The Book Shopper

by Murray Browne

"Where is human nature so weak as in the bookstore?" —Henry Ward Beecher

The Book Shopper is a spirited and witty guide to the world of disheveled used bookstores and dusty basements where shelves sag under the burden of so many books. In the limitless sea of books, here's one that will make you laugh as it helps you find your way to titles and authors you'll really want to read.

"This predilection [for browsing used bookstores] has grown into a real (albeit quirky) passion for thinking about the many ways books affect our lives—how and where we shop for them, the people we know who read them, the small passages that stick in our heads for years only to reappear at the oddest moments. The minds of book people are mosaics of ideas, thoughts, and phrases that have originated in books . . . I'm fascinated by how we hold and shape these fragments, how they coalesce into what I call my book shopper state of mind." —from Chapter 1 of The Book Shopper

Genres: Books About Books, Memoir, Nonfiction, Writing

215 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 1, 2009

Reviews

[Missy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Picked this up at Prairie Lights in Iowa City when I was there with other bibliophile friends...need I say more. A day of literary adventures in a literary city buying books = a perfect day. Have I ever mentioned, I LOVE BOOKS!?!

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

I appreciated the author's enthusiasm for books, but I disliked the way he dismissed romances as "not real books" and insinuated that libraries consisting of "crappy bestsellers" (his words) were less valid than ones full of his beloved Tom Wolfe, Pynchon, Didion, etc. Avoid like the plague if pseudo-intellectual Lit-ra-chure book snobs who look down on those of us who read popular fiction, romances, mysteries, etc, make you angry.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is not very well written, but it has some interesting musings on book shopping. The best chapters focus on the author's family experiences. He has a weird habit of referring to his book as though it were a separate entity or a person. Not one of my favorite books about books.

[Clark · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked reading about his personal experiences, how "Fahrenheit 451" affected him - not just once, but twice!

I loved his saying - "Book lovers are not necessarily people lovers." How true! I am one.

I did not care for Browne's recommendations of books. Browne is snobbish in his high brow opinion of his choice of books over average people's opinions. Some of us hate lit. Got enough of that in school. Even with his attitude I still found parts of his book that I liked because I like books about books, besides the other books that he belittles.

[Terry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Though I do not share Browne's taste in books, I do approve of his general attitude toward books. "Amazon Uncovered" was the best chapter and Part Three with musings about books as gifts and managing a personal library was worthwhile.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have very mixed feelings about this book. On the plus side: the author clearly loves books, and he recommends some great ones. His anecdotes about shopping in used bookstores are relatable for any book hoarder. On the other hand, some of his efforts at humor come across as a bit sexist at best and are at times absolutely cringey. (For example: "....and further readung explained why many of the seventh- and eigth-grade girls had hugged copies of the Margaret Mitchell novel to their budding bosoms." Ummmm..... just no). This book was written in 2009 so I will give the author the benefit of the doubt and assume that were it written today he would have know better. Because of the sexist/cringey things I subtract 1 star.

[Cindy Rollins · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this up at the Eighth Day Books table at the Circe Conference because I can never resist a book about books and as such I enjoyed it even though I do not share the same taste in books as Murray Browne.

Still I came away with a few underlined passages and an enjoyable conversation.

My favorite part was the Thomas Pynchon quote,"...proverb, number 3:'If the can get you asking the wrong questions,they don't have to worry about the answers.

This book was not a waste of time but I doubt if it would have the appeal of say, Susan Hill's Howard's End is on the Landing.

[Donna Zigmont · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book.I found it in the library and thought it would be an interesting read.I love to shop for books myself.But if you go in thinking this is a guide to shopping for books you're only part right.I am a little frugal at times and tend to hit the library more often than a bookstore.overall a enjoyable read.

[Charlie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Despite this rating, I did think the author was likable. Unfortunately, he was likable despite his best efforts. I only liked one paragraph in this book. Make your own decision. But don't read it.

[Courtney · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not the most exciting topic, but a comfortable one. I enjoyed the chapter about Amazon, about moving boxed of books (the chapter was about weeding ones collection), and his anecdote about Fahrenheit 451.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Would have really benefitted from a full bibliography at the end.