Morley, Christopher: The Haunted Bookshop. v1. 21 May 07

Dr. Drib · 05-21-2007, 12:47 PM

This is a wonderful book about the love of literature and the love of books.

Here's what one reviewers stated:

"When you sell a man a book," says Roger Mifflin, protagonist of these classic bookselling novels, "you don't sell him just twelve ounces of paper and ink and glue — you sell him a whole new life." The new life the itinerant bookman delivers to Helen McGill, the narrator of Parnassus on Wheels, provides the romantic comedy that drives the novel. Published in 1917, Morley's first love letter to the traffic in books remains a transporting entertainment. Its sequel, The Haunted Bookshop, finds Mifflin and McGill, now married, ensconced in Brooklyn. The novel's rollicking plot provides ample doses of diversion, while allowing more room for Mifflin (and Morley) to expound on the intricacy of the bookseller's art. Introduction by James Mustich, Jr."

Hope you enjoy it.

Don

UncleDuke · 05-21-2007, 02:32 PM

just down the road from the little shop of horrors. classic book, light reading, good beat, easy to dance to, give it 4 stars

buffalo · 10-25-2008, 06:28 AM

Besides being a good adventure story, this book seems to stress the importance of breaking free of old, rigid ideas and producing new attitudes out of them. Roger, after "breaking" many a dish, sublimates dish-washing into a wonderful kitchen philosophy of his own. Even the blowing up of his bookshop becomes a good opportunity to reflect on his way of doing business and introduce something new to his routine life. He thinks highly of Samuel Butler's "The Way of All Flesh", presumably because it freed readers of rigid conventional Victorian set of values. Destruction or denial must not be merely something negative, but it must be a positive step to finding a new meaning of life. That is why Roger, thoroughly criticizing the war, has a "curious feeling, a kind of premonition that there are great books coming out of this welter of human hopes and anguishes, perhaps A book in which the tempest-shaken soul of the race will speak out as it never has before." I think this strong belief in the future gives this book a very positive note.

zelda_pinwheel · 10-25-2008, 08:50 PM

sounds good to me...

BookCat · 10-20-2009, 06:52 AM

I recommend reading "Parnassus on Wheels" before this one. I read "The Haunted Bookshop" first and then realise that it's a sequel. Both books are equally good, especially for bibliophiles. I highly recommend them.

dreams · 10-20-2009, 03:14 PM

Thank you, Dr. Drib, and BookCat for the recommendation. I have just downloaded the other book uploaded by BenG.

05-21-2007, 12:47 PM	#1
Dr. Drib Grand Sorcerer Posts: 44,748 Karma: 55645321 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Peru Device: Kindle: Oasis 3, Voyage WiFi; Kobo: Libra 2, Aura One	Morley, Christopher: The Haunted Bookshop. v1. 21 May 07 This is a wonderful book about the love of literature and the love of books. Here's what one reviewers stated: "When you sell a man a book," says Roger Mifflin, protagonist of these classic bookselling novels, "you don't sell him just twelve ounces of paper and ink and glue — you sell him a whole new life." The new life the itinerant bookman delivers to Helen McGill, the narrator of Parnassus on Wheels, provides the romantic comedy that drives the novel. Published in 1917, Morley's first love letter to the traffic in books remains a transporting entertainment. Its sequel, The Haunted Bookshop, finds Mifflin and McGill, now married, ensconced in Brooklyn. The novel's rollicking plot provides ample doses of diversion, while allowing more room for Mifflin (and Morley) to expound on the intricacy of the bookseller's art. Introduction by James Mustich, Jr." Hope you enjoy it. Don

10-25-2008, 06:28 AM	#3
buffalo Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2008 Device: none	A very good mystery Besides being a good adventure story, this book seems to stress the importance of breaking free of old, rigid ideas and producing new attitudes out of them. Roger, after "breaking" many a dish, sublimates dish-washing into a wonderful kitchen philosophy of his own. Even the blowing up of his bookshop becomes a good opportunity to reflect on his way of doing business and introduce something new to his routine life. He thinks highly of Samuel Butler's "The Way of All Flesh", presumably because it freed readers of rigid conventional Victorian set of values. Destruction or denial must not be merely something negative, but it must be a positive step to finding a new meaning of life. That is why Roger, thoroughly criticizing the war, has a "curious feeling, a kind of premonition that there are great books coming out of this welter of human hopes and anguishes, perhaps A book in which the tempest-shaken soul of the race will speak out as it never has before." I think this strong belief in the future gives this book a very positive note.

10-20-2009, 03:14 PM	#6
dreams It's about the umbrella Posts: 25,112 Karma: 56250158 Join Date: Jan 2009 Device: Sony 505\| K Fire \| KK 3G+Wi-Fi \| iPhone 3Gs \|Vista 32-bit Hm Prem w/FF	Thank you, Dr. Drib, and BookCat for the recommendation. I have just downloaded the other book uploaded by BenG. Last edited by dreams; 10-20-2009 at 03:17 PM. Reason: added comment re BenG

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Morley, Christopher: Parnassus on Wheels, v.1, 20 Jan 2008.	BenG	BBeB/LRF Books (offline)	2	10-20-2009 03:16 PM
Morley, Christopher: Thunder on the Left, v.1, 20 Jan 2008.	BenG	Kindle Books (offline)	0	01-20-2008 09:07 PM
Morley, Christopher: Thunder on the Left, v.1, 20 Jan 2008.	BenG	BBeB/LRF Books (offline)	0	01-20-2008 09:04 PM
Morley, Christopher: Where the Blue Begins, v.1, 20 Jan 2008.	BenG	Kindle Books (offline)	0	01-20-2008 08:54 PM
Morley, Christopher: Where the Blue Begins, v.1, 20 Jan 2008.	BenG	BBeB/LRF Books (offline)	0	01-20-2008 08:50 PM

05-21-2007, 02:32 PM	#2
UncleDuke books & doughnuts Posts: 882 Karma: 37857 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: usa Device: sony reader, kindle2	just down the road from the little shop of horrors. classic book, light reading, good beat, easy to dance to, give it 4 stars

10-25-2008, 08:50 PM	#4
zelda_pinwheel zeldinha zippy zeldissima Posts: 27,827 Karma: 921169 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Paris, France Device: eb1150 & is that a nook in her pocket, or she just happy to see you?	sounds good to me...

10-20-2009, 06:52 AM	#5
BookCat C L J Posts: 2,912 Karma: 21115458 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Birmingham UK Device: Sony e-reader 505, Kindle PW2, Kindle PW3, Kobo Libra2	I recommend reading "Parnassus on Wheels" before this one. I read "The Haunted Bookshop" first and then realise that it's a sequel. Both books are equally good, especially for bibliophiles. I highly recommend them.

Advert

Advert