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The Yellow-Lighted Bookshop

by Lewis Buzbee (Goodreads Author)

3.77 of 5 stars 3.77 · rating details · 1,057 ratings · 239 reviews

In The Yellow-Lighted Bookshop, Buzbee, a former bookseller and sales representative, celebrates the unique experience of the bookstore--the smell and touch of books, getting lost in the deep canyons of shelves, and the silent community of readers. He shares his passion for books, which began with ordering through The Weekly Reader in grade school. Interwoven throughout is...more

Hardcover, 216 pages

Published May 30th 2006 by Graywolf Press (first published 2006)

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Apr 12, 2010 Elizabeth rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-about-books, 2010, bio-memoir-diaries-letters, non-fiction, reviewed

Have you thought of the book you would write about your experience of reading, of books, of bookstores? Have you thought about that first book you loved? The one that made reading central to your life? Have you thought about describing it to your fellow book addicts? What about your favorite bookstores? What do they mean to you? The bookstore and the reading of, and writing about, books is defining for anyone who has account on this site. Even if the reader reads only self-help books or romance...more

18 likes · like · see review

Oct 27, 2008 Walt rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: history

A super book for all true book lovers. It relates the history of bookshops (of all sizes), the publishing industry, the role of the web, on-demand publishing, and the roles played by publishers, sellers, agents, reps, agents & authors. The best part is that Mr Buzbee shares his serious analysis and understanding of WHY we love bookshops, and why they will endure.

5 likes · like · see review

Nov 21, 2008 Lisa Vegan rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: anyone who is fond of bookstores, those who enjoy books & the history of book selling

Shelves: reviewed, non-fiction, biography, books-about-books, gr-author

Every time I read about an author’s account of books & reading, I now compare them with Anne Fadiman’s book Ex Libris and they simply never live up to her work, an unfair assessment perhaps since I love Fadiman’s book so much.

However, this is a special book too. It’s a seemingly effortless mesh of autobiography and biography and history of bookstores. He might not write the soaringly beautiful prose of Fadiman but he writes well and his focus is narrower and just as interesting; this is most...more Every time I read about an author’s account of books & reading, I now compare them with Anne Fadiman’s book Ex Libris and they simply never live up to her work, an unfair assessment perhaps since I love Fadiman’s book so much.

However, this is a special book too. It’s a seemingly effortless mesh of autobiography and biography and history of bookstores. He might not write the soaringly beautiful prose of Fadiman but he writes well and his focus is narrower and just as interesting; this is mostly about bookstores, in the present and their history. It was a cozy read.

Not for the first time this book showed me that I missed my calling: working in a bookstore, or owning a bookstore and working in it. Seriously.

I also now have an urge (despite the lack of disposable income I once enjoyed) to go and spend a larger hunk of my free time in bookstores and to find bookstores new to me, preferably in far flung areas when possible.

The author is based in San Francisco, the city where I live, so I know virtually all of the local stores he mentions. I, now, even more, want to visit certain worldwide bookstores, especially the village of Hay-on-Wye in Wales, Powell’s in Portland, Orgeon , the Strand in NYC and the Tattered Cover in Denver, the latter three being more reasonable goals, although if I ever get to take my England and Scotland dream trip, I’m determined to get to Hay-on-Wye on the same jaunt. Luckily, many of my dream vacation spots would allow me to include bookstore visits along with my some of my other passions of finding good vegan & vegetarian restaurants, visiting museums of all types, attending plays (something I rarely do at home,) and appreciating both the natural beauty and the history of a place.

As with almost every treasured book I read (from children’s picture books to text books and every book in-between) in its pages I found more books I want to read, including If on a Winter’s Night a Traveler by Italo Calvino.

I love that the author is entranced with children’s literature as well as books written for adults.

Bookstores are the only stores I truly enjoy; I need to spend more time in them, and I really need to try to do some traveling, and include bookstore stops wherever I am.

The author relates how big box warehouse stores, more than internet or chain bookstores, have competed to the detriment of independent bookstores. So, maybe I shouldn’t feel as guilty about doing the vast majority of my book shopping on the internet? Nah, I should still feel guilty. Although most of my books now are borrowed library books, I resolve to purchase more of those I do buy at independent bookstores, my favorite stores.

This small (but not slight) book with the lovely cover gets at least 4 ½ stars from me, and it was just the respite that I needed at this time. Also, I’d love to run into the author in his neighborhood bookstore, a neighborhood that’s just across Golden Gate Park from mine.
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Oct 30, 2008 Toni rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: biography-memoir, history

A truly delightful little book for those who find it impossible to pass up a bookshop without entering - and once inside always discover some new (or not-so-new) gem of a book to lust after.

An added bonus is the well written history of the book trade, paper, printing, publishing and why independent bookshops will always have a place among the Amazon.coms, Barnes & Nobles, and Costcos.

I also appreciated the look and feel of this pretty little paperback - the quality of the paper, the typeface...more

4 likes · like · see review

Jan 26, 2013 KOMET rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: biographies-diaries-and-memoirs, books-general

Here is a book that speaks to all booklovers. We band of brothers and sisters who have experienced the special joys and satisfaction of browsing the shelves of many a bookstore in search of those books that have tickled our fancies, piqued our curiosity, and commanded our interest.

The author offers an fascinating view into the history and evolution of books and bookstores throughout the world. He also shares with the reader his development from grade school into a passionate booklover who later...more

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Mar 13, 2011 JG (The Introverted Reader) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Recommended to JG (The Introverted Reader) by: Jensownzoo

Shelves: non-fiction, 3_stars, author_american, covers_i_like, read_in_2011, reviewed, bibliophiles

Lewis Buzbee has worked around books his entire life. He worked at the local bookstore through school, and then he worked as a publisher's rep, and I can't even remember what else. This slim, satisfying volume is almost a collection of essays about his thoughts on bookstores, books, readers, and publishing.

I believe I was most excited by the first chapter of this book, "Alone Among Others." I might have things slightly confused, but I believe this was the chapter where the author spelled out th...more Lewis Buzbee has worked around books his entire life. He worked at the local bookstore through school, and then he worked as a publisher's rep, and I can't even remember what else. This slim, satisfying volume is almost a collection of essays about his thoughts on bookstores, books, readers, and publishing.

I believe I was most excited by the first chapter of this book, "Alone Among Others." I might have things slightly confused, but I believe this was the chapter where the author spelled out the level of his book lust. I'm a voracious reader. I get it. I thought about marking the passages I liked and quickly realized I would be marking everything I was reading.

The book lost me a little after that. I'm not particularly interested in the history of books or how we landed on the perfect shape for a bookstore.

I did like the story of Shakespeare and Co. in Paris and how they came to publish Ulysses and the store's midnight move during WWII.

At the end is a list of some of the author's favorite bookstores from various places. My own local indie, Malaprops, got a mention! It's always exciting to see local favorites mentioned in unexpected places.

I love the size and shape of this book. It's a hardcover but it still fits my hands perfectly, and so I found myself just enjoying the feel of it.

Also, I do love bookstores, but in my heart, I'm a library girl. My mom took my sister and me to the library as far back as I can remember. My first job was at the local library. Even now, when I have stacks upon stacks of books that I own and haven't read yet, the vast majority have come from library book sales and will in all likelihood be donated back for later sales. I get a little overwhelmed in the bookstore. What if I spend all this money on a book and it's not a keeper? I could have just checked it out from the library. Don't get me wrong--I can happily browse in a bookstore for hours, but I'm not all that likely to actually walk out with anything unless an author I love has recently published something that I just have to have.

So that's where my taste and the author's diverged. That doesn't mean the book was bad. Those who do spend more time and money in bookstores will likely take more away from this book.(less)

2 likes · like · see review

Mar 10, 2012 Maria M. Elmvang rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: bibliophiles

Shelves: 2012, 4-stars, memoir, owned, non-fiction

A lovely and charming memoir. If you love not just reading books, but shopping for them as well and consider browsing through bookshops a worthwhile passtime, even if you don't purchase anything, then this is the book for you. It was filled with fun anecdotes and made me want to rush out and find the nearest bookshop, just to go browsing through it. Unfortunately Danish bookstores (at least the chain stores) aren't nearly as charming as those I've encountered in other countries, so good thing we...more

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Mar 25, 2009 Andrea marked it as to-read

sounds intriguing:

[close:] November, a dark, rainy Tuesday, late afternoon. This is my ideal time to be in a bookstore. The shortened light of the afternoon and the idleness and hush of the hour gather everything close, the shelves and the books and the few other customers who graze head-bent in the narrow aisles. I’ve come to find a book.

In The Yellow-Lighted Bookshop, Buzbee, a former bookseller and sales representative, celebrates the unique experience of the bookstore—the smell and touch of...more

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Jan 21, 2009 Gayle rated it 3 of 5 stars

This is a book about bookstores. An easy sell, to the passionate book lover, because not only is it about books (which populate bookstores), which I love, but it IS a book, which I love. And a book about bookstores is an interesting twist in the book-about-books genre.

Lewis Buzbee explores his topic with style. Each chapter intertwines the history of books with Buzbee's own memoir of book reading, book selling, and book shopping. And because he grew up in San Jose, and currently lives in San Fra...more

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Feb 16, 2012 Sam rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Everyone

This has to be one of the best books I have ever read.

I'm a sucker for historical material and I'm now becoming enamoured with memoirs too; what Buzbee delivers is tour de force in both history and memoir.

I have a feeling that some of the books on the history of books that I intend to read are going to be laborious at some stage but contrary to this assumption, The Yellow-Lighted Bookshop dips in and out of the progression of books, booksellers and bookstore with a narrative ease that has turn...more This has to be one of the best books I have ever read.

I'm a sucker for historical material and I'm now becoming enamoured with memoirs too; what Buzbee delivers is tour de force in both history and memoir.

I have a feeling that some of the books on the history of books that I intend to read are going to be laborious at some stage but contrary to this assumption, The Yellow-Lighted Bookshop dips in and out of the progression of books, booksellers and bookstore with a narrative ease that has turned me fluorescent green with envy. Not only does this guy know and love what he's talking about, he knows how to write, which is a wonderful surprise considering I've heard some whisperings about bookish folk avoiding writing as a necessity, much like pop stars should avoid acting and visa-versa.

One of my favourite moments describes how everyone should serve a two-year mandatory post in retail. I've held this belief myself for many years, having been an unhappy slave to a handful of supermarket chains, and from being horrified by the treatment of a genuine and passionate book luster (me) when working in two bookstores. I loved the books, but hated the people. And herein lies the remedy.

I believe everyone should read this book; it's educational, beautifully written and most importantly, passionate and optimistic about its topic; the book is not dead and neither is the bookstore.

Buzbee has created an important contribution to this debate without going militant and side-lining arguments that are counter to his dedication to books. Instead he opens his arms and absorbs the change, as booksellers have done for centuries, and looks to move forward into a bright and interesting future.

If I think about it, books act out the same gesture whenever we think of them; they open themselves to us, draw us in, engage us in a reality (that is real and living and breathing, regardless of what the stony-faced, 'get real' populace may spout), and then encourage us to look forward. Even the most controversial book can achieve what I feel to be the most understated movement of our entire existence: peace, knowledge, cooperation and pleasure.

Even the physicality of the book is wonderful. I have the paperback edition but this doesn't lessen the impact of the inner sleeves or the way the pages have been cut, offering your thumbs a seductive texture with each flick of a page. Delicious.

Each book teaches us something, and this is what Buzbee has achieved with The Yellow-Lighted Bookshop. My eyes are opened and what I see is glorious. Well done Mr. Buzbee.
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Jan 04, 2012 Jeffrey Keeten rated it 4 of 5 stars

I spent from 1985-1997 working in the book industry. I started with Publisher's Book Outlet in Phoenix, the farthest flung bookstore for Southern based Anderson News Company. One the owners liked to vacation in Arizona so he opened a store there; I'm sure as a way to write off his vacation time on his taxes. I then worked for Bookman's Used Books based out of Tucson. I had a short stint as a remainder company rep with Roy P. Jenson out of New Jersey. I then ended my book career with Green Apple...more I spent from 1985-1997 working in the book industry. I started with Publisher's Book Outlet in Phoenix, the farthest flung bookstore for Southern based Anderson News Company. One the owners liked to vacation in Arizona so he opened a store there; I'm sure as a way to write off his vacation time on his taxes. I then worked for Bookman's Used Books based out of Tucson. I had a short stint as a remainder company rep with Roy P. Jenson out of New Jersey. I then ended my book career with Green Apple Books in San Francisco. I never made very much money, but I made enough to pay for my college, and of course, there was the discount on books. I was able to meet authors like Thomas McGuane, Mark Helprin, William Gibson, Paul Theroux, Salman Rushdie (He dodged in unannounced with bodyguards and signed our books and was gone before the pressure of his handshake faded from my hand.), Neal Stephenson, Ray Bradbury, James Lee Burke,etc. etc. etc. I also had the pleasure of working with the most intelligent, interesting people I've ever met.

You might be starting to think this review is about me. Well, this Lewis Buzbee character brought back a lot of great memories for me with this book. I was quickly convinced that this guy had a parallel existence to me. His stories about the book store life from bitching about RUDE customers in the back room to putting on awesome music after the store closes had me flushed with nostalgia. Working in a bookstore was the only job I've ever had where I really didn't want to go home. The employees hung out together after work, pooled money to buy food, and we talked A LOT about books.

Buzbee weaves the history of the book, the bookstore, and of reading around his own personal memories of working in the book industry. Nobody does this like Nicholas Basbanes, but for a quick thumbnail sketch he did an excellent job of hitting the highlights. I personal would have loved more stories from his time working in bookstores, but then just the few he shared reminded me of my own stories.

Buzbee did bring up a great point that most readers begin with reading "junk". We don't start out with Grapes of Wrath or Moby Dick and probably if we did, we would never have become dedicated readers. I went from reading Hardy Boy Mysteries to Louis L'Amour. My Dad rented ground from a guy named John Quanz who used to escape from his wife at a small house he owned on his family's original homestead. He would sit down there sipping whiskey and reading L'Amour, Luke Short, Ray Hogan, Elmore Leonard and any other western he could get his hands on. When he finished reading them he would drop them off with me. I still have a soft spot for a good western. My big break through moment that probably made me a confirmed reader was checking out Treasure Island from the library. I owe a real debt of gratitude to Robert Louis Stevenson for opening up the world of literature to me.

I would really like to hear what "junk" "gateway" books everyone read that started them on the road to being lifetime readers.

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Jan 03, 2012 Rae rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: reading-writing-essays-poetry, 2012

A marvelous book for anyone who enjoys reading books, browsing in bookstores (or libraries), or buying/owning books. Buzbee worked in the book field for quite a long time and shares his love of the industry and its history. I found it simply delightful!

Some of his prose re book purchasing described my mental processes almost EXACTLY:

For the last several days I've had the sudden and general urge to buy a new book. I've stopped off at a few bookstores around the city, and while I've looked at hund...more A marvelous book for anyone who enjoys reading books, browsing in bookstores (or libraries), or buying/owning books. Buzbee worked in the book field for quite a long time and shares his love of the industry and its history. I found it simply delightful!

Some of his prose re book purchasing described my mental processes almost EXACTLY:

For the last several days I've had the sudden and general urge to buy a new book. I've stopped off at a few bookstores around the city, and while I've looked at hundreds and hundreds of books in that time, I have not found the one book that will satisfy my urge. It's not as if I don't have anything to read; there's a tower of perfectly good unread books next to my bed, not to mention the shelves of books in the living room I've been meaning to reread. I find myself, maddeningly, hungry for the next one, as yet unknown. I no longer try to analyze this hunger; I capitulated long ago to the book lust that's afflicted me most of my life. I know enough about the course of the disease to know I'll discover something soon. (9-10)

More of his words...this one striking a chord with me and my first job shelving in a library:

During my first week at Crow, I did nothing but shelve box upon box of Penguin paperbacks. At first I was hesitant, ferrying small handfuls of green, black, and orange books from one wrong section to another, but soon I was arm-loading twenty to thirty at a time, all now broken down by subject and precisely alphabetized. I was thrilled by the weighty order of the books, and by the vast web of names and titles I did not know; this may have been the moment when I realized there would never be enough time in my life to read everything. (18)

Regarding the giving of books as gifts, which I do notoriously:

Books do make perfect gifts, but by their very nature, books can also be a problem as tokens of affection. The delay factor is huge. Ask any of my godkids or nieces and nephews. Oh, look, they've been heard to say, another book from Uncle Lew, gee, what a surprise, thank you. I can't help myself, I have to give them books. You can thank the gift giver for the gesture, but true thanks for the book have to wait until it's been read. It's always dicey choosing that gift book, too. You may have loved it, but your close friend, unbeknownst to you, doesn't find books about talking Minotaurs that exciting. This is something akin to giving a sweater that's the wrong size, except that there are 3.7 million sizes to choose from. A book gift can be a difficult transaction for both parties; the recipient doesn't immediately know what to say, the giver may have to wait months or years for the final thank you. Awkward silences ensue. (143)

Finally, here's a little tidbit to make you think about your own mortality and lack of real accomplishment:

If you read one book a week, starting at age 5, and live to be 80, you will have read a grand total of 3,900 books, a little over one-tenth of 1 percent of the books currently in print. (129-130)(less)

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Apr 08, 2011 Kaci added it

Oh man. I don't even know how to begin describing this book. First, let me say that every book-lover, book enthusiast, every person that is literally passionate about books, should read this book. I was taking notes out of this book, there so many good nuggets to take away for me personally, for my library, and for the future of my sweet baby E's reading. It covers a wide variety of subjects within the arena of books, what books inspired the author throughout his life, how the bookstore industry...more

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Jan 20, 2011 Sharron rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-about-books

What a delightful charming read this was. A paean to bookstores, current and past. Even though I have a library science degree, earned long ago, I didn't know that from the 15th to 18th century books were stored horizontally on shelves and their spines faced the back of the shelf and not the customer. Nor did I know that during that period most books lacked covers and were unbound. The customer selected a book and then decided on a binding to suit the volume and his decor before completing his p...more

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May 15, 2010 Anne rated it 4 of 5 stars

I enjoyed it, but really just skimmed it. Great memories of reading and bookstores, visiting bookstores, working in bookstores, working as a sales rep. Just didn't have the time to really focus on it.
Nice little summary of ISBN -- for some reason, this never really sticks with me. "1st section is always one number, and on American books that number is either 1 or 0. The numeral 0 used to indicate American books and 1 British books, but Americans made too many books, and so had to borrow from our...more

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Dec 30, 2008 Leon rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: bibliophilia, biography

Buzbee's heart is in the right place, but his writing skills and treatment of history do not quite match his love of bookshops. In trying to elevate bookshops, he falls into cliched language and clumsily executed metaphors. He also juxtaposes episodes from the history of bookselling with his own recollections. This is meant to provide reading variety while educating the lay reader, but the historical anecdotes are treated without rigour (sadly, this is what passes for "accessibility" these days)...more

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Dec 18, 2008 Mara rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-about-books, memoir-autobiography, history

I almost had to fight with Buzbee in the first chapter of this book. He describes bookstores as places to go to browse (no objection yet), even to sit down and read (no particular objection here either), and to look for particular pieces of information. Wait! Here I object: isn't that what the library is for? Of course, I have my biases (being a librarian) and he has his (being a bookseller).

Having moved on from the first chapter, I was glad I did. I found this a delightful book. It truly is bot...more

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Mar 31, 2011 Kathryn Lynn rated it 5 of 5 stars

I read this book in a day. One blissful day. I perused the reviews before I bought it and many were along the lines of "That's exactly how I feel," or "This could have been written just for me."

I am no different.

I too was caught up in the anonymous camaraderie of "The Yellow-Lighted Bookshop", delighted to be alone together with other book-lusters (the term 'bibliophile' sounds so posh and really just doesn't cut it) practically giddy at how easily it is to relate to Buzbee, how delightful to s...more

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Jul 11, 2012 wenshuren rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

"Take someone who like to read; give her a comfy place to do so and ample time for doing it; add one good book, and then more; stand back"

"......part of the pleasure in visiting a bookstore, the knowledge that the simplest things do endure. The bookstore, the most common bookstore, unhyped and overlooked in our dazzling and dangerous world, remains essentially the same: the window of books that catches your eyes the front door like a novels's cover opened with great anticipation, the rows and sh...more

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May 06, 2011 Susan rated it 4 of 5 stars

Author is a few years younger than I but I remember the music he listened to, the type of bookshop he visited, and the gradeschool and highschool he attended could have been mine. A nostalgic trip. Very low key. I now want to visit the bookshops he describes.

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Mar 07, 2011 Bev Hankins rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fiction

I love books. Obviously, I'm a book-blogger. I also love books about books. And The Yellow-Lighted Bookshop: a memoir, a history by Lewis Buzbee is a delightful little book about books. And booksellers. And the history of both. It is also a memoir about Buzbee's life-long love affair with both books and bookstores. He relates how he first fell in lust with books and found himself following the path of bookseller and book rep. His joy in the written word and the places which sell it is evident. H...more

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Oct 04, 2010 Susan rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: bibliophilia

This is a book written by a bibliophile for bibliophiles. The subtitle of the book, "a memoir, a history," is the perfect description of this gem of a book. As a former bookseller and sales representative, Buzbee, the author, deftly and beautifully weaves his personal literary history alongside literary history as a whole. Buzbee covers an incredible range of topics--his first days as a bookseller to the history of the library at Alexandria to the extraordinary effort Sylvia Beach made to publis...more This is a book written by a bibliophile for bibliophiles. The subtitle of the book, "a memoir, a history," is the perfect description of this gem of a book. As a former bookseller and sales representative, Buzbee, the author, deftly and beautifully weaves his personal literary history alongside literary history as a whole. Buzbee covers an incredible range of topics--his first days as a bookseller to the history of the library at Alexandria to the extraordinary effort Sylvia Beach made to publish Joyce's then-controversial "Ulysses" to the life of the book as it moves from author and agent and editor and publisher to bookstore (and back to publisher, depending on how quickly it sells)--and from the first page to the last, I found myself both happy and proud that this little homage to books was published by so talented and enthusiastic a writer.

One of the most fascinating, albeit somewhat depressing, parts of the book for me occurred when Buzbee wrote at length about how a book moves from publisher to bookstore, what a bookstore does when a book does or doesn't sell, the breakdown of how much, for example, of a $25 hardcover goes to author, agent, publisher, printer, and bookseller, etc. For those 5 or 10 pages alone, I would recommend this book for writers looking to be published, as Buzbee provides a concise and helpful explanation of publishing houses today.

Another of my favorite parts of the book deals with the (sadly faded) practice of lending libraries (think red box but for books). Lending libraries, often in the basement of bookstores where one could 'rent' a book for a few weeks for a small fee, would be brilliant for those books you didn't want to buy, but that you were too anxious to wait for at the library.

The end of "The Yellow-Lighted Bookshop" is also useful, as Buzbee includes a compendium of a few of his favorite bookstores around the world.

If you're looking for a break between novels, or simply a good and fairly quick read about books, bookstores, libraries, and book-lovers, give "The Yellow-Lighted Bookshop" a try. (less)

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Sep 04, 2012 Shellys♥ Journal rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: library, 2012, non-fiction, memoir

Buzbee has been enchanted by books since his youth. He recalls fondly the pull of the Weekly Readers and the book orders that went with them. He remembers falling in love with Steinbeck books. His love later transfers into book store jobs and eventually authorship. He recalls the history of the bookstore and book production along with current trends in books today. His love for books and book shops is so evident.

Reading this made me miss what book selling used to be and realize in the next 5 yea...more

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Jun 07, 2012 Pallavi rated it 3 of 5 stars

I was as effortlessly attracted to this book by its description as a moth to the yellow light of the bookshop. Written by someone who seems to love books immensely enough to make a career as a bookseller, this book is an ode to books. The opening few paragraphs ring very true with anyone who finds hours of wandering in a bookstore liberating and as exciting as walking through the wardrobe into the land of Narnia. The very essence of a bookshop is its coziness. Every sentence made me think how I...more I was as effortlessly attracted to this book by its description as a moth to the yellow light of the bookshop. Written by someone who seems to love books immensely enough to make a career as a bookseller, this book is an ode to books. The opening few paragraphs ring very true with anyone who finds hours of wandering in a bookstore liberating and as exciting as walking through the wardrobe into the land of Narnia. The very essence of a bookshop is its coziness. Every sentence made me think how I had done and felt the exact same thing every time I was at the local bookstore. The smell of crisp paper intermingled with the almost over-powering odor of brewing coffee, college kids sprawled between book shelves poring over a tome or the latest YA paperback, and kids being introduced to their very first book by an obvious book lover of a parent.
The author describes a classic case of an atheist turned believer, as he discovered Steinbeck and began respecting books, a far cry from someone who shoplifted a book from a local book store a year earlier. He writes about his first few years at the bookstore called 'The Upstart Crow', the eventual move to a larger one called 'Printers Inc.' and his subsequent transformation into a book salesman with great nostalgia and hits upon a problem that I face in real life myself. The problem with libraries, where in two weeks, he'd have to load up the bike and return the books he had borrowed with a heavy heart. This is why I prefer bookstores over libraries anyday, never mind the hole in my pocket!
Buzbee intersperses his memoirs with a history of books, book-selling, and libraries where, despite adding in a number of interesting anecdotes, he seems to be glossing over a really broad topic very halfheartedly. The numbers thrown around for statistics are ones that are perpetually changing with times and I found it hard to believe that those were actual figures. I'd have even preferred if he had just stuck to his memoirs and written an entirely different book on the history (with perhaps more in-depth research).
I loved the titular chapter of the book where he talks about going to the bookstore with his daughter,buying books for everyone in the family and leaving the store just in time to be able to read in bed. Doesn't that make you want to curl up in bed with your favorite book right now?
I think Buzbee does a good job of describing his love for bookstores and the feel and beauty of paper based books, but a poor one at predictions. Way back in 2006 when this book was published, he prophesied that e-books were not going to be big in publishing. So imagine my confusion when I got to this point, and thought to myself, "But, I am reading this book on my e-reader!" I was almost worried that something was amiss here, until I saw that my copy had an afterword by the author where he extolled the beauty of an e-reader and essentially retracted his words. The resistance towards e-books is waning slowly, because that which does not evolve, might eventually die of obsolescence . And like the author says, who knows someone might soon come up with an e-reader that can be scrolled up like a piece of parchment! After all why should you care about the format if it is ultimately the words that are important to you? Although I did vacillate a bit when the author asked " How do you press a wildflower into the pages of an e-book?" And then I remembered, I don't really care about such things! I try to keep my books in pristine condition, in an almost virginal sort of way.
One of my favorite quotes-"What I have learned about a good many things of the world, both trivial and profound, often started with the back of a book, a sentence read there that led to another book that led to even more books"! This book led me to another, "Ex Libris-Confessions of a common reader" by Anne Fadiman and I am loving every word of it! It is definitely looking like a five-star read! Stay tuned.(less)

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Jan 29, 2011 Scott rated it 3 of 5 stars

My review comes as a former bookseller who worked full time for 8 years with one of the larger chain outfits. Lewis Buzbee's The Yellow Lighted Bookshop tries to cover a lot ground in its mere 225 pages. At times personal memoir of his experiences as a bookseller, at other times essays on the history of book culture and the development of bookstores, Buzbee often entertained and kept my interest, as I really enjoy books written about the love of books and the culture that surrounds them. Buzbee'...more My review comes as a former bookseller who worked full time for 8 years with one of the larger chain outfits. Lewis Buzbee's The Yellow Lighted Bookshop tries to cover a lot ground in its mere 225 pages. At times personal memoir of his experiences as a bookseller, at other times essays on the history of book culture and the development of bookstores, Buzbee often entertained and kept my interest, as I really enjoy books written about the love of books and the culture that surrounds them. Buzbee's love of books and insatiable desire to be a part of book culture certainly comes across throughout his writing.

At times I felt this book may have been more enjoyed had I not already been a bookseller for many years, as the writing seemed a bit redundant to me, and I kept hoping for some outlandish, silly, personal episodes of his experiences dealing with the public, as I know anyone like me who has worked with the public for many years will indeed have! Now, if I were just beginning a career in book selling, I think I would find some of his memoir episodes much more thrilling, and a lot of this book could in actuality be read as a book seller employee handbook, as Buzbee does a nice job of describing the basics of what goes on behind the scenes at a bookstore. Many times the book felt a bit like an introduction to the booksellers world, and if you've ever been one and decide to read this book, you will realize how he courteously has held back on what the ugly side of book retail can be like. What I thought a bit uncomfortable was his citing of put -downs of working at his former book shop to instead praise what seems (for him) to have moved on to working for his seemingly "Holy Grail" of book shops, Printers Inc.

This book is cyclic, as Buzbee often brings up a topic only to return again to it many pages later, and in that respect I felt as if I was re-reading parts of the book over and over. But, if you love books/reading and are interested in the history of books from ancient times through the present, this book will happily feed your desire as a book worm! For some of the negatives I have listed above, I am grateful for authors like Buzbee who want to share/publish their concern and excitement for books with us readers. Overall, I did enjoy this, and felt right at home on some of his journeys through the book world.(less)

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Aug 24, 2009 Erik rated it 5 of 5 stars

I love books. Obviously. And I equally love books about books. Buzbee’s slender volume The Yellow-Lighted Bookshop is one of these gems. It alternates between being a memoir about Buzbee’s career as a book lover and seller, and a brief history of the book, booksellers, and publishers. Along the way, Buzbee sheds light on the Elizabethan origins of the long-held love affair between the coffeeshop and the bookstore (epitomized today by the Starbucks cafes within most Barnes & Nobles), the impo...more

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May 28, 2012 Jennifer rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, nonfiction

If I ever presumed to write a memoir, I think I would go about it the way that Lewis Buzbee has written his-- this book revealed something about him, but obliquely, through the lens of his association with and love for books. I loved learning the history of the book and the bookstore, of getting a sneak peek into the business side of selling and housing books, and feeling a sense of camaraderie when reading certain passages that details a reaction or emotion or particular experience of a fellow...more

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Feb 14, 2010 Shawna rated it 4 of 5 stars

A delightfully informative book. Buzbee begins working in a bookshop while in high school. He went on to become a sales representative for a publishing company. Clearly, a man who loves books. His love of books extends into his vacations and permeates his home life. At one point he indicates how books have overtaken his house and now he only keeps the books he absolutely loves, those he definitely is going to read and those he will probably read. . . sounds like me.

Buzbee also writes about the h...more

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Apr 05, 2009 Lucy Hastings rated it 5 of 5 stars

I LOVED this book. For those that like to seek retreat into bookshops to calm down or relax, or to flick through books you know, to be reunited with favourite chapters or characters, for those who spend their time seeking out independent bookshops, and taking pleasure in buying a book there that you know you could get cheaper online, then this is for you.

The author worked in a number of independent bookshops in San Fransisco writes a memoir to the bookshop. However each chapter sandwiched with a...more

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Dec 10, 2012 Cleo rated it 3 of 5 stars

In this interesting book, Lewis Buzbee, who worked in bookstores for many years, tells about not only his experiences and fascination with books, but also the history of books and bookstores. This book could have been made into something very boring, but I was continually entertained and didn't find it at all dull. The book intersperses personal ancedotes along with historical notes, a perfect balance. Buzbee also offers his opinions on new reading technologies, such as e-books and amazon.com. I...more

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About Lewis Buzbee

Lewis Buzbee is a fourth generation California native who began writing at the age of 15, after reading the first chapter of John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath. Since then he’s been a dishwasher, a bookseller, a publisher, a caterer, a bartender, and a teacher of writing (currently on the faculty of the MFA program at the University of San Francisco). He and his wife, the poet Julie Bruck, live...more

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“The books of our childhood offer a vivid door to our own pasts, and not necessarily for the stories we read there, but for the memories of where we were and who we were when we were reading them; to remember a book is to remember the child who read that book.” — 26 people liked it

“How do you press a wildflower into the pages of an e-book?” — 16 people liked it

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