I received a free copy of, The Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians, by James Patterson: Matt Eversman, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I love books, I also love libraries and book shops. I still read books, I prefer old school books to reading on a kindle, phone, or computer. This is a really good book about people who love books too.

Librarians and booksellers describe their jobs, their love of books and reading, and the joy of passing this on to others

What a fun collection of book people! I could identify with so many of them. There were bite size stories of people who worked in bookstores, including chains and independents, and stories of librarians and other people surrounded by books. Everyone had something unique to say -- I think my favorite story was about the people who keep arguing about what Jack Reacher is like (a fictional character).
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this

I liked this little book! As a library assistant, it was a neat little glimpse into the lives of my peers in the book world. I think those who aren't part of that world and want to know what it is that we do day in and day out will especially like this book.

When I was a little girl I wanted to sit at a desk in the library and have children come up to me and ask what book they should read. I was eager to recommend my favorites. Charlotte’s Web. The Black Stallion. A Child’s Garden of Verses. The Shy Stegosaurus of Cricket Creek.

A few years later we moved and the new city had a large library. I wanted to see the books on the other side, but Mom said they were for adults. I wondered what was in those books. When I was twelve I prowled the stacks on that side, bringing home books on art and Greek myths. There was a large desk in the middle of the library, and I was sure that the job of the woman who sat there was the one I had coveted.

I was a bookstore manager for a few years where my husband was attending seminary. Students hung out there to kill time between classes. I learned what books the teachers were talking about and ordered copies which were quickly claimed. I was the first to make a profit at the nonprofit bookstore! I could order books at a 40% discount and took advantage of it to build my personal library. It was my favorite job ever. I peaked in my career at age 22.

After completing my degree in English I thought about going for a librarian degree. Instead, I got a job writing promotional literature, had a baby, and took our son to libraries. As a teenager, our son volunteered at the library’s resale store. My spouse is on the library board where we now live. We helped start a library book club that has been going on for nearly nine years.

Our librarians must contend with so many things today: shrinking budgets, open carry guns, individuals complaining about specific books that don’t meet their personal standards. Even the quilts we hang in the library sometimes get censored!

When a social media friend, a librarian, mentioned she was in this book I had to pick it up. It is a delightful read, full of the kind of people I imagined becoming some day.

My goal, my passion, is to become a special kind of matchmaker–matching people with books.
Kelley Moore quoted in The Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians

The people who were interviewed for this book reflect on the joy of their work and the challenges they face in today’s culture. Holly Strong, a Barnes & Noble bookstore manager, tells the story of helping a troubled teenager find books that could bring affirmation and connection. She ends with, “To be that support for a complete stranger, who doesn’t feel like a stranger anymore–that’s the power and magic of my job.”

Those who love books want to get books into the hands of others. I may not be a seller of books or librarian, but as a book reviewer I still get to tell people about books they should read. If you are a reader, a lover of book, and want to be inspired by the stories of others who love books, this book is for you!

Thanks to the publisher for a free book.

In James Patterson's The Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians, readers are treated to a peek into the work of the unsung heroes of the literary world. With warmth and admiration, Patterson showcases the dedication and passion of booksellers and librarians who go above and beyond to connect readers with the perfect book. Through vignettes, he celebrates their role as detectives, treasure hunters, and matchmakers, revealing the magic of their work in fostering connections and sparking imaginations. This book is a poignant tribute to those who believe in the transformative power of literature and the extraordinary individuals who bring it to life. Handing the right book to the right person, at the right time is a life-changer. Thank you librarians, and thank you Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book.

This was a fun collection of anecdotes and tidbits, sure to delight anyone who loves books and the people who purvey them. I enjoyed what I read, but it is definitely repetitive after a while, since most of the stories center around similar challenges and opportunities surrounding the current environment for reading. It was more of a pick-up-and-read-a-few book than a read-through collection, but it was interesting and engaging in smaller doses.

Thank you Netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. I'm not sure if I just know too much about librarians and booksellers or if this book just skimmed the surface. I found that for a book named The Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians that it really only talked about the things many people probably already assumed, that books and reading are their passion. Overall, I found most of the story heartwarming and it was great to hear a variety of different stories. I am a bit confused on how this has three authors when the book is comprised of just stories from librarians and booksellers. This really could have used an intro, epilogue, and section intros to tie the stories together and make it feel like an overall book.

The Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians is a bunch of short stories by book lovers, mostly how they got into the business or fell in love with books. I love books about books, and this is no exception. A couple were borderline preachy, but I was happy to just skip over them and enjoy the next story. I found them so inspiring! They made me remember why I love reading. I highly recommend this book and think it would also make a great gift.

I received an advanced copy from NetGalley in exchange for a review and opinions are my own.

What a great book.
Highly recommended to all.
It was such a pleasant book about stories from librarians…we all need to keep going to libraries.
Rush and get this gem.

This is not a book to be read cover to cover but to savor the individual inspiring stories a few at a time. This is an inspiring collection of bookseller and librarians who love connecting people and books. This would make an excellent gift for your favorite librarian or bookseller to have on their desk for a reminder of how fortunate we are to work in the world of books.

For the right person, this is a great book. If you love reading, if you can spend hours in the bookstore or the library, if you ever dreamed of owning a bookstore or being a librarian and spending your days matching the right book to the right person, you will enjoy this book - a collection of essays by bookstore and library staff about their work. Some stories focus on how they came to work in the field, some about helping children discover a love of reading, some about standing up to those trying to ban or censor books, and more. I wish there was a little more structure to the collection. It is divided into 5 sections but I could not figure out the common theme within each of them. I read an ARC so perhaps by the time the final book is published, the editors will refine it and add structure that gives the collection more meaning - particularly the ending which is very abrupt -- just a random story from one of the booksellers/librarians and then done. No concluding thoughts tying what you just read together. Again, I enjoyed every story in the book -- I love books, love reading, and truly think everyone has a story within them (I read tons of memoirs by non-celebs) so this was up my alley. If this at all sounds like you, dig in and enjoy!

NOTE: Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is individual stories about different librarians and booksellers around the country. They tell about what influenced them becoming a bookseller or librarian, some thoughts about where they went to school and/or the path they took to this job. It hits most areas of the country and you can learn about other bookstores and interesting libraries. Very interesting!

As a fellow librarian and bookstore lover, I loved reading these stories!
I could relate about feeling different ways and about dealing with sometimes unruly patrons.
There are bookstores now added to my list of places to visit.
I know that librarians and booksellers will love reading this and love sharing it with others.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

Such a good, heartwarming book about libraries and librarians.

I love reading everyone's stories about how they became involved and why they chose to leave certain professions behind. I honestly thought all Barnes and Nobles were the same but apparently, they aren't.

This book is a paean to books, booksellers and librarians. The stories are, for lack of a better word, sweet. They were all well-written and well-paced. But they were also mostly of a very similar vein which rapidly became tiresome. I would have given the book, as an anthology, three stars, except for the stories by Carolyn Foote, Holly Strong, Meg Wasmer, Joel Bangilan, Roxanne Coady, Suzette Baker, and Sally McPherson, who all raised the book to a four-star rating. I liked these stories because they were particularly heart-warming or discussed broader issues such as book selection in a time of book-banning., amongst other reasons. Thank you to Netgalley and Little, Brown and Company for the advance reader copy.

Such a touching book. I am a librarian and have been a bookseller and so many of these stories spoke to me. Wonderful read for our profession!

Thank you to @netgalley, @LittleBrownandCompany @JamesPatterson for this ARC. This book is a collection of short stories about the lives of both booksellers and librarians and why they do what they do. Each person has a story as to what made them become who they are, why they love it and the challenges they have faced. Loved it and now I need to go work in a bookstore! #TheSecretLivesofBooksellersandLibrarians #JamesPatterson #LittleBrownandCompany #Apr2024

I love a book about books, and what we have here is that and more. It's a book about book people and the books they love, and their lives that revolve around books. I was a big fan. I could read little stories about book people for ages.

I found The Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians to be a love letter to Bookshops and booksellers, librarians and libraries told in essays compiled out of interviews done from mostly librarians and booksellers throughout the United states. The entries cover a variety of subjects such as the joy of matching the right book to the right person, as well as how books can help both the incarcerated and youngsters grappling with their sexuality. Several interviews discuss book challengers and banned books and their fight against limiting access to books and libraries. There are touching stories about improving literacy and experiences with authors in bookstores.

I found this to be an enjoyable collection of essays, one that you can easily dip in and out of. A few brought tears to my eyes or made me angry along with the interviewee. I do think however that this book will have a limited audience. If you are a bookseller, a librarian or a person that loves reading about books, libraries and bookstores, you are going to really enjoy this collection. If you do not fall into those categories you may find this collection boring quite quickly, so reader know thyself.

I was lucky enough to receive an early copy which had no prologue or epilogue so there was nothing to discuss how this book came about or how the book was created which I thought would have helped to tie everything together. I am hoping that this will be included in the final copy. Thank you to net galley and the publisher for an e galley in exchange for an honest review.