Search This Blog

Wednesday, January 31, 2007

The Yellow-Lighted Bookshop

Buzbee, Lewis. The Yellow-Lighted Bookshop: a Memoir, a History.

I have to use this quote from the back of the jacket:

"A riveting, lurid account of the author's first tremulous encounters with 'book lust' and his helpless descent into full-blown bibliomania. A cautionary tale every parent in America should heed, and a big fat naughty pleasure for book nuts everywhere." --August Kleinzahler

The truth is nothing of the kind, but I love that satirical, tongue-in-cheek, misrepresentation Kleinzahler gives of the book.

It is the story of Buzbee's personal history with books, intertwined with a history of scribes, scrolls, printing press, authors and book sellers and publishers, from Egypt to Greece to Rome, and so on throughout the times and places of the world where the history of the book advanced.

Full of interesting facts, anecdotes, historical turning points, and lists of favorite bookstores, this little book appears to be a work of love.

Certainly not riveting, but a pleasant way to spend an evening or two.

Non-fiction/memoir/history. 231 pp.

13 comments:

  1. Sounds interesting, but I would love to read a book that matches that blurb much more.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Overall I enjoyed this book too, but it did have its ups and downs. Some parts were more interesting than others. A good book to check out from the library.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Carl - my sentiments, exactly! :)

    Danielle - I agree; I wish I'd found it at the library, because I won't be reading this one again. It had its moments, but it isn't the kind of book I'll revisit.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thanks for the review. I have been contemplating this one for a while- it just sounds so good. I'm drawn to the title. I will benefit from your experience and check it out at the library.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Brad - I love the title, too, and I'm a sucker for a good title. If you'd like it, send me your address (my email is on my Profile), and I'll mail you my copy. I won't be reading it again.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I have this on my reserve list at the library...among about 30 others.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Deborah - Hmmm... Maybe I need to check your list. No, mine is long enough!

    ReplyDelete
  8. I shared everyone else's experience of this. I was expecting something more like Anne Fadiman's wonderful 'Ex Libris' and as a consequence was rather disappointed. I'm about to release my copy to the world on Bookcrossing, so those of you who don't want to buy it should keep a look out.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Ann - The reviews I read were enthusiastic, so I was hoping for more. I need to check and see if I added Ex Libris to my list.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I haven't read this yet, although I bought it awhile back. I love books about books, but after reading the superbEx Libris by Anne Fadiam,I don't know if it can reach the high standard set!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Thanks for commenting on my blog. I read this book last year and liked it. I rated it a 4/5. Not riveting, but at least interesting to book lovers.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Sarah - I love books about books, too. Ex Libris is on my list!

    3M - If I had to rate it, I might put it at 3. There were several things I really enjoyed: the Ur-book section, the story of the Paris bookshop Shakespeare & Co. and San Francisco's City Lights that have such an aura surrounding them.

    ReplyDelete
  13. I really enjoyed the book, but I think that you have to have been in the trade for a while to really appreciate it.

    In fact, I enjoyed it so much, I'm calling my own bookshop in Tetbury (Gloucestershire, England) after it - see http://cotswoldbookseller.wordpress.com/

    ReplyDelete