The Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians: True St… (2024)

"[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.

I worked at my local library in three different positions for just over twenty years. I then had to retire due to a chronic illness, but I loved every moment. In this book, which highlights stories from librarians and booksellers all over the country, we are shown their love of books and everything book related. Recommending a book to a patron or customer, and the satisfaction they feel when they love the book. How the political climate and book bans have affected their jobs. How they try to stay relevant in a world where a book is just one click away.

It was interesting to hear from people all over our country, the similarities and differences. After a while though all the stories sort of blended together. Maybe just a bit too much. Still, well worth reading for book lovers.

When 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.

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.

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.

4.25 stars

This is a delightful collection of essays by a mix of librarians and booksellers from all over the country. They are fairly short essays that provide insight into the value of both types of entities. Some of the challenges are highlighted, including the tough times during the COVID-19 pandemic. There are some unique bookstores still in existence that are independently owned with some very creative booksellers/owners who have been creative and innovative to keep their businesses relevent in their communities. The librarians focus is the same but different, of course since they are funded on an entirely different scale.

This was fun to read and I found it uplifting to know how much heart is put into both bookstores and libraries. The commitment to literacy and getting books into the hands of readers is an amazing and important endeavor and I wish them all every success. I was happy to read about Judy Blume in her eighties having a bookstore now.

Thanks to Little, Brown and Company through Netgalley for an advance copy.

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!

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.

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.

The Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians is a great read for book lovers and library aficionados. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this compilation, relating to the feelings of avid readers, being welcomed in bookstores and in libraries by enthusiastic employees, and infuriation at recent and alarmingly, increasing book bans. Books can be educational, they can provide an escape, and they can bring joy. I recommend this collection about the “magic of reading.”

This is a cute little book about librarians and book sellers and their short stories about why they got into the work that they do.

While it’s nothing earth shattering, it sheds a different light on people I wouldn’t normally think about, and how much satisfaction they get helping people pick just the right book, or how they enjoy the challenge of getting kids interested in reading.

Funny, even my tiny little Manitoba town made the book with a woman who started here over 55 years ago. Which got me interested in the history and where the store was as I knew nothing about this because it was well before my time. Kinda cool.

Overall, it’s a bit long and probably could have been cut down about a hundred pages, as some stories were a lot of repetition, but made me really think about what I get and enjoy out of reading. Made me even think of a career change, and brought a smile to my face. 3 and a half stars.

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.

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.

Review coming soon

How does it feel when you read something that fire up your dreams? 🔥

I applied to Library Science undergrad program with full consciousness. I knew what it takes & how underdog it was (or still?). But I just loooove reading and I want to know why some people love and some people have not found the joy of reading. And during my 4 years of study, I understand my passion: to make more people love (pleasure) reading.

Not a librarian, yet. But reading The Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians made me teary almost on every chapter 🥹 It felt like I found my same-vibe peer group, where they never underestimate my dream of being a librarian and/or a bookseller, as long as I can cherish (new) readers and reading activity.

It has 4 sections with stories from around US and Canada about the Booksellers and Librarians. You will meet a librarian who serve in county jail (his was my favorite story!), couple who just moved in to built a bookstore for their community, and many, many inspiring + beautiful people who love books and reading like me.

Honestly, I can't find any word to describe how magical the book is. I felt connected what the contributors said, including some people who gave them side-eye about running business on book (ikr!).

This is an ABSOLUTE must read for book lovers, librarians and booksellers. I was pleasantly surprised with the range and diversity of stories from people both in the States AND Canada.

There was also some great queer representation/persepectives and an important focus on the recent trend of book banning/book challenges.

So many heartwarming stories about helping readers find books that speak to them and encouraging literacy, meeting authors, etc.

A PERFECT pick for Independent Bookstore day or as a gift for the favorite book lover in your life. 10/10 recommend!!!

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.

James Patterson tends to publish one or two non-fiction books each year, and “The Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians” takes the readers behind the scenes with stories from booksellers, books store owners, and librarians.

This is first and foremost, a book for those who love books and reading. It is for those who love hanging out in bookstores sniffing books and spending endless hours exploring escaping into world of literary classics, kids and young adult books, mysteries and thrillers, fantasy and science fiction, and whatever else holds your fancy. This is a quick 335-page salute to those who cannot live without reading. If you are not passionate about books, this book is not really for you.

It is also important to know that this non-fiction book is not really written by Patterson and his two co-authors. This is a collection of short essays that range from three to ten pages in length, written by booksellers, bookstore owners, and librarians all across the United States and Canada. Patterson and his co-authors serve as editors who collected, edited, and organized the personal stories together into this book.

This book is also a work of love. A passion project years in the making. What you get is personal stories and experiences from independent bookstore owners who have struggled to stay open in hard times and had moments of great success within their communities; from big chain bookstores like staff members at Barnes and Noble who love helping find the right book for the right person, especially when someone is going through a hard time; and from librarians who work in schools, public libraries, and even in prison settings. I especially appreciated the importance of helping more children develop an interest in reading that many expressed in their essays, as well as their examples of books helping getting individuals through serious hard times and life’s challenges.

This book connected with me for personal reasons. Since I grew up with divorced parents and lived in libraries, escaping the hardships and loneliness I faced, my love for reading and escaping into the worlds of science fiction and fantasy saved me in many ways. Reading got me through some really bad teenage years, helped define me, and inspire me to academic and professional success in life. More importantly, it is an important part of who I am and I cannot live without reading every single day. I love reading and talking about books with others, sharing my thoughts and recommending them to others (hence my Goodreads reviews), and more importantly connecting with others about the books they love and the reasons why. That’s why I enjoyed this book so much because I am on the same level with those sharing their stories in this book. We are kindred spirits in many ways.

So, if you love reading and have a passion for it, this is a sentimental and reflective book for you. If you are not an avid reader or do not have an interest in the bookselling business, then this book is not something that you are likely to enjoy. And that’s okay. Just being honest.

For me, I enjoyed most of these heartwarming stories and related to them on several levels. It even made me want to visit several of the independent bookstores, especially the ones emphasizing the mystery genre which has become a big interest for me over the last several years. I especially enjoyed the two ladies who talk incessantly about Lee Child’s popular character “Reacher” and how he does things.

From a constructive standpoint, I will say that several of the essays were repetitive which made the book feel a bit too long at times (but not too much). I also would have liked to have the storytellers talk more about the specific books that they loved whether they sold well or not, and why. There were some examples given, but I would have liked to have had more. In addition, there was some political centered experiences that felt a bit bumpy and awkward for the intended subject matter.

Overall, this was a quick and very enjoyable reflective read, reminding me of why I love reading, and more importantly, reconnecting on why it is such a critical part of who I am. It enables me to look forward to new adventures and learning experiences each and every day. Whether it be on my Kindle or a physical book doesn’t matter. Reading is what I do and I wish the same for you.

3.5 out of 5 stars (and yes, I realize that Goodreads requires to me to round up or down. Ugh…)

..pirms devos uz pirmo grāmatu blogeru forumu, nebija slikti noklausīties bibliotekāru un veikalnieku stāstus. daudzi no stāstiem bija diezgan līdzīgi, jo dzīvesstāsti tādi paši. vecāki vai vecvecāki daudz lasījuši, paši autori bērnībā lasījuši un tad savas dzīves bez grāmatām iedomāties nav varējuši. bija stāsts par meiteni, kura lasīja Hantera S. Tompsona "Bailes un riebums Lasvegasā". nesapratusi kāda vārda nozīmi, jautāja tētim. tētis prasīja, ko viņa lasa un pēc tam pasmējās, sakot, lai izlasa šo 18 gados. meitene grāmatu nosauca par "Alisi Brīnumzemē" puišu versiju, ha. vēl viens stāsts bija par klientu, kurš ienāca veikalā, palūdza, lai pārdevēja viņam izvēlas 3 puzles, bet nedod viņam kastes, jo viņam nepatīk zināt, kāda būs bilde šo puzli saliekot. trešais stāsts, kas iespiedās atmiņā bija viena vīrieša stāsts. viņš uzpērk retas un ekskluzīvas grāmatas un tās tirgo. patika, ka viņš ir līdzīgs man, jo zina grāmatu patiesās vērtības.

šo klausoties domāju par profesijām... par to, ka, iespējams, labākie darbi, kur strādāt (man) ir bibliotēka, grāmatnīca un grāmatu noliktava. :)

This book needed editing. Almost all the short stories were similar and indistinguishable.
It was nice reading about all these people that work with books but there are only so many ways you can say “I love working with books” before they all run together.

Like most of us on this site, I value the hard work of librarians, booksellers and bookshop owners but I do believe this tribute to them could have been a little more reader friendly. The book is divided into five sections but I could not understand why any particular entry was grouped within that section. I would have preferred a more structured approach with individuals grouped by their occupation such as separating independent stores vs. large big box stores vs. librarians OR separate entries by geography OR any easily digested structure! Next, how were the stores selected? I can think of several significant stores that should have been represented (the Strand? Politics and Prose? Poisoned Pen?). I am sure readers will think of other omissions. I know not every store could be included, but what was the criteria?

I wish this book had included a listing of the bookstores and libraries and a listing of the books mentioned so we had a reference tools. It's rather ironic a book featuring the value of books by professionals forgot to include systems to make this reader friendly!

But I do want to thank the authors for highlighting book people, I just wish a little more thought had been given to the book's structure. I value how much support Patterson gives to bookstores and librarians and readers so maybe that is why I expected a stronger product. (No rating on purpose...how can you rate a book dedicated to those working in books!)

I admit, I went into this book with some anti-James Patterson bias and I still don’t like his alleged ghostwriting practices. But The Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians shows some behind the scenes experiences of what people in these industries experience and sometimes endure. There were a lot of pro-Patterson praise, that felt a little like propaganda and was a little exhausting as it was repeated story to story, but it did go to show what Patterson does to contribute to book readers. As a library employee myself I often forget that while I disagree with his writing practices, he does bring joy to a lot of readers and he also provides independent bookstores and libraries with funds to better serve their communities.

Looking past Patterson, this book shares heart warming stories of how book experts share their love of reading with patrons and customers of all ages and how they fight to keep books on their shelves when they are challenged by extreme groups. Anyone in the book selling or library industry will recognize some of these experiences in this book and other readers can see and hopefully better appreciate the effort and love these people put into each book recommendation and book experience.

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.

Rarely does a book make me cry, let alone the preface. This book makes me feel seen in a way that I've rarely experienced in my 26 years of life.

This book shares the stories of dozens of booksellers and librarians that I connected with on one level or another to the point that I was constantly laughing or choking back tears. I spend so much time around books that it's easy to forget that I'm in a bubble of people who love to read when the majority of the population seldom pick up a book after they finish schooling.

Seeing stories from other people who work at Barnes & Noble was amazing. In those short chapters, I couldn't help but see my own daily life at work. The world of books is a small one that has a monumental impact on the world that I am so grateful to be a part of, and that I hope to stay a part of for the rest of my life.

And to quote Mr. Patterson himself, "To my mind, there are no professions more honorable than bookseller and librarian."

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.

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.

Disappointing. This book was way too long, and each contributor's story was only around three or four pages long. Many said the same things about books, so those could've been condensed to just a few and then the unique stories would've stood out more. Many booksellers praised Patterson's books, so that felt a bit self-promoting. Nothing surprising or "secret," either. Not worth the time.

All the chapters sound the same. It seems that James Patterson enjoys inserting his own name in other peoples' stories,

I am so disappointed in this book. What I was expecting was a fun book of short stories by librarians & book store owners of cool things they’ve found in books, and/or customer requests.

What this book really is, is a self promoting sales pitch by James Patterson. Stories are by librarians and booksellers who basically claim to be “heros”. Many of the storytellers promote Patterson’s other books or what a humanitarian he is.

Book is also very unashamedly political.
Did NOT enjoy this book at all. Glad it was an easy read because the time spent on this book could have been spent on a much better book.