I’ve recently read several books where some of the main characters are booksellers. As someone who loves books and bookstores, these settings resonate with me. Two of the books take place in England: “The Library of Lost and Found” by Phaedra Patrick, and “Bookends” by Jane Green. In “The Library of Lost and Found,” the main character, Martha Storm, works in a library but becomes acquainted with a bookseller, who finds a mysterious book that has Martha’s name attached to it. The charming novel, which takes place in a seaside village, emphasizes the power of stories and writing, and of course, books, to inspire. The other British novel, “Bookends,” uses more of an urban setting, in London, to share a story of a woman whose long-time dream was to quit her dreary corporate job to take a chance to open a bookstore/café with a friend.
Island dwellers may appreciate “The storied life of A.J. Fikry” which takes place on a fictional island in Massachusetts – A.J. Fikry is a curmudgeonly bookseller, whose life is changed when he allows love to enter his world.
These are all fairly light reads, in contrast to my favorite recently read book with this theme: “American dirt” by Jeanine Cummins. Lydia Quixano Pérez lives in the Mexican city of Acapulco. She runs a bookstore before her life changes dramatically, thanks to her favorite patron, who turns out to be her greatest nightmare. This extremely well written and paced book is a thrilling book to read, although I could only handle one chapter each evening, due to the intensity of the story telling.
There are many more out there, that have booksellers as main characters – I would love to hear about some of your favorites!
