Matt Eversmann

There were a lot of fascinating stories - peeks at lives - of a wide variety of people across the USA and Canada who work with (and mostly also love) books; there were some sobering thoughts as to current events from the Covid19 pandemic through political attacks and tension, which made this both more sharply relevant and occasionally a little heavy to think about.

A few of the people came across very much as business/sales people - not book people. And they stood out jarringly, almost show more distant, because so many of the rest were very much not - even the ones who have been selling books and other things for many years.

I'm tempted to go through again just to make a list of all the books these folks mentioned! Some recommended, some mentioned because of stories with specific patrons, some that were old favourites and some just passing through. show less

This book was a bit of a departure from James Patterson's usual mystery books, but I absolutely loved it. Don't get me wrong, it's still a mystery, it just has more of a spy thriller/espionage/covert ops feel to it. It also introduces a new character, Nat Phillips, and an "elite roster of special operators," who are all ex-Special Forces, in various fields, with a variety of skill sets. They form a team that usually works overseas, but is now called upon to work with the government, on US show more soil, when a presidential candidate is assassinated. The group vows to get to the bottom of this, as well as some other mysteries that they find are related to the assassination. They are going to find themselves involved in espionage and shifting alliances, and even betrayal closer to home.

I love these new characters as they are very easy to connect with and relate to. I also liked that they are more flawed and human than I was expecting. The plot was interesting and the book was well written, as are most of James Patterson's books. I commend his cowriter, Matt Eversmann, for this as well. The pacing was spot on, and the ending was satisfactory and satisfying.

All in all, I enjoyed this book very much and highly recommend it.

5/5 stars

*** I would like to thank NetGalley, Little, Brown and Company, James Patterson and Matt Eversmann for the opportunity to read and review this book. show less

Summary: A collection of first-person accounts from booksellers and librarians about why they love doing what they do.

“I want to make sure people keep getting books they want, books they like. I call it Book Joy, matching people with books that will bring them the most happiness.” –Kelly Moore

Kelly Moore is just one of the many booksellers and librarians who contributed first-person accounts of their love of working with books to this delightful book compiled by James Patterson and show more Matt Eversmann. In case you didn’t know, Patterson is not only a hugely successful and prolific writer of thrillers, he is a huge fan of booksellers and librarians–those who get books into the hands of readers. He’s given generous support to literacy efforts and grants to independent booksellers.

Here he lets them tell the story of why they love what they do. Kelly’s statement captures a common theme–connecting people with books they love. Some of their greatest joy comes when they help reluctant readers find books they love, turning them, degree by degree into readers. Part of the work is careful listening, picking up the cues that signal what a person may like. And sometimes it involves being a detective, using the few clues a patron or customer can offer to help them find that book they are looking for.

The other big theme is that these people love books and reading. It is so much more than checking out books or ringing up sales. They enjoy talking books, sharing something they’ve read that someone else may like. A friend of mine who is a bookseller is mystified by people who think they can be booksellers without loving books.

Perhaps this needs to be so because it is a challenging life. Both librarians and booksellers have a variety of administrative tasks that allow them to do what they love, from reading publications on new releases to select what they think their patrons will like, to unpacking and shelving, tracking sales and inventory and scheduling events. It’s awesome to meet authors at booksignings but there is a lot of setup to make it work for everyone.

Some started young, working as a page or a clerk and eventually managing a department of a library or owning a store. Others describe mid-career changes, often when a job was lost. Many had always been readers and even dreamed of pursuing working in a library or bookselling and realized they could no longer wait.

There was one serious note, which was the growing number of efforts to remove books from libraries that a small group deemed objectionable. It meant a job loss for one writer and courageous stands for others. One thing was clear, when communities heard and protested, this was often decisive.

Have you ever wondered what it is like to work in a library or a bookstore? This book will give you a good picture of both the joy and the work. If nothing else, it should give you an appreciation for what a special breed any dedicated bookseller or librarian is. If you haven’t noticed, this book is a good education. And if you have, this book will serve as a good reminder to find ways to support and appreciate their work. There are book deserts. if you are not in one, thank the people who make that possible and support their efforts to sustain their presence! show less

I'm not a fan of James Patterson’s bare bones writing but that didn’t stop me from enjoying this collection of personal stories from more than sixty book enthusiasts – authors, librarians, and book sellers, among others. I would have liked it better if the stories had shown a little more personality instead of them all sounding the same. Same word choices, same sparse phrasing, same opinions. Also, the book is divided into five sections, although I couldn’t tell how the stories in show more one section were really any different than those in another. You know, on thinking it over I guess I didn’t enjoy this so much after all. show less