What first attracted me to this book was the title… mention “book store, book shop, book club,” and I want to know more. Yet this book was so much more than I had anticipated and I am still gushing all over it. ~ Sheila
Many (most?) of us know book stores as to be lovely buildings filled with treasures, or a space in a large mall, or along the downtown streets of your own home town…. however…
what about a book store on a boat? Or a book lending that involves books being shared by way of donkey? A bookstore made entirely of cardboard? Or built inside an old train station?
These amazing books stores and so much more is what you will read about within this book. Highlighting book stores from all corners of the earth and including those that may very well be closer than we think, The Bookshop Book is a must have for any bibliophile.
I feel like a telemarketer as I chat up this book, but if you know me… if I gush about a book.. I have good reason too.
This book is not only filled with interesting stories of unique as well as famous book stores, it also has gorgeous pictures, author interviews and quotes, and fun facts. Here are just a few of the amazing facts that are scattered within this books pages:
In 2010 to celebrate the thirtieth birthday of their signature furniture piece,the Billy Bookcase, IKEA lined thirty of them along Bondi Beach and filled them with books, making this the world’s largest outdoor bookcase. Surfers and sunbathers were able to swap a book from the shelves with one of their own, or make a donation to buy one. All money raised went to the Australian Literary and Numeracy Foundation.
Part of the M6 toll road in the UK is made out of pulped Mills and Boon novels. A reported 2.5 million recycled books were mixed in with asphalt and tarmac to create the road surface.
In earlier times, the maiming of authors was not an uncommon practice. In the sixteenth century, critics would often cut off the nose, the ears, or the hands of authors whose books they felt were too outspoken. Following the thirty year war in the seventeenth century, Theodore Reinking wrote a book whose anti-Swedish sentiments caused such outrage in the country that he was thrown in jail and given an ultimatum: eat your words, literally, or we’ll cut off your head. Theodore was smart and decided to eat his own words. He turned the book into a paste, and drank the whole thing down.
To that last fact I say, we have come a long way baby!
This is a book that will definitely have a spot in my library so I can refer to it again and again as well as share with other book lovers who visit my home.
Author Jen Campbell is also the author of “Weird Things Customers Say In Book Stores.” A book I have on my shelf and still need to read! I imagine, after this great experience I will be reading that one soon!
- Hardcover: 288 pages
- Publisher: Constable (October 2, 2014)
Book Journey 
I love the sound of this book! And I know someone who might like it for Christmas too…
It really is a great book!
Now I want both of them! Love the pictures and the trivia of this one and I’m really curious about the 2nd one. Thanks for sharing! I just got asked for gift ideas and these 2 will be on my list!
There is so much fun trivia in this one and things I had no idea about! I feel like I am ready for Book Jeopardy! 😛
Sold!! I want a copy of this book and Weird Things Customers Say In Book Stores!!
I need to go through the weird things people say yet … I remember a couple of years at at BEA we had an opportunity to write down weird things people say for this book and I wonder if they acknowledge anyone i know in the pages!
Sounds like a good one! Thanks for sharing.
It was fun to share this one!
I like browsing in bookstores. I spend looking for books on the Internet.
I like book stores too 🙂
This definitely sounds like my kind of book! 🙂
I was impressed, a lot of research went into this one!
Sounds like a wonderful coffee table book to browse when too tired to read but still want a book fix!
Exactly! A great conversation piece!
This sounds SO good! 😀
It is 😀
Wow, I need to get myself a copy!
I would recommend it 😉
How cool! Fun gift idea.
It is. The book store stories are cool and I devoured all the facts!
Might just buy myself a present this holiday season 😉 Thanks!
I think you will enjoy it 😉
I’ve had this one on my tbr list for a while and your enthusiasm really made the deal for me!
I am glad! I think you will really enjoy it!
This sounds so delightful! I love that it has pictures.
I do too… something to drool over!
Oh man I need this book! Love bookstores! 🙂
Yes!
Thank you for recommending The Bookshop Book ^_^ x
Absolutely! It was a great read!
This sounds great! Thanks for bringing it to my attention!