Review by Booklist Review
Not to spoil the secret promised in the title, but what unites all of the booksellers and librarians interviewed for this book is a love of books and reading and other people who love books and reading. Patterson and Eversmann include such luminaries as Judy Blume, who quit writing after 50 years and opened a book store in Key West, and a bookstore owner in Rehoboth, Delaware, who regularly rubs elbows with the Bidens. Several themes emerge: subjects grew up loving reading (there are a few mentions of favorite reads, like the Lord of the Rings series and even James Patterson); they love the community-hub aspect of where they work; and they relish a book-search challenge, like "the cover is blue." What they don't enjoy are challenges to books, with several entries devoted to those who are fighting for intellectual freedom, like the librarian in Texas who was fired for not taking down a pride display. With its bite-sized chapters, this collection of profiles doesn't go into much depth, but it will appeal to readers looking for some quick, bookish inspiration.HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Patterson is always in this category; add to that a topic that's a natural for all booklovers.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Bestseller Patterson and his frequent coauthor Eversmann follow up 2023's Walk the Blue Line with a lighthearted compendium of first-person reflections from librarians and booksellers about their work and passion for literature. Most entries consist of easygoing odes to reading, as when one Texas Barnes & Noble inventory specialist discusses how she loves to get young children interested in books by reading aloud to them during story time. Alexis Sky, owner of two Albany-area bookstores, describes the satisfaction she derives from getting to know customers' tastes, even going so far as to put aside new titles she thinks a regular might like until their next visit. A few more substantial entries tackle how a hostile political climate has made librarians' jobs more difficult. For instance, Texas library consultant Carolyn Foote recounts how she organized a social media campaign to push back against Texas legislators' attempts to remove books about racial diversity and gender from library shelves. However, such stories are the exception in a frothy volume largely focused on earnest if banal paeans to the written word ("Handing someone a book with the power to change their lives is magical because, oftentimes, it does," opines a Florida reference librarian). Pleasant if somewhat trite, this will be comfort food for bookworms. Agent: Robert Barnett, Williams & Connolly. (Apr.)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
A collection of personal stories from various types of librarians and booksellers across the U.S.; Patterson and Eversmann have pulled together numerous musings from these professionals about their lives with books. A common thread comes through clearly--they love their jobs because they love books. Several of the librarians speak directly to the current state of book banning, offering stories and stating their conviction in the freedom to read. While the volume of entries is impressive, it does start to feel repetitive: in most, the person shares when they first remember loving books, their path to their current job, an anecdote from on the job, and why they love what they do. After awhile, no matter the person or the role, it starts to sound the same. While it might be this way by design, to show the common bond, readers' eyes may start to glaze over. The book is divided into five parts, but with no explanation of these or delineation of themes, it seems arbitrary. Those unfamiliar with the book business will find this volume informative as well as interesting. For others, this will serve as a way to reignite their passion for books and find camaraderie among like-minded colleagues. VERDICT An interesting though repetitive roundup of stories from booksellers and librarians that will make readers feel the passion behind the professions.--Florence Simmons
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
A celebration of the world of books. Patterson, Eversmann, and Mooney gather first-person testimonies from independent booksellers (including author Judy Blume, who started her Key West store when she was 78); booksellers at chain stores like Barnes & Noble; and school, college, private, and public librarians from around the U.S. and Canada. They reminisce about their early discovery of books, their passion to become a librarian, or the unexpected opportunities that gave them a chance to work in a bookstore and, for some, to own one. Despite the title, few of the contributors have had a secret life. Some, though, have unexpected backgrounds: One is the daughter of Holocaust survivors, who named her bookstore after a grandmother who perished in a concentration camp. Several are military veterans. Many became a librarian or bookstore owner after a different career--in real estate, as a newspaper reporter, or, in Blume's case, after 50 years as a successful writer. All have upbeat, inspiring things to say about connecting books and readers, and they express real concerns about the "wildly dangerous" movement to ban books. Books, they know from firsthand observation, can change lives. A librarian in charge of jail and prison services at Rikers reveals, "[O]ne of my favorite programs is Daddy & Me, a workshop that gives incarcerated fathers the skills to encourage early literacy in their children." The youth services program director of the Cleveland Public Library describes its system's offerings: "Beyond organizing book and culture events, the youth services department is also a resource center for parents and educators, children and students, providing free lunches and after-school tutoring at all our branches." The librarian at Houston's Holocaust Museum runs a children's story hour. All testify to the extraordinary camaraderie among bookstore owners and the deep satisfaction of creating a vibrant community for readers. A compendium of warm recollections. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
