Jeff Deutsch

This book has five chapters, an introduction and an epilogue. There is an excellent bibliography and several pages of citation Notes. I was very eager to love this book but only came away with an easy appreciation instead. That is not a bad thing just a lessening of expectations after having finished it. The book is really a collection of essays on bookselling, public libraries, private libraries, readers, reader who write and the interplay of all of the former. The book arises from a NYC seminary co-op bookstore which has to move to another larger location. The result is an interesting rumination of how readers needs books, book spaces where books are sold and bookstores need readers, and readers who just bourse. For the most part there is no overt political agenda but leftist ideas can be found, in interested. The main thrust of the book is to encourage everyone to read widely. Hence the need for many bookstores, which cater to different needs. People should not be limited to a favorite Gotham bookstore. Ideally there should be many favorite bookstores not in competition, but in collaboration. All clerks should be knowledgeable and even if quiet to allow for a browser’s introspection, could offer suggestions when called upon. Deutsch argues for a topic not addressed explicitly: leisure time. He does have a section on Time but it more of a speculation on the momentary now. Deutsch wants everyone to have moments of freedom to read whatever they want. Not a list, or a recommended list. Just books which strike someone’s fancy. Books can make people’s lives meaningful, can make the happy, can make them desire to live even more. This is a short book (167pp.) Well worth reading although it is dense. There is a strange criticism of the Catholic Church found here when Deutsch says that books stores ought to be Protestant, not Catholic. He means that the clerk is not the priest who withholds access to the store shelves and restricts everyone who walks through the door. He wants everyone to explore every corner of the bookstore with full access without restriction. I get the gist of the analogy. This is a strange way to think since it is not a Catholic way to view its own self-identity. Priests do not grant access to God or the divine. They are ministers within the church. God is accessible through Jesus Christ and baptism. So, Catholics would agree with Deutsch that readers should be curious to read anything they want in any bookstore. Reading is crucial and learning the sacred scriptures a given for and Catholic person. He doesn’t belabor the point, but it is a strange description to make since even if true would be seen as outdated or qualified at best.… (meer)

I wanted to like this book so much more than I did! I'm a huge fan of bookstores and always make it a point to visit them as I travel. Perhaps I should have expected the writing to be as academic as it is, given that the author's bookstore is affiliated with the University of Chicago. (Note: I have shopped at and visited this bookstore and the other one operated by the same entity numerous times.) The writing just didn't hold my interest enough to keep going; the author offered dozens and dozens of quotes, rather than presenting a broad spectrum of "good" bookstores. I don't understand the praise it has received except that so many of us WANT to praise and to continue to see bookstores thrive. Alas, I'm not sure this myopic collection of quotations on reading, libraries, etc. will help improve the lot of bookstores.… (meer)