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190th out of 461 books
—
708 voters
The Little Bookstore of Big Stone Gap: A Memoir of Friendship, Community, and the Uncommon Pleasure of a Good Book
by
Wendy Welch (Goodreads Author)
A book about losing your place, finding your purpose, and immersing yourself in what holds community, and humanity, together—books
Wendy Welch and her husband had always dreamed of owning a bookstore. When the opportunity to escape a toxic work environment and run to a struggling Virginia coal mining town presented itself, they took it. And took the plunge into starting the...more
Wendy Welch and her husband had always dreamed of owning a bookstore. When the opportunity to escape a toxic work environment and run to a struggling Virginia coal mining town presented itself, they took it. And took the plunge into starting the...more
Hardcover, 304 pages
Published
October 2nd 2012
by St. Martin's Press
(first published January 1st 2012)
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3.5 stars
If you've ever dreamed of owning your own bookshop, you should read this book. It's a charming (albeit overlong) memoir of a married couple who bought an old house in a small town in Virginia and turned the first floor into a used bookstore. (Wendy and her husband live upstairs.) The early chapters detail them getting the store set up, trying to find inventory, learning how to set up credit swaps with customers, etc. After that, each chapter covers different aspects of what it's really...more
If you've ever dreamed of owning your own bookshop, you should read this book. It's a charming (albeit overlong) memoir of a married couple who bought an old house in a small town in Virginia and turned the first floor into a used bookstore. (Wendy and her husband live upstairs.) The early chapters detail them getting the store set up, trying to find inventory, learning how to set up credit swaps with customers, etc. After that, each chapter covers different aspects of what it's really...more
This memoir (about opening a used bookstore in a small town in Southwestern Virginia) and I "met cute." You see, on Valentine's Day, I happened to go to Manhattan and unexpectedly finished the book I was reading on the train in. I needed something to read on the ride back to Queens. So I popped into the Jefferson Market branch of the NYPL (possibly the most beautiful branch library ever, incidentally). They had this amazing Valentine's Day "Go on a blind date with a book" display table set up, w...more
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After awarding the stars I went through and read the Good Reads reviews. There is a lot of love for this book so I don't feel too bad about being one of the few contrarians. I was very annoyed by the author's constant need to remind the reader of her advanced degrees and I found her efforts at writing in an oh-so-clever and charming style to be unnatural. I also didn't think there was enough here for a book. To me it read more like blog entries or a magazine series. First it was about the booksh...more
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Sounds interesting. I won this from the goodreads first-reads program.
It was interesting and very well written. I hope the author writes more books. I think it will appeal to a wide variety of people.
It's the story of two people who jump into the adventure of opening a used bookstore without knowing anything at all about running a bookstore. They were very lucky that they succeeded - this should definitely come with the warning, "don't try this at home."
It was interesting and very well written. I hope the author writes more books. I think it will appeal to a wide variety of people.
It's the story of two people who jump into the adventure of opening a used bookstore without knowing anything at all about running a bookstore. They were very lucky that they succeeded - this should definitely come with the warning, "don't try this at home."
Easy to read, light hearted account of a couple living their dream by opening a used book store in a small town. Loved the first 2/3 of the book chronicling their adventures in opening up shop and becoming a part of the community, but felt it started to lose its focus toward the end. This would be an excellent book club read since there's quite a lot to talk about in this book (business, community, friendship, living a full life, religion, acceptance, and, of course, books and what they mean to...more
I worked in an independent bookstore for 10 years. Many, many people came up to me to say "Oh, you're so lucky to work in a bookstore! You just get to read all day!" I always smiled.
But that is _not_ what it's like to work in a bookstore, unless you never have any customers. In a bookstore, you inspect and trade for books, shelve books, sell books, buy books for inventory, return books that didn't sell, make displays, manage staff, schedule and run events both on and off-site, inventory, invent...more
But that is _not_ what it's like to work in a bookstore, unless you never have any customers. In a bookstore, you inspect and trade for books, shelve books, sell books, buy books for inventory, return books that didn't sell, make displays, manage staff, schedule and run events both on and off-site, inventory, invent...more
“A Memoir of Dreams, Books and Reality”
Starting a small business is tough in many ways—Don’t let anyone tell you it isn’t. If they do, they’re fooling themselves as well as trying to fool you. Wendy Welch and her Scottish Folk Singer Husband, Jack Beck, had been dreaming about owning a book store forever. Besides providing a valuable service to the community, promoting literacy and a strong inclination to make a difference in the world around them were also part of their goals. Courageously, the...more
Who hasn't cherished a secret dream of owning a bookstore? Wendy Welch and her Scottish husband followed their bliss, bought a crumbling mansion in the Appalachians and decided to open a used bookstore. Ignoring the pessimism of their friends and neighbors, they put up bookshelves, bought stock, and developed guerilla advertising techniques. And it worked. Slowly, very slowly, they were able to build a life for themselves and keep their bookstore afloat. Along the way, they made new friends and...more
This book, frankly, was a surprise for me. I picked it up and agreed to review it mostly because I am a sucker for books about books and bookish people. What I didn’t expect was that it would actually be so well written, solidly edited, funny, heart-warming, and informative.
Wendy Welch and her Scottish husband, Jack Beck, bought a charming, huge Victorian home in the town of Big Stone Gap, West Virginia, with the sole intent of transforming it into a used bookstore. Unfortunately, they had a cou...more
Wendy Welch and her Scottish husband, Jack Beck, bought a charming, huge Victorian home in the town of Big Stone Gap, West Virginia, with the sole intent of transforming it into a used bookstore. Unfortunately, they had a cou...more
Prepare yourself to be charmed by "The Little Bookstore of Big Stone Gap". I was charmed to win this book from Goodreads (thank you GR!).
If you love books, old houses, cats, and did I say books, you will enjoy this storey about Wendy and her husband Jack.
Wendy and Jack had a dream of opening a bookstore . . . some day. Little did they know that some day would sneak up on them with the spur of the moment purchase of an Edwardian home in Big Stone Gap, Virginia. Wendy and Jack put their hearts an...more
If you love books, old houses, cats, and did I say books, you will enjoy this storey about Wendy and her husband Jack.
Wendy and Jack had a dream of opening a bookstore . . . some day. Little did they know that some day would sneak up on them with the spur of the moment purchase of an Edwardian home in Big Stone Gap, Virginia. Wendy and Jack put their hearts an...more
http://www.cozylittlebookjournal.com/...
As a voracious reader, I have spent my fair share of time in used bookstores. As a young woman, they were among my favourite places on earth. Small independent bookshops--of both new and used books--have been the loci of poetry circles, author readings, various committee meetings and hours of reading and writing. Bookshops factor heavily into many of my favourite cozy mystery novels (the Bernie Rhodenbarr series by Lawrence Block, for example).
But never, e...more
As a voracious reader, I have spent my fair share of time in used bookstores. As a young woman, they were among my favourite places on earth. Small independent bookshops--of both new and used books--have been the loci of poetry circles, author readings, various committee meetings and hours of reading and writing. Bookshops factor heavily into many of my favourite cozy mystery novels (the Bernie Rhodenbarr series by Lawrence Block, for example).
But never, e...more
A memoir about people who open a used book store? Yes, please!
Wendy Welch and her husband, Jack Beck, have always said that some day they would own their own bookstore. They would settle down into the quite life and do something they love as opposed to working at jobs they felt compelled to do but secretly despised. However, that unexpected day came sooner than either expected when they stumbled upon the perfect house to convert into their dream. They impulse bought the old home and started a b...more
Wendy Welch and her husband, Jack Beck, have always said that some day they would own their own bookstore. They would settle down into the quite life and do something they love as opposed to working at jobs they felt compelled to do but secretly despised. However, that unexpected day came sooner than either expected when they stumbled upon the perfect house to convert into their dream. They impulse bought the old home and started a b...more
I read a lot this summer and the Little Bookstore of Big Stone Gap was my absolute favorite. Yes, I'm a librarian and also a bibliophile, so I really identified with Wendy Welch's attitudes towards books and reading. I read this on a Kindle. It was nice being able to highlight the ideas that reached out to me, but I much prefer reading a hard copy. I have a friend who grew up visiting used book stores who also prefers the feel of a book for reading. I can't wait until the book comes out in hardb...more
I liked this book, but my one issue is with the constant comments on how big box bookstores have no soul. My bookstore is chock full of employees who love to read, work in a bookstore because they love to read, and are always talking about books to each other and customers. I give book talks both in and out of our store; we have a wonderful community relations manager who school librarians know by name, and a large staff recommends area. This may not be true for all big box bookstores, but it is...more
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This book took me a while to get into because I just didn't like the author's voice. In spite of her insistence that she's a Quaker, who values others along with their difference, I sometimes found her to be petty. In fact, she describes her writing as whiny, neo-bitchy, self-centered prose and jokingly refers to a group of her friends as the Cynical Altruistic Bitches. She also frequently refers to her wicked dry sense of humor. I never saw any proof of that on the pages. Dry, yes, but not as i...more
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When i picked this up i was a little worried it would be a little...Jesus-y. The book takes place in Appalachia, the author readily admits the townspeople are not progressive at all and they have a lot of Christian Fiction books in the bookstore. However, i started to read and the story was charming - a couple buys an old mansion and turns the bottom floor into a used bookstore. There are some interesting characters but at the same time, the description of the town sounded rather unfriendly. Peo...more
The Little Bookstore of Big Stone Gap seems like the perfect recipe for a cozy read: the author and her husband leave jobs and the training of their educational background to nestle into a small town and open a used bookstore in an old house. I love books and reading. I left my job and education to pursue a dream. I love memoirs. I live in small town. Mix, stir and savor, right?
I'm not sure if it was the writing, or there really just wasn't enough story to fill a book, but I never could get into...more
I'm not sure if it was the writing, or there really just wasn't enough story to fill a book, but I never could get into...more
Seems like a really charming little book store in small town America (check out the YouTube video). I could relate somewhat since I am a librarian working in a small town. I liked all the small tidbits about how they marketed their business and how they reached out to the community. Loved that they posted the rejection letter from Kiwanis in their shop.
I didn't love all the references to the authors high level of education obtained. Not sure the multiple references were necessary. She seems ful...more
I didn't love all the references to the authors high level of education obtained. Not sure the multiple references were necessary. She seems ful...more
Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book through First Reads. All opinions are my own.
This was an enjoyable, easy read. It made me want to run down to my own local used bookstore and buy a huge pile of books. (Nevermind the piles I already have to read.) The stories of their customers both cracked me up (small town people seem to be the same no matter the state) and broke my heart a little (I cried more than once). I especially enjoyed one of the final chapters, wherein the author lists h...more
This was an enjoyable, easy read. It made me want to run down to my own local used bookstore and buy a huge pile of books. (Nevermind the piles I already have to read.) The stories of their customers both cracked me up (small town people seem to be the same no matter the state) and broke my heart a little (I cried more than once). I especially enjoyed one of the final chapters, wherein the author lists h...more
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My Thoughts
This book was good in so many ways it made my head spin. The author has quite a wit and I often laughed out loud (Light Commander, Light Off!). She also brought up many thought provoking topics regarding all things books: e-reader vs paper books; big box book stores vs independent vs used; buy online or shop local. And while she always offered an opinion, the information was presented factually and I never felt like I was being told which option to pick (although I will say I did feel...more
This book was good in so many ways it made my head spin. The author has quite a wit and I often laughed out loud (Light Commander, Light Off!). She also brought up many thought provoking topics regarding all things books: e-reader vs paper books; big box book stores vs independent vs used; buy online or shop local. And while she always offered an opinion, the information was presented factually and I never felt like I was being told which option to pick (although I will say I did feel...more
Wendy Welch and her husband Jack Beck always wanted to open a used bookstore someday. After leaving a particularly stressful and draining job, Wendy and Jack decide to look for a place to live with a slower pace of life. They decide on Big Stone Gap, Virginia. While looking at houses in Big Stone Gap they find a house that would be perfect for their used bookstore dream - an Edwardian mansion where they could live upstairs and have the bookstore downstairs. On impulse they buy the house and star...more
Every librarian has stories of success and failure, stories that make you smile - and those that make you tear up. So do booksellers. This memoir includes all the above and more. Jack and Wendy plunged into running a used bookstore in a small, depressed Appalachian town. (A librarian could have helped by loaning books on business planning, marketing etc. Just saying....) They made mistakes - oh did they make mistakes! - but they did more things right. Sounds like a place that I would like to vis...more
Some reviews I have read have said they dislike the trying-too-hard-to-be-charming narrative voice of the author, bookshop owner Wendy Welsh, or the fact that she "flaunts" her degrees or her experience in various areas. But honestly, the charming narrative voice pushes the story along, and Welsh provides great insight into the early first steps of opening and running Tales of the Lonesome Pines Bookstore.
Later chapters you can skip -- I myself skipped a chapter on knitting groups (don't, won't...more
Later chapters you can skip -- I myself skipped a chapter on knitting groups (don't, won't...more
Following their hearts, Wendy and Jack Welch leave life in the fast lane to move to small town Appalachia. With no idea how they were going to do it, they proceed to buy an old house and open a bookstore. In this day of electronic books, computers and technology, against all odds, their little dream was becoming a reality.
What follows is that the community embraces Wendy, Jack, their cats and dogs, and the little bookstore. This is a very special memoir about special people coming together as a...more
A good story about two likeable people who achieve their dream of running a bookstore and some entertaining stories of books, people and small town life. I would have given it even more stars, but as bookseller at one of those 'big box stores' (that Wendy doesn't seem to ever shop in but still seems to have plenty of opinions about)I found certain aspects of it rather insulting (as I think of every time I've bonded with a customer over a shared love of certain books or spend the better part of a...more
If you're a bibliophile you most likely thought about it yourself. Your very own bookstore. In The Little Bookstore Of Big Stone Gap Wendy Welch and her husband make that dream come true. In a spur of the moment decision they buy an old Edwardian home to open their own used bookstore. Of course it's a long way from a dream to a working business, especially if you have no business plan.
This is a quaint and wholesome story about a small town bookstore and its people. Putting their hearts, as much...more
This is a quaint and wholesome story about a small town bookstore and its people. Putting their hearts, as much...more
The Little Bookstore of Big Stone Gap: A Memoir of Friendship, Community, and the Uncommon Pleasure of a Good Book by Wendy Welch
★ ★ ★ ★
I have been on quite the book slump the last couple months. I am happy to say that I have finally found a book to help me get out of this slump!
Wendy and her husband, Jack, decided to start a used bookstore with no business experience, in a time where e-books start showing their popularity, and in a small town with 5000 people residing in it. They weren’t sure...more
★ ★ ★ ★
I have been on quite the book slump the last couple months. I am happy to say that I have finally found a book to help me get out of this slump!
Wendy and her husband, Jack, decided to start a used bookstore with no business experience, in a time where e-books start showing their popularity, and in a small town with 5000 people residing in it. They weren’t sure...more
This was an impulse buy on a recent bookstore trip and, while I'm glad I read it and plan to keep it on my shelf, I can't help but feel as though Welch was a victim of poor editing. There are flashes of brilliant syntax followed by parts that are repetitious (which made me wonder if they had been hacked around a bit without cleaning up the other end). I was also left a bit confused about the organization of the book. For example, there is a chapter of book recommendations near the end of the boo...more
I simply put loved it every word on every page. Thank you Wendy for your humor, fun stories, and the lessons. I will be one of those people who say I always dreamed of opening a used book store. It may never happen but I feel like I got to live vicariously through you and Jack. What a great way to spend my holidays this was!!
I already told my husband we are coming to see y'all!
Just a sense of happiness as I completed the book. I will let my mom borrow this and I believe she will love it too. Bu...more
I already told my husband we are coming to see y'all!
Just a sense of happiness as I completed the book. I will let my mom borrow this and I believe she will love it too. Bu...more
I received this book as a Goodreads Giveaway.
My rating would be much higher except for the author's need to bash "corporate" or "big box" stores in order to build up both new and used independent booksellers. I worked my way through college working at a Waldenbooks store in a small town in Northern Idaho. I did not care for any of my customers any less because the K-Mart Corporation was signing my paycheck. I didn't push people into buying what they didn't want or need. I was a patient, caring...more
My rating would be much higher except for the author's need to bash "corporate" or "big box" stores in order to build up both new and used independent booksellers. I worked my way through college working at a Waldenbooks store in a small town in Northern Idaho. I did not care for any of my customers any less because the K-Mart Corporation was signing my paycheck. I didn't push people into buying what they didn't want or need. I was a patient, caring...more
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“Anyone getting starry-eyed about owning a bookstore should ask herself a few questions: Can you lift a box weighing fifty pounds? Do you know what cat pee on paper smells like and can you get it out? Will you exude patience while solving puzzles that start "I'm looking for a book..." and peter out somewhere between "it has 'The' in the title" and "It has a red cover and the author was a soldier whose last name started with S. Or was it Z?”
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4 people liked it
“When the occasional customer tells us his or her dream of running a bookstore someday, we recognize our own naivete in that enthusiasm. They may have some inkling about long hours and low pay, but rarely do they know about the fires, the guerrilla bargainers, the bereavements, or the prisons. Neither did we - then. But we sure do now. In all honesty, the scariest, hardest, saddest, and most important stories found in a bookshop aren't in the books, they're in the customers.”
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3 people liked it
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