I’ve loved reading since childhood and have almost always held books in reverence. My parents had a fairly large library, and I enjoyed browsing through the books, cataloging them, and even keeping track of everything I’d read. Later, I started buying books myself and often felt pleasure simply from owning them, even if I hadn’t yet had time to read them. Just having a book on the shelf was wonderful in itself. At one point, I even seriously considered getting into the book business but eventually limited myself to making good acquaintances in that world.
Then, out of the blue, someone recommended The Diary of a Bookseller by Shaun Bythell to me, saying, “If you love books so much, you absolutely must read it.”
It is indeed a diary, documenting day by day the life of a second-hand bookshop owner in a small Scottish town. Shaun Bythell chronicles his daily experiences from February 2014 to February 2015. He meticulously records how many online orders came in, how many he processed, and how much money he made on each working day.
Along with this, he describes who worked at the shop, what interesting events happened both in the shop and in his personal life this particular day. Even though it’s not a work of fiction but just a diary, it’s written in a very light, engaging style, making the book almost impossible to put down.
Most readers might not care much about the sales figures, but the book offers a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at the world of book selling. It reveals how customers behave, what books are in demand, and how big chains and internet giants like Amazon are reshaping an industry that once thrived for decades.
For me personally, this hidden side of the book business was extremely interesting. By following a year in the life of this small shop, you start to realize that it’s far from an easy trade, and the romantic notion of reverence for books can quickly fade when you’re selling them professionally. However, Bythell doesn’t seem to be discouraged—he clearly loves what he does, and that passion is the most important thing in any job.
One of the interesting discoveries for me was learning that in Scotland, there’s a huge demand for old train timetables. I can’t imagine anyone in Belarus buying them so eagerly that they would be a top-selling category.
I also found it enlightening that online stores often set prices using algorithms, and savvy individuals can exploit the system to their advantage through dishonest means.
It’s curious to think how long such charming, independent bookshops will be able to withstand global giants like Amazon.
I would recommend this book to anyone who sees books as more than just a collection of letters and knowledge.
My rating: 4/5
[…] two years ago, I wrote a review of Shaun Bythell’s The Diary of a Bookseller, which I thoroughly enjoyed and recommended to anyone who sees paper books as more than just bound […]