There is a special joy in reading a book about reading. These five are set in bookshops, libraries and the secret lives of books. They are good company for anyone who has ever lost an afternoon in a shop.
The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry, Gabrielle Zevin (2014)
A grumpy bookseller on a small island is changed by a surprise at his shop door. For readers who want something warm with a lump in its throat.
The Little Paris Bookshop, Nina George (2013)
A man who prescribes novels for troubled hearts sails a floating bookshop down the rivers of France. For anyone who has ever used a book as medicine.
84, Charing Cross Road, Helene Hanff (1970)
The true letters between a New York writer and a London bookshop, over twenty years. For readers who like short, funny and tender.
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows (2008)
A letter-by-letter story about a book club that formed under the German occupation of Guernsey. For readers who love a good community.
The Shadow of the Wind, Carlos Ruiz Zafón (2001)
A boy in Barcelona picks one book from a secret library of forgotten ones, and a mystery begins. For readers who like atmosphere and a page-turner.
A small suggestion
Read one of these, then visit a real independent bookshop and ask the person at the counter what they love. Or tell the BookPal what you loved and ask for more.
