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186th out of 644 books
—
259 voters
The King's English
by
Betsy Burton
Betsy Burton, owner of The King's English bookstore in Salt Lake City, has been a bookseller for nearly thirty years, and a passionate book lover all her life.
Hardcover
Published
April 22nd 2005
by Gibbs Smith
(first published April 1st 2005)
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Like most avid readers, you've likely, at some point in your life, hankered after owning your own bookstore. Let this book serve as a warning@ Betsy Burton is the owner of The King's English bookstore in Salt Lake City. In this memoir she details the ups, the downs, the really downs, and the inspirations that keep her going. In topical chapters she details both the business and the literary side of book store ownership. Her descriptions of her encounters with authors are very interesting and rev...more
The book was least interesting when Burton put aside her experiences and engaged in uninspired moralizing. The chapter on freedom of speech was a McGuffin if ever there was one. She wears the censorship that never happens as a badge of honor and attribute the most devious motives to people who don't look or act like her regular clientele. I am not saying that they weren't there to enforce public decency laws, but it is a bit ridiculous to a) assume you know what would offend them, and b) not giv...more
I think there are two reasons why I wanted to read this book: 1) I've met Betsy Burton and 2) it was on sale. I'm an (extremely) infrequent reader of nonfiction, but when I do find a nonfiction book I like, I devour it. That was the case with this book, a memoir (?) of Betsy's experiences starting and managing The King's English bookshop in SLC. I can't quite pinpoint why I enjoyed it so much. Perhaps it was Betsy's refreshing honesty about EVERYTHING (something I barely see in the polite compan...more
If you love books, love to read, and are always looking for the next book to read, this book is for you. I checked it out because it was a staff favorite on my library web site. I am lucky enough to live in the same town as this store and so was intrigued by the thought of a bookstore writing a book.
I will have to say this book may have changed my life. I don't read fiction as a rule (Harry Potter, excepted) because I feel like the author is manipulating my emotions. After reading this book wit...more
I will have to say this book may have changed my life. I don't read fiction as a rule (Harry Potter, excepted) because I feel like the author is manipulating my emotions. After reading this book wit...more
This was the book that triggered my interest in books about books, book collecting, book collectors, booksellers, bookstores, and reading. I was for some now-forgotten reason interested in the history of English (probably because of some PBS or History Channel broadcast) and figured that this was just the book to whet my appetite. It wasn't at all what I thought, but it did whet my appetite for more.
The book itself is ostensibly about a small, independent bookstore and how it survived the onsla...more
The book itself is ostensibly about a small, independent bookstore and how it survived the onsla...more
Each chapter has a theme and each chapter ends with a list of recommended books from the independent bookshop, The King's English, based in Salt Lake City, Utah. Running throughout each chapter is the biography of the bookshop, the authors hosted, events planned, and all the things that go into owning and operating an independent bookshop.
I absolutely love books about books. They seem so homey and cozy to me that normally I pull them out to read when the wind is howling and the snow is piling up...more
I absolutely love books about books. They seem so homey and cozy to me that normally I pull them out to read when the wind is howling and the snow is piling up...more
Jan 25, 2009
Christian
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Anyone who loves books and community
Recommended to Christian by:
A writer friend of mine
An absolutely charming chronicle of the struggles and triumphs of the independent bookstore in America. Betsey Burton has become something of an icon in such circles, and has seen the business she started almost three decades ago continue to evolve through a remarkable series of peaks and valleys. Worth reading not only by those who love books, but also by any entrepreneur who truly loves what their business represents and cares about the potential impact it can have on a local community. The Ki...more
This book is about Betsy Burton's journey in opening and maintaining a little Indie book shop in Salt Lake City, Utah. My love of books and reading lead me to read all books about "books" and "reading". Betsy wrote such a lively and hopeful story about a book store that is well-loved by its customers and authors alike. Her passion for literature radiated throughout the story. The great pleasure I got from reading this book lead me to hunt down and read every single other book about book stores a...more
I liked it. Didn't give it a four simply because I was able to put it down, and finishing it felt a bit like a homework assignment. The writing is good, albeit a bit florid at times. Burton gushes over most of the authors that have visited her store making her reviews a tiny bit suspect. She includes anecdotes of some bad author visits, but rarely reveals their identities. The best reasons to read the book (for me) were the book lists at the end of each chapter providing many new "to-reads" and...more
If I wasn’t a librarian, I think I’d like to be a bookstore owner. After reading The King’s English, I see it is a lot harder than it seems. Competition with big chains…tiffs among owners and employees…finding readers…difficulties obtaining books…prima donna authors…and those are the big problems. Nevertheless, the author, owner of Salt Lake City’s premier independent bookstore The King’s English, wouldn’t do anything other than run her store. A fun read.
While I found this book interesting and the book lists valuable, I was appalled by the number of author's names that were misspelled! The worst example is Tomie DePaola. First of all, his first name was spelled Tomi throughout the book, and in one paragraph, his last name is spelled DePaola in the first sentence and DePaolo in the last sentence. I can't believe a book about books contains errors like that.
Betsy Burton is the founder and owner of an independent bookstore in SLC called The King's English. She mixes stories of her life as a bookseller and business owner with book recommendations and a passionate defense of independent bookstores. My favorite chapter was on fiction and all the wonderful authors the store has hosted over the years. She includes chapters on doing business in a Mormon majority area, poetry, mysteries (a specialty of their store), children's literature, and banned books....more
This book belongs on your shelf next to 84 CHARING CROSS ROAD. If you love bookstores and want to know what it is really like to run one, read Betsy Burton's escapades at her charming Salt Lake City bookshop, housed in a white clapboard with rooms of books and light and stories. Peppered throughout are lists of Betsy's favorite books on every genre and sub-genre imaginable. Great fun!
Jan 22, 2009
Jennifer
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Book lovers and teachers of literatur of all kinds
Shelves:
books-about-books
Betsy Burton's book about being a bookseller is an interesting read. It is partly a history of her bookstore, partly an appreciation of authors, partly "how-to" or "how-not-to" run a business. This book is one that leads you to other books. Sometimes it's her enthusiastic descriptions of authors I've never read; sometimes it's the lists of books for every taste and occasion.
I liked Betsy's frankness in this book. Also, I tended to find myself wearing Betsy's shoes in that I have had a fantasy of owning my own book store...and the King's English is such a cute place! I would have liked to have some of her experiences. Also, lots and lots of book list. I booked marked a few to read!
The King's English is about an independent bookstore of the same name, written by the owner. The book describes the triumphs and pitfalls of her business during the years, as well as the book-selling business at large. It makes me wish I lived closer to Salt Lake City so I could visit the store for myself one day!
There's quite a bit of detail here about the joys and woes of owning an independent bookstore. Some very interesting, some merely scanworthy unless you are yourself a bookstore owner. The best thing for me about the book was the book lists. Burton requested a variety of "best of" lists from other bookstore owners and compiled them for our enjoyment at the back of the book. I've since found many a gem from these lists. And clunkers, too, of course, but it's all about preferences.
I loved what Bet...more
I loved what Bet...more
I really liked the insider's look at running an independent bookstore. One thing I didn't like was that the author kept inserting her personal bias against a certain group of people in her area. I felt that weakened her product some. Altogether, though, it was an engaging book with some wonderful personal anecdotes.
A nice book about the comings and goings of people, books, and the times through the eyes of an independent bookseller. I would have giving this more stars, but working at a library I found much of the information redundant, and the reading lists were outdated.
This book is written by the founder of an independent bookstore, The King's English, in Salt Lake City. For the first five years of my married life, I lived within walking distance of this cozy, marvelous bookstore. Despite its size and location (tucked into a largely residential neighborhood), The King's English has attracted an array of notable authors and poets for readings. I gave the book four stars at least in part because of my familiarity with the store and many of the events mentioned i...more
Burton is a bit full of herself (I find book snobs annoying) and some of the references are now dated, but loving independent bookstores as I do, this was enjoyable. I will definitely seek out The King's English if I ever end up in Salt Lake City.
I bought this book at The King's English Book Store and Besty came out and signed it for me. It is a lovely read and Inspired me toward new titles. If you enjoy books, bookshops (especially the independent ones) then read this lovely book.
My favorite part of this book was the many lists, collected from managers of independent book stores around the country--they gave me lots of ideas for what to read next. I also loved Burton's stories about author readings.
One of the joys of books about books or bookish topics is the recommendations for yet more books, and in this regard, Burton does not disappoint. An interesting look at the ins-and-outs and ups-and-downs of running an indie bookstore. The book was strongest when talking about books and authors, and weakest when talking about the author's own foibles.
This was a fascinating history of one of my favorite bookstores. It makes some compelling arguments for supporting local businesses instead of buying from bigbox chain stores and websites. It hasn't kept me completing from buying on Amazon (I love shopping at 2am) and at Costco, but I try to balance my purchasing. In examining my own conscience, it's worth it to pay a couple of bucks more to have quaint little neighborhood stores like The King's English survive. This book has wonderful reading l...more
Thoroughly enjoyed this chronicle of a bookseller. Great booklists and recommendations. I think I liked it so much because we have similar reading taste!
May 19, 2010
Kerry
added it
I recommend this book to all of my bookwormy friends near and far. It has marvelous lists of currentish books and lots of delicious tidbits about life in the independent book trade. I am spending my mother's day solitude reading it!
Nov 08, 2012
Tiah
added it
I loved this book. I adored it. I read it slowly because I didn't want it to end. Then it ended before I thought it would because I didn't take in account of the index. I now have a long list of people who've I decided also need this book. That person is probably you, because if you are on goodreads then you are probably a bookworm. Bookworms need this book.
I'm re-reading this book since it inspires me in my own job.
This book is sure to delight the kind of person who can’t pass by a bookstore without stopping to browse. The King’s English is the name of an independent bookstore owned by Betsy Burton. Although subtitled “Adventures of an independent bookseller,” it goes far beyond the business of selling books. Betsy’s intrepid spirit sparkles in this funny and thoughtful memoir of a life surrounded and inspired by books. Her passion for literature...more
This book is sure to delight the kind of person who can’t pass by a bookstore without stopping to browse. The King’s English is the name of an independent bookstore owned by Betsy Burton. Although subtitled “Adventures of an independent bookseller,” it goes far beyond the business of selling books. Betsy’s intrepid spirit sparkles in this funny and thoughtful memoir of a life surrounded and inspired by books. Her passion for literature...more
If you have ever wondered what it would be like to own or run a bookstore, this is the book for you! What an interesting history the Kings English has had. It was great to hear about all the authors they have brought to Salt Lake over the years. I was able to attend a few of the author events mentioned in the book - and it was wonderful to read about them from the perspective of the people who made it happen. I gained so much respect for bookstore owners after reading this book. There is not muc...more
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Jan 19, 2010 03:30pm