first of all I just want to apologise to all the people whose blogs I follow whose posts I have ignored and whose replies to my comments I haven’t read. Real life got on top of me (I’m not going to share information on here as it’s so public, but please don’t be worried; we’re all OK) and I’ve had to go to Blog Zero. I think I’ve replied to all the comments on here, but I’ve started saving posts to read and comment on from today and missed a load. If there’s something on your blog you think I simply MUST see, drop me a line using whatever means you have, or my contact form. I’ve also reviewed my reading commitments and will NOT be doing 20 books of summer, but will just see how I do there. Running bloggers, if you’re read this far, I will pick up your posts from today.
Right, I had to get back to picking off some NetGalley reads as I realised my review rate was at exactly 80%, which is what they recommend you have – or above. Eeps. But this was the perfect light read, made up of short sections, so ideal in a tiring time.
If you’ve read Bythell’s “Diary of a Bookseller” then you’ll have the idea (my review here). We get tallies of customers and takings, numbers of online orders received and located, trips to buy books and philosophising thereon, and day-to-day tales of the Bookshop, Wigtown and the inhabitants.
There are a few plot points and I won’t give them away, but we do lose two regular characters from Bythell’s life alongside the usual losses and arrivals of small town life. The bookshop cat still prevails. I still wouldn’t dare to go in there, in case I enraged Bythell, but I was very cheered to read in the epilogue that things are going better for the shop now as people realise they need to support “real” bookshops.
A nice comfortable read, even when he’s railing against modern life, methods and Kindles. As with that one about the man who eschewed technology, I feel a bit ironic and uneasy having read this ON my Kindle …
Thank you to Serpent’s Tail for approving me for this book: I received a free review copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest unedited feedback.
Tredynas Days
Aug 18, 2019 @ 17:35:09
Good to hear you’re ok, Liz
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Liz Dexter
Aug 19, 2019 @ 08:44:11
Thank you.
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kaggsysbookishramblings
Aug 18, 2019 @ 17:50:27
Sorry to hear real life is being a bit of a pain Liz and hope things continue to be ok. x
I must read these Blythell books, mustn’t I?? 😀
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Liz Dexter
Aug 18, 2019 @ 18:25:08
Yes, you’d like them a lot!
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Rebecca Foster
Aug 18, 2019 @ 18:03:46
I thought this was nearly as good as the first book, though I do wonder how long he can keep it up — this only covered up to the end of 2015! The problem is that not all that much changes from year to year, so inevitably the books would start getting repetitive.
Don’t be afraid of going to Wigtown and visiting his shop. He’s so nice in person that I’m convinced some of the grumpy attitude in his books is put-on. We had a very pleasant encounter with him, and I enjoy following him (and Captain) on Twitter and Instagram.
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Liz Dexter
Aug 18, 2019 @ 18:26:14
Ah good, I don’t think I gathered that before tho I knew you’d been. And yes, I thought that one was 2015!
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Rebecca Foster
Aug 18, 2019 @ 18:39:45
Yeah, we went in April 2018 and had a great time: https://bookishbeck.wordpress.com/2018/04/09/a-trip-to-wigtown-scotlands-book-town/.
I’d noted that the first diary was from February 2014 to February 2015, and then this one covers the rest of 2015. I sort of dread hearing that he has enough material for 2016 through 2019!
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Liz Dexter
Aug 19, 2019 @ 08:43:18
Yeah, that might be a bit much although it’d be nice to see how it all picked up, as mentioned in the epilogue.
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Black Knight
Aug 18, 2019 @ 18:10:26
Glad to hear that you are ok and the kitty feels better.
All the best!
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Liz Dexter
Aug 19, 2019 @ 08:43:43
Thank you, kitty is not entirely well yet but I think on a positive trend.
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Paul at Halfman, Halfbook
Aug 18, 2019 @ 21:21:42
Life does that at times, Liz. Glad to hear you’re all ok. Must read this as I thoroughly enjoyed the first.
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Liz Dexter
Aug 19, 2019 @ 08:43:58
Thank you, and yes, if you liked that one you will like this one.
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heavenali
Aug 19, 2019 @ 21:59:23
This sounds like a nice, easy going book. Somehow I hadn’t heard of this, and haven’t read the other one either.
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Liz Dexter
Aug 20, 2019 @ 07:51:37
Goodness me, how has that happened? You will love these!
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aliterarybent
Oct 02, 2019 @ 01:18:08
I thoroughly enjoyed and giggled my way through his first book – Diary of a Bookseller. I’ve only just started Confessions of….but from what I’ve read so far it’s much of the same. It’s still enjoyable but I do wonder how many times he can get away with the same diary type format. I’ll be taking my copy of Confessions of….to Wigtown with me next year and hopefully can get Shaun to sign it for me. I met him about a year or so ago here in New Zealand’s BookTown, Featherston when he was here to promote Diary of….I covered meeting him (and getting a photo with him) in a blog post last year. I got him to put a few words inside my book and sign it for me… AND I agree with an earlier comment that someone made saying that he is a really nice guy. Maybe this time I can get him to write something really sarcastic inside the book cover.
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Liz Dexter
Oct 02, 2019 @ 07:49:40
Welcome to my blog and thank you for your comment. Yes, you should definitely get him to sign the book for you as you have the first one signed! I didn’t know there was a BookTown in New Zealand, but am glad there is. Nice to know he IS a nice chap!
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Cari
Jan 03, 2020 @ 20:20:03
I’d saved this to comment when I read it, and I think I put this in your blog on the prior. I enjoyed this, but I think two books is probably enough. I don’t need to keep reading his daily escapades, much as I enjoy some of them. I kept found myself worrying abotu Captain as he seemed to get in a fair bit of trouble. I’d love to read more on how he decides what books are worth buying for FBA and/or instore sales
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Liz Dexter
Jan 05, 2020 @ 19:18:48
I love that other people do that, too. I have a whole load of saved posts in my Feedly! And yes, two was enough, indeed, but that detail would have been good. I still wouldn’t dare go in the shop!
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Cari
Jan 05, 2020 @ 20:58:03
I love it when people make their blogs available via subscription. I can keep them in my email. Easier for me than Feedly or even the linkups.
He made me super curious about the region of Scotland – also in his first book that December is their down time whereas here it’s peak shopping season
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