This is a feel good read to every bookseller and librarian. It quickly shows what keeps each of us doing what we do- helping others find what sparks their own joy! We love being the gateway to information and reader’s advisory helpers to anyone looking. In a career public librarian and I was moved by these stories and felt all those interviewed had such interesting insights to share. I thoroughly enjoyed Patterson’s latest read.

I absolutely loved reading this ode to the power of books, and the importance to individuals and communities alike of bookshops and libraries, expressed through a series of essays featuring a myriad of booksellers and librarians from around the U.S. Extra credit for acknowledging the challenges experienced by independent bookstores and giving voice to those opposing the antics of a very small minority lobbying to ban books and impinge on the freedom of others.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for the privilege of a complimentary ARC. Opinions are my own.

The Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians is a wonderful collection of first hand accounts by people who are living these careers. I think book, library and book store lovers of all types will enjoy the book. As a librarian, I could identify with a lot of what the librarians (and even booksellers) had to say. Readers will discover what lead each person to their position and discover their passion and struggles in what they do. As a whole it's a wonderful peek into the worlds of books from those who distribute them. The people featured are from all types of locations, circumstances, libraries and book stores. A wonderful quick read!

Thank you for this collection. As a bookseller, I find that there is a lot of misunderstanding about what we do and how we do it, and just how many hats we all wear on a daily basis.

The Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians is a love story to anyone involved in getting books in the hands of others. It is made up of short vignettes from librarians and booksellers from all walks of life, telling of how they got their start in the book game, why they love their jobs, the hidden struggles, and their experiences within the scope of librarian or bookseller. As a librarian myself, and a lifelong lover of literature, this book made my heart happy. It is in turn lovely, heartbreaking, encouraging, and uplifting. It's definitely niche, if you're not a librarian or bookseller it will likely not be your cup of tea. My only complaint was that it was pretty heavy handed with the mention and praise of James Patterson, which is I guess to be expected since his name is on it. I feel like a lot of that part was unnecessary to the overall storytelling. For me personally, I rate it a 4.5/5, though I realize this is not a book for everyone.

I received this ARC courtesy of NetGalley, in return for my honest opinion and review.

This collection of essays by librarians and booksellers arrives at a critical moment. It provides readers with a unique opportunity to step into the shoes of these professionals, enhancing understanding of their essential roles within our communities. The contributors share a broad spectrum of experiences that range from charming to startling. While the literary quality of the book doesn’t stand out, its value as an educational resource is substantial, making it a meaningful read for those interested in the cultural impact of these professions.

REVIEW: The Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians ⭐⭐⭐.5 (3.5)

I was so excited when I saw the title of this book. Being a huge book lover, obviously, and a librarian I looked forward to reading about others who loved books as well. I was hoping that this would meet that mark more than it did.

First of all, there were some things that I enjoyed about this read. The book was filled with heartfelt stories and all shared the love of books theme. It is always so refreshing to read about others who care about books so much especially in this difficult time with banning books. I also really like how they collected stories from different experiences and some of the stories were very unique (like being in a prison library). Finally, the one thing I loved the most that carried through all the stories was showing how the community comes together to help these booksellers and librarians. Even with so much hate in the book community, it is so uplifting to see how supportive people can be when it comes to books.

There were a few things that I didn’t like. One thing that I noticed is the frequency they had booksellers from large brands like Barnes and Noble or Books a Million. I was hoping for a bit more variety and independent bookstores. Some of the stories were getting repetitive as well. It was hard to remember one story from the other. Along the same lines, there were different heading sections but the stories just seemed pretty much the same throughout. They also felt so so short. It was hard to connect to some of them when you only get a page and a half. I think if they did fewer stories with a little more to them, it would be more successful. Lastly, I didn’t like that they did not tie all the stories together at the end. The last story ended and the book just ends abruptly. I would love to see a reflection or something to wrap everything up. Overall, I did enjoy most of the stories and love reading books about books.

Thank you Netgalley and Little, Brown and Company, for the free advanced copy for my honest review!

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As a librarian, I love how this book showcases the passionate, smart, and talented people who've inspired and shared recommendations with readers for generations and fought to keep books in readers' hands from the beginning. While not all of the stories are happy ones, this collective biography is a balm to those who just plain love books.

Would it suffice it to say that after I'd finished my free but temporary digital galley edition I immediately got myself an audio so no one who visits me can abscond with my copy (a common problem in my house)?
I really enjoyed hearing how so many librarians and booksellers came to do what they really enjoy. It was always a given that they love to read books, smell books, share books, but there are so many other intangibles that made this such a great read. The fact that each is in their own words makes it even better!
I requested and received a free temporary digital galley edition from Little, Brown and Company via NetGalley. Thanks for sharing!

Fantastic and heartwarming stories from the defenders of the written word! There are a few stories about the recent uptick in book challenges, which my local library is also dealing with, and how those communities are dealing with it, but most are more touching and wonderful stories about helping finding their love of reading. I enjoyed learning about how the contributors found their way into the positions they hold and why they continue to do it. Highly recommended for anyone who loves to read.

Fun book with short essays written by booksellers and librarians. Worth a read.

I enjoyed this collection of different essays written by various people involved with the selling or lending of books. From rejoicing at matching just the right book to a person to being angry and frustrated at groups attempting to ban books, these people have something to say about books and our communities.

One slight shortcoming I see is that most of these are just a taste. It would have been more interesting to me to have fewer essays and have them be longer and more focused on different topics. But overall it is an entertaining book, especially for book lovers.

https://mauriceonbooks.wordpress.com/2024/04/15/secret-lives-of-booksellers-and-librarians-by-james-patterson-and-matt-eversmann/?preview_id=15655&preview_nonce=d9512064ec&preview=true

This was sweet and fun and bookish and the best entry point to James Patterson. Booksellers and librarians are the specialist of people and this reveals that in the most unexpected of ways.

I loved this book. The little vignettes from book people all over the country made me so happy and I could relate to everything all of them said. I loved how stories were included from independent booksellers, big store booksellers, and librarians as well and that, while their experiences were somewhat different, they were actually mostly the same. Book people are book people and I love that this book celebrates that.

It's no secret that I love books. The only thing that I would love more than recommending books online as hobby, would be to have ha a career as a librarian or bookseller. This book is a collection of essays about various librarians and booksellers. Each story tells about the person's love of books, how they ended up in their current position and some anecdotes about their career. They were very interesting, and any book lover who like me, looks back and wishes that they had taken that path, will find the book interesting. Most of the stories are feelgood love letters to the library or the bookstore, and I enjoyed them all. I do wish that there had been a little more variety in the stories. The book touches on the topics of book banning, and surviving COVID shutdowns. It also included a few stories about loyal customers pitching in to save a store in financial crisis or after storm damage. These were the stories that proved the most interesting. This was a fun little book to read.

Although I loved the book, I do have a few things that bothered me. Patterson and Eversmann are listed as the authors, not the editors. And yet each story is told in the first person as if it had been written by that person themselves. One can tell from the uniform style that this is not the case. The authors have also chosen to write the stories in present tense, even if the stories cover several years. I found that choice distracting and annoying. Although a couple essays mention TikTok and its influence in book promotion, the book failed to mention the influence of social media in general. Other review cites like Goodreads, Facebook, Instagram or blogs were ignored. All the booksellers were owners or managers of brick and mortar stores. Patterson is a champion of independent booksellers. However, many of the stories were from Barnes and Noble and Books a Million. It might have been interesting to include a few bloggers with affiliate links. Those individuals with virtual stores and book reviews are also book matchmakers. The book also had no structure to speak of, the section titles expressed important ideas, but didn't really divide the essays up into those ideas. These issues were worth mentioning in my opinion but do not prevent me from praising the book. They simply changed a 5 star review into one with 4 stars.

Although the title is a bit of a misnomer, since no secrets are revealed, this love letter to the book industry is a book worth grabbing. If you don't buy it now, you can always get it from your library.

Booksellers and librarians tell all!
I cannot remember a book that made me smile as much as this one! In The Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians James Patterson and Matt Eversmann have collected first-person accounts by librarians and booksellers across the United States of what led them into their calling and the rewards and challenges it has offered.
Each short piece is by a different person, and their personalities shine through their stories, such as the 80-year-old bookseller in California still loving her work. There are clever events described, like the YALLFest in Charleston that celebrates Young Adult books. These dedicated professionals have a big impact locally, and they are not even all human. Yola the bookstore dog in Charlotte, NC, was recognized by an article in Charlotte magazine and was nominated for Charlottean of the Year.
Not all of the pieces are upbeat, though. I was moved and angered to hear from a librarian in Texas about the banning in schools of dangerous books like Maus, a graphic novel about the Holocaust. Librarians there were told they could not attend open meetings on the book banning even on their free time, and the librarian who wrote in Secret Lives was ultimately fired for her advocacy of freedom.
I picked up a wealth of interesting information, like the fact that Sidney Poitier was illiterate until age 16, and learned about things like the Nancy Pearl formula for deciding whether to stop reading a book you are not enjoying.
A warning to those who, like me, are already overwhelmed by our urge to read. I also could not have imagined anything could get me more excited about books than I already was, but this book accomplished that as well. In addition to hearing about some newer books, a special delight was to hear about the librarian or bookseller recommending one of my old favorites to a reader; I now have a number of new “rereads” on my Read Soon list.
Although I read and enjoyed this book from start to finish, the structure would also make it an excellent choice to dip into for a bit any time you want to feel good about people and the joy of books. It would make an excellent “listen” and is to be released in audio form.
I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!!

This was such a sweet little read about people who work in the bookish world. From public librarians, booksellers, independent book store owners, and school librarians, the stories shared are enough to warm your heart.

While I didn’t agree with every single story shared, I have always held to the belief that it’s important to know what other people believe and understand their opinions. Understanding isn’t the same thing as agreeing. I think this book is a great example of that.

If you’re looking for something light but also informative, this is a great book to pick up for that.

I have to be totally honest. I have no idea how they are going to market this book. Or who the intended target audience even is. I’m a totally book nerd, so of course it appealed to me. Now maybe there are a lot more people like me than I thought. And that would be an absolutely wonderful thing…there being more book nerds that is…more people really like me? Maybe not so much, lol. I have to say I’ve always admired Patterson’s dedication to books/booksellers. I know many people are thinking well aren’t all authors book nuts? I’d like to think so, but over the years Patterson has again and again shown his appreciation to those who have dedicated their lives to books whether librarian or bookseller, his dedication to indie bookstore is admirable, especially since so many of them struggle to stay operational. And his newest book, The Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians, is an love letter to those who dedicated their lives to books but never truly get recognized for their efforts. I thoroughly enjoyed these collected tales and hope others will as well. I also hope you’ll remember to thank your local librarian and booksellers. Thanks so much to Little, Brown and Company and NetGalley for the chance to read & review an ARC of The Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians.

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-secret-lives-of-booksellers-and-librarians-james-patterson/1143886139?ean=9780316567534&bvnotificationId=5b07e0da-f630-11ee-94fe-0afffda42201&bvmessageType=REVIEW_APPROVED&bvrecipientDomain=gmail.com#review/276359100

We always think that the libraries are important ones but we forget the people who protect the books. Both Librarians and Booksellers are the guardians against those that want to stop another thoughts from being revealed, and the Librarians and Booksellers in this book talk about what got them interested in their profession and why they love books. Some of them talk about how they are standing their ground when it comes to the current problem of banning books and how they are winning most of the challenges. I found most of the stories heartwarming since so many people have found their purpose in books and it makes me sigh with relief.
I love these kinds of books, because I see all the other people who love books and stories as much as I do, and they live their lives in showing others where to start their own journeys.
The book is very easy to read and it is kind of fun to find Libraries and Bookstores you know locally and can't wait to visit.

I want to thank Little, Brown and Company and NetGalley for an advance copy of this informative book.

An ode to people who work in the world of books. The brief stories are interesting but there is no commentary or thread that ties them together or explains how the selections on who to include were made. It also took a while to get used to the use of the present tense when describing things that happened in the past. There are a few really powerful stories about people fighting censorship or truly helping others but mostly the stories are fairly mundane.