The bookseller turned sleuth is the most perfect search engine.
It’s one of the classic, and wonderful, phrases you tend to hear in a bookshop – ‘I’m looking for a book, but can’t remember the title – I think the cover might be (insert colour) – can you help?’ – it’s a challenge which a bookseller loves. The deerstalker hat comes out, a series of gentle questions will follow, the Sherlockian quest begins. Quite often the book in question was the subject of a ‘thing’ which has happened elsewhere: a review in a newspaper; a feature on the radio; a programme on the TV; a billboard at a railway station or just a simple word of mouth recommendation not fully remembered. The bookseller turned sleuth is the most perfect search engine, far better than any algorithm created by computer code – conversation back and forth resulting in the discovery of the elusive title and the subsequent joy of a job well done.
For many, books are an everyday part of life – clearly for us, but also for the wider society – from early years at school to a comfortable armchair moulded to its occupant’s form after many years of reading – books touch our lives every day. Our weekly Newsletter is becoming a collection of the books which touch our lives and that we want to share with our friends and customers. Our Blog, ‘Tales from Coles’, is a place where we share not only previous editions of this Newsletter, but also details of the events at the shop and in the town – and increasingly we’re adding details of books which may have touched your life elsewhere.
‘My Book Holds Many Stories’ by Annette Wynne
My book holds many stories, wrapped tightly in itself,
And yet it never makes a noise but waits upon my shelf
Until I come and take it; then soon my book and I
Are sailing on a fairy sea or floating in the sky.
The full newsletter with links to books can be found HERE
