstores, and I have nothing but respect and admiration (and a little bit of envy) for those who own, manage or work in them. This book, then, was fun to read - listening in, as it were, to insights and inspiration from those who are being there, doing that and telling us why they think what they do is important - which, in fact, it is.
Several spoke of the special satisfaction that comes from interacting with children (an issue near and dear to my own heart). As Mary Terry of a Barnes & Noble in Beaumont, Texas, noted, "A kid who reads is a kid who thinks."
At the Cleveland Public Library, Erica Marks says she's always on the lookout for books written by and speakers who are people of color - to better serve her community. Meg Wasmer, owner of Copper Dog Books in Beverly, Massachusetts, sees herself as a "detective" as much as a bookseller; she once located a book primarily based on the customer's report that the book she wanted had a blue cover. I can relate; I've lost count of the times over the years that I've advised people who need questions answered to check with the reference librarian at their local library (hint: they're s-m-a-r-t, and they know things).
More than one respondent spoke of another issue that has reared its ugly head again of late - attempts to ban books. The book professionals maintain, and I couldn't agree more, that parents can choose what their own children read; but they absolutely, positively do not have the right to choose the books anyone else's kids do.
The bottom line? If nothing else, this relatively short book is a nice tribute to some hard-working, dedicated and often under-appreciated professionals - and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy.
Several spoke of the special satisfaction that comes from interacting with children (an issue near and dear to my own heart). As Mary Terry of a Barnes & Noble in Beaumont, Texas, noted, "A kid who reads is a kid who thinks."
At the Cleveland Public Library, Erica Marks says she's always on the lookout for books written by and speakers who are people of color - to better serve her community. Meg Wasmer, owner of Copper Dog Books in Beverly, Massachusetts, sees herself as a "detective" as much as a bookseller; she once located a book primarily based on the customer's report that the book she wanted had a blue cover. I can relate; I've lost count of the times over the years that I've advised people who need questions answered to check with the reference librarian at their local library (hint: they're s-m-a-r-t, and they know things).
More than one respondent spoke of another issue that has reared its ugly head again of late - attempts to ban books. The book professionals maintain, and I couldn't agree more, that parents can choose what their own children read; but they absolutely, positively do not have the right to choose the books anyone else's kids do.
The bottom line? If nothing else, this relatively short book is a nice tribute to some hard-working, dedicated and often under-appreciated professionals - and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy.
April 1, 2024
Little, Brown and Company provided an early galley for review.
As a librarian who loves to wander the stacks in the library and bookstores, this was an instant draw for me. By hearing the words and approaches of others with similar inclinations, my hope was to get further insight into my own self.
The book is broken into five parts, each with a general theme to it. Within each of those parts are then many profiles of booksellers and librarians. Each profile is short (mostly two to three pages apiece), taking no time at all to read. so, they can be consumed in short moments between other tasks if need be.
But, when taken together, they paint a picture of the world of reader services that are offered by these two professions. For someone who has chosen to work in that world, it resonates with my own views and experiences. For those not in the mix, perhaps this book will give insights into the professions.
As a librarian who loves to wander the stacks in the library and bookstores, this was an instant draw for me. By hearing the words and approaches of others with similar inclinations, my hope was to get further insight into my own self.
The book is broken into five parts, each with a general theme to it. Within each of those parts are then many profiles of booksellers and librarians. Each profile is short (mostly two to three pages apiece), taking no time at all to read. so, they can be consumed in short moments between other tasks if need be.
But, when taken together, they paint a picture of the world of reader services that are offered by these two professions. For someone who has chosen to work in that world, it resonates with my own views and experiences. For those not in the mix, perhaps this book will give insights into the professions.
April 19, 2024
Interesting snippets (chapters) of the lives of real librarians, book store owners & booksellers.
Easy reading.
I just don’t understand why Barbara Peters or Patrick Milligan of The Poisoned Pen Bookshop in Scottsdale, Arizona, wasn’t included in this book.
Easy reading.
I just don’t understand why Barbara Peters or Patrick Milligan of The Poisoned Pen Bookshop in Scottsdale, Arizona, wasn’t included in this book.
April 12, 2024
I really enjoyed listening to this audiobook and all the stories shared in it. If I ever get a part time job, I want to be a bookseller.
October 30, 2023
I want to describe this book as meh for a number of reasons. Who is the audience? I don't feel like it was me with 35 years' experience selling books and I don't think many of my customers would care. You know the meme 'You call that a snowstorm? 'Round here we call it Tuesday.'? That's what this book is - stories from booksellers and librarians doing what they do every day. I was annoyed that all the stories are from Americans, but that might just be better than one or two token stories from the rest of the world. James Patterson does so much for booksellers - he publishes bestsellers frequently that drive readers to our stores and he truly seems to appreciate what we do, but this book leaves me uninspired.
April 13, 2024
Heartwarming. Life-affirming. Reminiscent. Excited. These are just some of the descriptives I can use to describe the experience of reading the new non-fiction title from authors James Patterson and Matt Eversmann, THE SECRET LIVES OF BOOKSELLERS AND LIBRARIANS. It is not just a tribute to those in the book trade but a literary pat on the back to anyone who loves books.
If you are reading this review than that places you in a unique group of readers and booklovers. The opening Author’s Note provides some eye-opening statistics about the current state of reading in this country. If you live in America, you’re among only one in five who can read a book and actually in the habit of reading books. Only 15 percent of registered voters read books. It makes you believe that this beautiful past time is on the brink of extinction. That is, until you read through the dozens of testimonies from book lovers contained within these pages.
Alexis Sky speaks of the smell of books and how guests to her independent bookstore in upstate New York often comment on that as they enter. You just don’t get that scent when you enter one of the chain or big box bookstores. She also reflects on her love of books and supportive parents that allowed her to manage her own library card. That is until their local librarian called with a friendly heads up that she had checked out an ‘adult’ book. Alexis asked her father what ether was and then went on to describe the journey the two characters in the novel she was reading were undertaking. When he realized she was referring to FEAR AND LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS by Hunter S. Thompson she nodded and indicated that it was like ALICE IN WONDERLAND for boys. Her father concurred and told her that when she was older they would have a different conversation about it.
Lorrie Rossin is a Middle School Librarian from Texas. She surmises that this is the ideal place and perfect age for young people eager to explore the new worlds that reading opens up to them. They are also not as distracted as High School readers, who have so much more competing for their leisure time. Author Judy Blume, now 84 years old and owner of a bookstore in Key West Florida talks about the transition from book writer to bookseller. She feels it is more important to share the wonder of reading with as many people as possible rather than locking herself away for years in the solitary exercise of writing a new novel.
Susan Kehoe from Browseabout Books in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, discusses how she must ask non-book related questions in a job interview to make sure that any perspective employee realizes that it is not all glamour. Her employees must be full-service to keep their doors open, and this includes cleaning the toilets and the daily task of sweeping up the sand that has been tracked in by patrons. Another thing that makes independent bookstores unique are the occasional pets that become beloved fixtures there. Sally Brewster of Park Road Books in North Carolina recalls when a reporter called to do a story --- not about the store, but about Yola the extremely popular resident dog.
Nancy Moore from Barnes & Noble in Massachusetts talks about how the love of books has become a way for her to pass judgement upon people she meets. She is instantly suspicious of a home where no books are out or on display. The big chain bookstores serve an important role in reaching readers where there are no other options. Jessica Claudio of Barnes & Noble in Staten Island, New York is the owner of the ONLY bookstore on her populated item. It therefore plays the same role that a smaller bookstore might serve for the community as the only game in town.
A neighborhood bookstore needs to reflect its’ community. This is seen at the Astoria Bookshop in Astoria, Queens. Owner and founder Lexi Beach fights an uphill battle to represent the oft underrepresented borough she lives in, especially in comparison to the more popular and artsy Brooklyn and Manhattan. People love to read local. Bookstores and libraries face the pressure of deciding what to make available on their shelves --- not an easy task when there is constant daily pressure from either the woke population or government passing on their own judgement on what should be allowable. Denver Librarian Dodie Owens puts it best: ‘If we are going to carry The Anarchist Cookbook, then we also have to carry LGBQT materials, and that also means that we have to carry something about Holocaust denial.’
I wish that I could give time to everyone that contributed to this wonderful work. It was the best example of ‘preaching to the choir’ non-fiction reading that I can recall. The last bookseller I will cover is the store that was the most personal for me in this book. Sarah Galvin and her husband run The Bookstore Plus in Lake Placid, NY. This town is an International Olympic Village and I have began shopping there as a young child. My sister, another avid reader, lives up there in the Adirondacks and this is her local bookstore. It makes me smile to know it is still there, and I fondly remember how both popular and local books were always available. It’s the shop that supports local authors like Jamie Sheffield, who regrettably passed away last month.
This important work celebrates what we, the ‘readers,’ love about the experience of reading a great and memorable book. The connections it makes between a community as well as to our own personal memories and past history is immeasurable. I applaud Patterson and Eversmann for doing the leg work and communicating with all of these various book lovers to share their stories and views. It gives me hope for the continued future of the world’s greatest way to pass the time!
Reviewed by Ray Palen for Book Reporter
If you are reading this review than that places you in a unique group of readers and booklovers. The opening Author’s Note provides some eye-opening statistics about the current state of reading in this country. If you live in America, you’re among only one in five who can read a book and actually in the habit of reading books. Only 15 percent of registered voters read books. It makes you believe that this beautiful past time is on the brink of extinction. That is, until you read through the dozens of testimonies from book lovers contained within these pages.
Alexis Sky speaks of the smell of books and how guests to her independent bookstore in upstate New York often comment on that as they enter. You just don’t get that scent when you enter one of the chain or big box bookstores. She also reflects on her love of books and supportive parents that allowed her to manage her own library card. That is until their local librarian called with a friendly heads up that she had checked out an ‘adult’ book. Alexis asked her father what ether was and then went on to describe the journey the two characters in the novel she was reading were undertaking. When he realized she was referring to FEAR AND LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS by Hunter S. Thompson she nodded and indicated that it was like ALICE IN WONDERLAND for boys. Her father concurred and told her that when she was older they would have a different conversation about it.
Lorrie Rossin is a Middle School Librarian from Texas. She surmises that this is the ideal place and perfect age for young people eager to explore the new worlds that reading opens up to them. They are also not as distracted as High School readers, who have so much more competing for their leisure time. Author Judy Blume, now 84 years old and owner of a bookstore in Key West Florida talks about the transition from book writer to bookseller. She feels it is more important to share the wonder of reading with as many people as possible rather than locking herself away for years in the solitary exercise of writing a new novel.
Susan Kehoe from Browseabout Books in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, discusses how she must ask non-book related questions in a job interview to make sure that any perspective employee realizes that it is not all glamour. Her employees must be full-service to keep their doors open, and this includes cleaning the toilets and the daily task of sweeping up the sand that has been tracked in by patrons. Another thing that makes independent bookstores unique are the occasional pets that become beloved fixtures there. Sally Brewster of Park Road Books in North Carolina recalls when a reporter called to do a story --- not about the store, but about Yola the extremely popular resident dog.
Nancy Moore from Barnes & Noble in Massachusetts talks about how the love of books has become a way for her to pass judgement upon people she meets. She is instantly suspicious of a home where no books are out or on display. The big chain bookstores serve an important role in reaching readers where there are no other options. Jessica Claudio of Barnes & Noble in Staten Island, New York is the owner of the ONLY bookstore on her populated item. It therefore plays the same role that a smaller bookstore might serve for the community as the only game in town.
A neighborhood bookstore needs to reflect its’ community. This is seen at the Astoria Bookshop in Astoria, Queens. Owner and founder Lexi Beach fights an uphill battle to represent the oft underrepresented borough she lives in, especially in comparison to the more popular and artsy Brooklyn and Manhattan. People love to read local. Bookstores and libraries face the pressure of deciding what to make available on their shelves --- not an easy task when there is constant daily pressure from either the woke population or government passing on their own judgement on what should be allowable. Denver Librarian Dodie Owens puts it best: ‘If we are going to carry The Anarchist Cookbook, then we also have to carry LGBQT materials, and that also means that we have to carry something about Holocaust denial.’
I wish that I could give time to everyone that contributed to this wonderful work. It was the best example of ‘preaching to the choir’ non-fiction reading that I can recall. The last bookseller I will cover is the store that was the most personal for me in this book. Sarah Galvin and her husband run The Bookstore Plus in Lake Placid, NY. This town is an International Olympic Village and I have began shopping there as a young child. My sister, another avid reader, lives up there in the Adirondacks and this is her local bookstore. It makes me smile to know it is still there, and I fondly remember how both popular and local books were always available. It’s the shop that supports local authors like Jamie Sheffield, who regrettably passed away last month.
This important work celebrates what we, the ‘readers,’ love about the experience of reading a great and memorable book. The connections it makes between a community as well as to our own personal memories and past history is immeasurable. I applaud Patterson and Eversmann for doing the leg work and communicating with all of these various book lovers to share their stories and views. It gives me hope for the continued future of the world’s greatest way to pass the time!
Reviewed by Ray Palen for Book Reporter
April 16, 2024
Fantastic and heartwarming stories from the defenders of the written word! There are a few stories about the recent uptick in book challenges, which my local library is also dealing with, and how those communities are dealing with it, but most are more touching and wonderful stories about helping finding their love of reading. I enjoyed learning about how the contributors found their way into the positions they hold and why they continue to do it. Highly recommended for anyone who loves to read.
I received a copy from #NetGalley and #LittleBrown for an honest review.
I received a copy from #NetGalley and #LittleBrown for an honest review.
April 12, 2024
This book made me want to be a librarian even more than before.
April 8, 2024
It's fun. If you like to roam around bookstores and libraries, this is for you. Fantastic destinations for your travels, check them out!
March 20, 2024
Nothing better than books about books, right? I love reading about people who love books and I found this collection of stories about booksellers and librarians to be extremely readable and fun. I learned about new things, the Seattle athenaeum, as well as read stories about our own local book store here in the bay area, Book Passage. The variety in the stories and love of books made it fun to pick up this book.
March 22, 2024
My first ARC review!
Enjoyed this more than I was expecting to. It left me feeling very hopeful, to be able to read everyone’s experience in the bookselling/librarian world! It touched on topics such as the recent book banning, representation within the book world, and community’s coming together over their love of reading. The only thing is that it doesn’t really deep dive into anything really. Ultimately, that doesn’t bother me too much considering that each chapter is fairly short and from a different perspective. I think it’s a great book to introduce people into the behind the scenes aspect of the world of books. Overall, I really enjoyed this and it was a great, feel good read!
Enjoyed this more than I was expecting to. It left me feeling very hopeful, to be able to read everyone’s experience in the bookselling/librarian world! It touched on topics such as the recent book banning, representation within the book world, and community’s coming together over their love of reading. The only thing is that it doesn’t really deep dive into anything really. Ultimately, that doesn’t bother me too much considering that each chapter is fairly short and from a different perspective. I think it’s a great book to introduce people into the behind the scenes aspect of the world of books. Overall, I really enjoyed this and it was a great, feel good read!
September 27, 2023
Having been both, a bit biased perhaps...
April 5, 2024
Do you know a bookseller of a librarian? Are you interested in learning about what booksellers or librarians do all day? No, they do not get to sit and read all day - that is just a myth, unfortunately! World famous author James Patterson has a great love of reading and spends a lot of time at and in bookstores and libraries. So he and two collaborators decided to gather and share stories from booksellers and librarians.
The first section has booksellers and librarians discuss being book detective. This involves either trying to figure out what book a patron/customer is trying to find based on what little information they have (it was a red book on birds or it had vampires and airplanes and World War I) or trying to find a book that meets the needs/tastes/desires of the patron (I want a cozy romance set in Rome that involves baking).
The second section interviews librarians and booksellers on books. All sorts of stories about books - their favorites, the first books they read, what books they tend to recommend, etc.
The third section dives into booksellers and librarians reminiscing on the role that books and reading plays in their lives. One librarian talks about how she learned about interlibrary loan when she was seventeen and working on an art project. Another has a plan for world domination via children's literature.
Section four is all about reading! Booksellers and librarians are more interested in getting people hooked on reading and less worried about what they are reading. Because, as one bookseller states, "a kid who reads is a kid who thinks." Not to mention that adults who read tend to think as well.
The fifth and final section is talking about everything that librarians and booksellers do behinds the scenes so that the books and other items/services are easily found by the customers/patrons. Did you know that some libraries have tools you could check out? Or job resume services? How about tax forms? The list of services just grows and grows!
Okay, the title is a bit misleading. Not all librarians and booksellers are super heroes or keeping rare and strange artifacts safe from evil doers (see The Librarians for a fun watch). But if you enjoy reading about why people enjoy their jobs, The Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians is a good place to start!
Thanks Netgalley for the chance to read this title
The first section has booksellers and librarians discuss being book detective. This involves either trying to figure out what book a patron/customer is trying to find based on what little information they have (it was a red book on birds or it had vampires and airplanes and World War I) or trying to find a book that meets the needs/tastes/desires of the patron (I want a cozy romance set in Rome that involves baking).
The second section interviews librarians and booksellers on books. All sorts of stories about books - their favorites, the first books they read, what books they tend to recommend, etc.
The third section dives into booksellers and librarians reminiscing on the role that books and reading plays in their lives. One librarian talks about how she learned about interlibrary loan when she was seventeen and working on an art project. Another has a plan for world domination via children's literature.
Section four is all about reading! Booksellers and librarians are more interested in getting people hooked on reading and less worried about what they are reading. Because, as one bookseller states, "a kid who reads is a kid who thinks." Not to mention that adults who read tend to think as well.
The fifth and final section is talking about everything that librarians and booksellers do behinds the scenes so that the books and other items/services are easily found by the customers/patrons. Did you know that some libraries have tools you could check out? Or job resume services? How about tax forms? The list of services just grows and grows!
Okay, the title is a bit misleading. Not all librarians and booksellers are super heroes or keeping rare and strange artifacts safe from evil doers (see The Librarians for a fun watch). But if you enjoy reading about why people enjoy their jobs, The Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians is a good place to start!
Thanks Netgalley for the chance to read this title
April 12, 2024
I love the idea of collecting stories and reflections from librarians and booksellers.
I also like imagining that my purchase of this book will help Patterson fund his wonderful annual Christmas bonus donations to booksellers around the country (for which I’ve nominated my favorite bookseller for the past 3 years, and she’s won). (I know he doesn’t need my help.)
There are delightful stories of matching book to reader and of the communities that form around bookstores and libraries. There are stories of librarians standing bravely in the face of ever-more hysterical book bans.
The various booksellers and librarians in this book are actually pretty varied people with a range of life experiences and stories to tell. It’s a shame that the authors have processed each story through the same mill and extruded them into the same first person, present tense, fake conversational tone. How did so many voices get so homogenized?
The whole book felt structured and written as though someone had an industrial-strength book mold that the book concept and content were forced to fit, and out popped a book exactly fitted to the mold. I don’t like that forced shape being so apparent throughout. Maybe this would be less noticeable if I hadn’t read the book straight through at once.
Minor additional complaint: Barnes & Noble and Books a Million are over-represented in the book; I wish there were even more indies included, and a fuller geographical distribution.
I also like imagining that my purchase of this book will help Patterson fund his wonderful annual Christmas bonus donations to booksellers around the country (for which I’ve nominated my favorite bookseller for the past 3 years, and she’s won). (I know he doesn’t need my help.)
There are delightful stories of matching book to reader and of the communities that form around bookstores and libraries. There are stories of librarians standing bravely in the face of ever-more hysterical book bans.
The various booksellers and librarians in this book are actually pretty varied people with a range of life experiences and stories to tell. It’s a shame that the authors have processed each story through the same mill and extruded them into the same first person, present tense, fake conversational tone. How did so many voices get so homogenized?
The whole book felt structured and written as though someone had an industrial-strength book mold that the book concept and content were forced to fit, and out popped a book exactly fitted to the mold. I don’t like that forced shape being so apparent throughout. Maybe this would be less noticeable if I hadn’t read the book straight through at once.
Minor additional complaint: Barnes & Noble and Books a Million are over-represented in the book; I wish there were even more indies included, and a fuller geographical distribution.
April 4, 2024
This book is like a very long love letter to Librarians and Booksellers, the people who try to get books into the hands of everyone. I work in a library and used to long to own a bookstore, so this book is very much something I should love. It did help me understand a little more on what it takes to run a bookstore, and maybe that’s what this book is really about – helping people who love to read if a job as a bookstore owner or a librarian is for them.
Readers may find some interesting bits here, but more likely this is a book for those who work in those jobs, or are curious about it.
While every person has their own unique story, there are striking similarities, unfortunately, after a while it became a little repetitive. It’s understandable not wanting to cut any one of these stories. And yet…it would be a better book being shorter.
Thanks to Little, Brown and Company and NetGalley for an uncorrected electronic advance review copy of this book.
Readers may find some interesting bits here, but more likely this is a book for those who work in those jobs, or are curious about it.
While every person has their own unique story, there are striking similarities, unfortunately, after a while it became a little repetitive. It’s understandable not wanting to cut any one of these stories. And yet…it would be a better book being shorter.
Thanks to Little, Brown and Company and NetGalley for an uncorrected electronic advance review copy of this book.
April 21, 2024
I was very intrigued and excited by this book. A few of the stories really stuck out to me, like the librarian who works with prisoners, but they all started to meld together. I wish there were half as many stories and that they were more than 4 or 5 pages long.
Found the “James Patterson” name dropping to get old after the 10th time. Did he write these excerpts after interviewing people? Or did they write their stories themselves?
Got about halfway through and sadly don’t think I will finish.
I have such a respect for librarians and booksellers, in fact this book encouraged me to finally go get a library card! So I am grateful for that. Just disappointed in the overall structure and flow of the book.
Found the “James Patterson” name dropping to get old after the 10th time. Did he write these excerpts after interviewing people? Or did they write their stories themselves?
Got about halfway through and sadly don’t think I will finish.
I have such a respect for librarians and booksellers, in fact this book encouraged me to finally go get a library card! So I am grateful for that. Just disappointed in the overall structure and flow of the book.
April 10, 2024
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!!
This was such a sweet little read about people who work in the bookish world. From public librarians, booksellers, independent book store owners, and school librarians, the stories shared are enough to warm your heart.
While I didn’t agree with every single story shared, I have always held to the belief that it’s important to know what other people believe and understand their opinions. Understanding isn’t the same thing as agreeing. I think this book is a great example of that.
If you’re looking for something light but also informative, this is a great book to pick up for that.
This was such a sweet little read about people who work in the bookish world. From public librarians, booksellers, independent book store owners, and school librarians, the stories shared are enough to warm your heart.
While I didn’t agree with every single story shared, I have always held to the belief that it’s important to know what other people believe and understand their opinions. Understanding isn’t the same thing as agreeing. I think this book is a great example of that.
If you’re looking for something light but also informative, this is a great book to pick up for that.
April 8, 2024
Thank you to the publisher for this free eARC! All opinions are my own
Being a librarian myself, I was very excited to read this combination of two of my loves: libraries and James Patterson books. It is always interesting to see how others started in the profession, and the impact that books have on others. #TheSecretLivesofBooksellersandLibrarians #NetGalley
Being a librarian myself, I was very excited to read this combination of two of my loves: libraries and James Patterson books. It is always interesting to see how others started in the profession, and the impact that books have on others. #TheSecretLivesofBooksellersandLibrarians #NetGalley
April 14, 2024
This book was pure joy, the stories are so honest and funny and full of hope. I couldn’t put it down. If you love reading, libraries, and bookstores, then this is for you. Even though it’s stories from a ton of people, they all flow really well together. I will be gifting this book to friends and family!
April 18, 2024
A feel good read
I am a huge James Patterson fan. Not just for his books , but for his passion for reading and books. This book was fun to read, the stories of all the people and their love for books and reading is heartwarming. I love reading so much and just felt the love of a good story from this. It kinda makes me want to own a book store.
I am a huge James Patterson fan. Not just for his books , but for his passion for reading and books. This book was fun to read, the stories of all the people and their love for books and reading is heartwarming. I love reading so much and just felt the love of a good story from this. It kinda makes me want to own a book store.
April 13, 2024
This was ‘nice’ but the first hand accounts felt very purposefully chosen to show the more palatable aspects of these professions. Librarianship is much more complicated and challenging than what was shown here.
The fact that librarians and booksellers love reading and sharing books is not a secret. In fact, loving books (while very useful in librarianship) is not a great reason to go into the field. I suspect that showing the more gritty side to our work is a risk this author wasn’t willing to take.
The fact that librarians and booksellers love reading and sharing books is not a secret. In fact, loving books (while very useful in librarianship) is not a great reason to go into the field. I suspect that showing the more gritty side to our work is a risk this author wasn’t willing to take.
Currently reading
April 15, 2024WRC 2024- book with yellow cover
April 20, 2024
This book likely isn't for everyone but it's interesting for those of us that really love reading just for the sake of it. It's fun to hear about how others developed their love of all things written. It's a great book to read in small snippets if time.
April 14, 2024
Heartwarming. Life-affirming. Reminiscent. Excited. These are just some of the words I can use to describe the experience of reading James Patterson and Matt Eversmann’s THE SECRET LIVES OF BOOKSELLERS AND LIBRARIANS. It is not just a tribute to those in the book trade but a literary pat on the back to anyone who loves books.
The Author’s Note provides some eye-opening statistics about the current state of reading in this country. If you live in the US, you are among only one in five who can read a book and are actually in the habit of reading books. Only 15 percent of registered voters read books. It makes you believe that this beautiful pastime is on the brink of extinction. That is, until you check out the dozens of testimonies from book lovers that fill these pages.
Alexis Sky speaks of the smell of books and how guests to her independent bookstore in upstate New York often comment on it as they enter. You just don’t get that scent when you visit one of the chain or big-box bookstores. She also reflects on her love of books and her supportive parents who allowed her to have her own library card. One day, their local librarian called with a friendly heads-up that Alexis had checked out an “adult” book. She asked her father what the word “ether” meant and then went on to describe the journey that the two characters were undertaking in the novel she was reading. When he realized that she was referring to Hunter S. Thompson’s FEAR AND LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS, she indicated that it was like ALICE IN WONDERLAND for boys. He concurred and told her that when she was older, they would have a different conversation about it.
Lorrie Roussin is a middle school librarian from Texas. She surmises that this is the ideal place and perfect age for young people eager to explore the new worlds that reading opens up to them. They also are not as distracted as high school readers, who have so much more competing for their leisure time. Judy Blume, who is now 84 years old and the owner of a bookstore in Key West Florida, talks about the transition from book writer to bookseller. She feels that it is more important to share the wonder of reading with as many people as possible rather than locking herself away for years in the solitary exercise of writing a new novel.
Susan Kehoe from Browseabout Books in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, discusses how she must ask non-book-related questions in job interviews to make sure that any prospective employee realizes that it is not all glamour. Her staff must be full-service to keep their doors open, and this includes cleaning the toilets and the daily task of sweeping up the sand that has been tracked in by patrons. What also makes independent bookstores unique are the occasional pets that become beloved fixtures there. Sally Brewster of Park Road Books in North Carolina recalls when a reporter contacted her to do a story --- not about the store, but about Yola, the extremely popular resident dog.
Nancy Moore from Barnes & Noble in Massachusetts talks about how her love of books has become a way for her to pass judgment on people she meets. She is instantly suspicious of a home where no books are visible or on display. The big chain bookstores serve an important role in reaching readers where there are no other options. Jessica Claudio of Barnes & Noble in Staten Island, New York, is the owner of the only bookstore on the island. Therefore, it plays the same role that a smaller bookstore might serve for the residents as the only game in town.
A neighborhood bookstore needs to reflect its community. This is seen at the Astoria Bookshop in Astoria, Queens. Owner and founder Lexi Beach fights an uphill battle to represent the oft-underrepresented borough in which she lives, especially in comparison to the more popular and artsy Brooklyn and Manhattan. People love to read local. Bookstores and libraries face the pressure of deciding what to make available on their shelves --- which is not an easy task when there is constant pressure from either the woke population or the government deciding what should be allowable. Denver librarian Dodie Ownes puts it best: “If we are going to carry THE ANARCHIST COOKBOOK, then we also have to carry LGBTQ materials, and that also means that we have to carry something about Holocaust denial.”
The last bookseller I will cover is the store that is the most personal to me in this book. Sarah Galvin and her husband, Marc, run The Bookstore Plus in Lake Placid, NY. This town is an international Olympic village, and I began shopping there as a child. My sister, another avid reader, lives up there in the Adirondacks, and she attends this bookstore frequently. It makes me smile to know that it’s still there and supporting local authors like Jamie Sheffield, who regrettably passed away last month.
I wish that I could give time to everyone who contributed to this wonderful work. THE SECRET LIVES OF BOOKSELLERS AND LIBRARIANS is the best example of “preaching to the choir” nonfiction reading that I can recall. It celebrates what we, the readers, love about the experience of reading a great and memorable book. The connections it makes within a community, as well as to our own memories and past experiences, are immeasurable. I applaud Patterson and Eversmann for doing the leg work and communicating with all of these book lovers to share their stories and views. It gives me hope for the continued future of the world’s greatest way to pass the time.
Reviewed by Ray Palen
The Author’s Note provides some eye-opening statistics about the current state of reading in this country. If you live in the US, you are among only one in five who can read a book and are actually in the habit of reading books. Only 15 percent of registered voters read books. It makes you believe that this beautiful pastime is on the brink of extinction. That is, until you check out the dozens of testimonies from book lovers that fill these pages.
Alexis Sky speaks of the smell of books and how guests to her independent bookstore in upstate New York often comment on it as they enter. You just don’t get that scent when you visit one of the chain or big-box bookstores. She also reflects on her love of books and her supportive parents who allowed her to have her own library card. One day, their local librarian called with a friendly heads-up that Alexis had checked out an “adult” book. She asked her father what the word “ether” meant and then went on to describe the journey that the two characters were undertaking in the novel she was reading. When he realized that she was referring to Hunter S. Thompson’s FEAR AND LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS, she indicated that it was like ALICE IN WONDERLAND for boys. He concurred and told her that when she was older, they would have a different conversation about it.
Lorrie Roussin is a middle school librarian from Texas. She surmises that this is the ideal place and perfect age for young people eager to explore the new worlds that reading opens up to them. They also are not as distracted as high school readers, who have so much more competing for their leisure time. Judy Blume, who is now 84 years old and the owner of a bookstore in Key West Florida, talks about the transition from book writer to bookseller. She feels that it is more important to share the wonder of reading with as many people as possible rather than locking herself away for years in the solitary exercise of writing a new novel.
Susan Kehoe from Browseabout Books in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, discusses how she must ask non-book-related questions in job interviews to make sure that any prospective employee realizes that it is not all glamour. Her staff must be full-service to keep their doors open, and this includes cleaning the toilets and the daily task of sweeping up the sand that has been tracked in by patrons. What also makes independent bookstores unique are the occasional pets that become beloved fixtures there. Sally Brewster of Park Road Books in North Carolina recalls when a reporter contacted her to do a story --- not about the store, but about Yola, the extremely popular resident dog.
Nancy Moore from Barnes & Noble in Massachusetts talks about how her love of books has become a way for her to pass judgment on people she meets. She is instantly suspicious of a home where no books are visible or on display. The big chain bookstores serve an important role in reaching readers where there are no other options. Jessica Claudio of Barnes & Noble in Staten Island, New York, is the owner of the only bookstore on the island. Therefore, it plays the same role that a smaller bookstore might serve for the residents as the only game in town.
A neighborhood bookstore needs to reflect its community. This is seen at the Astoria Bookshop in Astoria, Queens. Owner and founder Lexi Beach fights an uphill battle to represent the oft-underrepresented borough in which she lives, especially in comparison to the more popular and artsy Brooklyn and Manhattan. People love to read local. Bookstores and libraries face the pressure of deciding what to make available on their shelves --- which is not an easy task when there is constant pressure from either the woke population or the government deciding what should be allowable. Denver librarian Dodie Ownes puts it best: “If we are going to carry THE ANARCHIST COOKBOOK, then we also have to carry LGBTQ materials, and that also means that we have to carry something about Holocaust denial.”
The last bookseller I will cover is the store that is the most personal to me in this book. Sarah Galvin and her husband, Marc, run The Bookstore Plus in Lake Placid, NY. This town is an international Olympic village, and I began shopping there as a child. My sister, another avid reader, lives up there in the Adirondacks, and she attends this bookstore frequently. It makes me smile to know that it’s still there and supporting local authors like Jamie Sheffield, who regrettably passed away last month.
I wish that I could give time to everyone who contributed to this wonderful work. THE SECRET LIVES OF BOOKSELLERS AND LIBRARIANS is the best example of “preaching to the choir” nonfiction reading that I can recall. It celebrates what we, the readers, love about the experience of reading a great and memorable book. The connections it makes within a community, as well as to our own memories and past experiences, are immeasurable. I applaud Patterson and Eversmann for doing the leg work and communicating with all of these book lovers to share their stories and views. It gives me hope for the continued future of the world’s greatest way to pass the time.
Reviewed by Ray Palen
Displaying 1 - 30 of 135 reviews