Into the heart of darkness

Author : Shaun Bythell

Title : The Diary Of A Bookseller

Published : 28/09/2017
Pages : 320
Genre : Autobiography
Publisher : Profile Books







     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 ...


     This book came to be in my possession by way of a Christmas present. I think sometimes it must be hard to find a book present for people like me who read a lot. Most of my friends have long since given up trying to buy me a book that I haven't read. Although this is more to the point that it's usually me giving them books to read. And when it comes to bookmarks I tend to losses them, I'm sure they are stuffed between one of the many books that litter my house. These days I'm more prone to stuffing a receipt or a bill I should be paying for a book. So on Christmas day when I opened this, I was both really surprised that someone had gone the extra mile and pleased that not only had I not read it but that I had also never heard of it.

     Bythell Took on running his own bookshop in two thousand and one. To a lot of people, this would seem like complete madness in a climate when E-readers where starting to become the dominant force in the world of book sales. Now for me, I will always hold the print page close to my heart. I will confess to owning a kindle but for the most part, I will always try and get a printed copy if that mounts budget will allow. And with part of this, I will think nothing of spending a good few hours browsing the shelves of books store be them chain stores or the scattering of independent's that populate close to where I live.

     Throughout the book, the author gives us a year in the life of one of these independent's. From customers asking stupid questions to those who browse and never buy I felt recognition of people I have witnessed my self. I'm Sure somewhere along the line I would fall into one of Bythell's categories of customers. For the most part, the tales come across as heartwarming and light-hearted. His long-running battle with his employ Nicky made me laugh, I'm still not entirely sure who was the hard done by party was in this one.  For me, he never came across as complete mean and bitter along with the lines of Bernard Black of Black books. It also gave me great insight into the struggles of running such a place can entail. They seem to run on a very fine balance that could close them down at any moment.

     For all the smile and laughter this book brought me he at no point sugar coats it. And for that, I feel very grateful. This book made me fall for the idea of wanting to run my own bookshop, That withstanding I have also told my friends that if I ever utter those words in a serious form to smack me in the head and to stop being so stupid. For all of his story at times Bythell kind of feels like the kid who grew up wanting to work in a chocolate factory. The reality being when you get that dream job you never want to really ever want to eat chocolate again.

     This was a book that was a pleasure to spend time with and showed me a world that I had only ever seen from the other side of the counter. It made me realize just how lucky we are to still have independent bookstores in the world especially ones that deal in second had booked. And if the book you after happens to cost a little more is that such a bad thing. Your purchase helps keep the lights on and someone employed. I think the epilogue is a nice touch as it gave him a chance to update me on the lives of the others who had at some point or another worked within  his walls.  So if you have ever had the slightest curiosity about the life of a bookseller you should give it a go.