A Book of Booksellers. Conversations with the Antiquarian Book Trade. 1991-2003

by Sheila Markham

Paperback reprint of the first edition, with corrections. The antiquarian book trade-- the last resort of the English eccentric--is rich in colorful and entertaining characters. Since 1991, Sheila Markham has been interviewing some of its most influential figures. Fifty of these conversations, in which leading dealers speak frankly about their life and work, are published here for the first time in paperback form. The 2004 hardcover, limited to 500 copies, quickly sold out. A significant contribution to the literature of book trade history, A Book of Booksellers will also appeal to the general reader with an interest in rare books and bookselling--perhaps the most humane, sociable, ill-organized, yet absorbing form of commerce to be found anywhere. Sheila Markham has been in the antiquarian book trade for twenty-five years. She is also Librarian of the Travellers Club and Library Scribe at Brooks's Club in London. Her interest in the world of rare books dates from university days when she was Treasurer of the Oxford University Society of Bibliophiles. She is currently working on a sequel to the present work and a companion volume on book collectors. 324 pages. paper wrappers. 8vo..

Genres: Books About Books

320 pages, Perfect Paperback

First published August 24, 2007

Reviews

[Hall's Bookshop · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating eclectic mix of bite-size interviews with all kinds of booksellers. Some are sentimental about books and their trade; a few have made very successfull business; most are completely mad. This book is of huge interest to booksellers themselves for obvious reasons, but I also think anyone who collects books or has enjoyed browsing in a good bookshop would find these eccentric biographies both interesting and inspirational. The most common feature of all of them is that, despite personal loss, or even business failure, bookselling makes for an interesting life full of travel, excitement and personal fulfillment.

JM 31/08/16

[Alexander Jolley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very nice, and a lot of interesting experience to learn from. The book does suffer from being out-of-date, as most sellers talked about the new fangled "internet." A modern version of this book would be really good.