Patterson, James, Matt Eversmann, and Chris Mooney. The Secret Lives of Booksellers and
Librarians: True Stories of the Magic of Reading. NY: Little, Brown, and Company, 2024.
ISBN: 978031656734
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!
