sonham's review against another edition
3.0
Nette Geschichte um einen kleinen Buchladen, die anfangs zwar ein wenig langsam anläuft, aber zum Ende hin immer spannender und besser wird.
lunasea0526's review against another edition
4.0
What a little gem of a book! I have to admit I chose it completely by virtue of it's title - and it turns out there aren't any ghosts at all, in the strictest sense of the word. The "haunting" the title refers to is the spirit of the authors and readers that inhabit the shop. This story is a little bit mystery, a little bit romance, quite a bit of social commentary and chock full of wonderful, old-fashioned characters. What struck me the most is that, despite this book being written in 1919, there were so many themes that are relevant today. This excerpt refers to the aftermath of WW1 but it could be referring to current times: "Humanity is yearning now as it never did before for truth, for beauty, for the things that comfort and console and make life seem worth while...We've been through a frightful ordeal, and every decent spirit is asking itself what we can do to pick up the fragments and remould the world nearer to our heart's desire."
If you're looking for a timeless story with charming characters, that speaks to why there are bookstores, book sellers and readers, and so much more, I highly recommend this book!
If you're looking for a timeless story with charming characters, that speaks to why there are bookstores, book sellers and readers, and so much more, I highly recommend this book!
cdhotwing's review against another edition
lighthearted
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
hannah850's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
itabar's review against another edition
2.0
Disappointing. Doesn't have the charm of the first book.
orangefan65's review against another edition
4.0
An excellent little mystery/adventure novel set in and around a used bookstore in Brooklyn NY during Woodrow Wilson's presidency. Great fun.
marilynsaul's review against another edition
1.0
I wanted to like this book - after all, who doesn't like books about books. But, aside from being very boring, it ended up being just lists of all the important books that Morley thought needed to be read - and not a SINGLE book by a female author. Ok. Moving along. The young male advertiser has befriended the bookseller and becomes infatuated with the young female apprentice who has come to work at the shop. He keeps going on and on about how BEAUTIFUL she is, and that she has no RIGHT to be so beautiful, and, in fact, she's so BEAUTIFUL that he wants to BEAT her. Ok. This is not good. Is it just Morley being an a**hole? or was this really the prevailing atmosphere regarding women in 1919? I'm not sticking around to find out.
em_writing's review against another edition
4.0
This is a 3.5, but I'm rounding up because I'm so glad to finally have this off my TBR.
This is an interesting little book with a lot of big ideas on the philosophy of literature and bookselling to share. I started reading this as war broke out, and Roger Mifflin's musings on post-war literature and the need for good books to treat a global madness really did strike a chord. However, those ideas seemed to repeat on a loop and in great detail. At times the repetition almost put me to sleep.
In the background of Mifflin's philisophising (and it really does feel like it's the background when it shouldn't be), there is something of a political thriller going on, lead by a young advertising agent, Aubrey Gilbert. Despite having the eye to pick up that something funny is going on regarding the books in Mifflin's shop, Aubrey is ... just a bit of an idiot (jumping to conclusions and making god awful decisions), but he would almost be loveable, except for the vague chivalric misogyny that's seeded throughout his character. All of his actions are driven by his need to save a "pretty girl" who he doesn't really bother to get to know, just assumes is weak and feeble and must be protected. And I know, I know! It's an old book ... but I've read books from the 1800s with more modern ideas about women. It didn't make me hate the book... but it didn't make me like it either.
The pacing is also a little off, with most of the plot happening in the last 4 chapters. And (spoiler) I was really quite annoyed that the dog was killed off in the penultimate chapter, after he repeatedly tried to tell people what was going on. That and it was a heck of slog to get through this book ... only to get hit in the face by ... that.
Basically, some people might find this a really interesting read. I can even see this being someone's favourite book. Alas! It was not mine. But I'm glad I finally read it.
This is an interesting little book with a lot of big ideas on the philosophy of literature and bookselling to share. I started reading this as war broke out, and Roger Mifflin's musings on post-war literature and the need for good books to treat a global madness really did strike a chord. However, those ideas seemed to repeat on a loop and in great detail. At times the repetition almost put me to sleep.
In the background of Mifflin's philisophising (and it really does feel like it's the background when it shouldn't be), there is something of a political thriller going on, lead by a young advertising agent, Aubrey Gilbert. Despite having the eye to pick up that something funny is going on regarding the books in Mifflin's shop, Aubrey is ... just a bit of an idiot (jumping to conclusions and making god awful decisions), but he would almost be loveable, except for the vague chivalric misogyny that's seeded throughout his character. All of his actions are driven by his need to save a "pretty girl" who he doesn't really bother to get to know, just assumes is weak and feeble and must be protected. And I know, I know! It's an old book ... but I've read books from the 1800s with more modern ideas about women. It didn't make me hate the book... but it didn't make me like it either.
The pacing is also a little off, with most of the plot happening in the last 4 chapters. And (spoiler) I was really quite annoyed that the dog was killed off in the penultimate chapter, after he repeatedly tried to tell people what was going on. That and it was a heck of slog to get through this book ... only to get hit in the face by ... that.
Basically, some people might find this a really interesting read. I can even see this being someone's favourite book. Alas! It was not mine. But I'm glad I finally read it.
sas_ram's review against another edition
slow-paced
3.0
I'm a sucker for a good classic but this is certainly not one of them.
This book not only dragged on but was boring as hell for most of the time.
I'd like to add that the cover (in my case the german edition) doesn't suggest that it is a classic and I fear for the poor souls that pick this book up with false expectations.
There are a few interesting thoughts but that doesn't make up for everything else.
I don't know if this book tries to be funny (I'm not sure if it's the same in English but the german name for the club is "corn on the cob"-club).
All in all this book wasn't worth the time and I hope no one decides to judge their position on classics based on this book.
This book not only dragged on but was boring as hell for most of the time.
I'd like to add that the cover (in my case the german edition) doesn't suggest that it is a classic and I fear for the poor souls that pick this book up with false expectations.
There are a few interesting thoughts but that doesn't make up for everything else.
I don't know if this book tries to be funny (I'm not sure if it's the same in English but the german name for the club is "corn on the cob"-club).
All in all this book wasn't worth the time and I hope no one decides to judge their position on classics based on this book.