One could be forgiven for thinking, having read either of his previous books, that Shaun Bythell doesn’t like any of the customers to his bookshop. Here, he helpfully explains exactly WHICH ones he doesn’t like and why, but also explains who are his favourite type of visitor. 

Honestly, the seven kinds of people outlined here can be found in various habitats other than the second hand book shop; many are familiar to anyone whose had to deal with members of the public on a regular basis. I found myself recalling people I’ve dealt with over the years in various public facing jobs.

This is a short, snappy follow up to his previous diary style efforts and is both amusing and an enlightening look into the life of a second hand bookseller and the people he encounters. It’s a fun read but is probably best read being familiar with his previous works rather than as a stand alone book.

Shaun Bythell, is one hell of a human. With over 20 years selling books Shaun portrays someone of his shop regulars. Shauns had them all. The good the bad and the ugly.

I stupidly read the title for this book and got so trigger happy that I requested it on NetGalley before reading the synopsis. Personally this one wasn’t for me. I found the writing to be whitty yet extremely arrogant. 

It was a short one so it was easy to get though. Than you NetGalley.

I’ve always wanted to work in a bookshop but the closest I every got was reorganised the shelves in a charity shop. This novel let me live out my dream. On the whole I enjoyed myself and found the characters fun but it also read like a roughed book that needs some fine tuning and redrafting. I wonder what all the rush was about?

I feel like I have almost had the opportunity of working in a bookshop after reading this book.  The flow of people mixed with how people relate to books and bookshops made this a fun read. It definitely fed by fascination with books and book related people.

Having read and enjoyed Shaun Bythell's first book, I was looking forward to reading this one when Netgalley approved my request. It was a fun and entertaining read, and I looked forward to settling down in bed each night to continue it. However, overall, it felt a little flat to me. It lacked some of the charm of his other book, which was what I liked most about it, and it seemed like he was at a bit of a loss for material - some of the people he wrote about felt a bit one dimensional, or maybe that he lacked any sympathy for them? The book might have been improved by a little more time in the draft and planning process, to try and bring a little more depth to come of the people profiled. However, I still enjoyed reading this book, and would recommend it to others who are looking for a light weight, entertaining read.

I’m a big fan of Shaun Bythell’s tales of running a second-hand bookshop and gave Confessions of a Bookseller a rave review last November. Seven Kinds of People You Find in Bookshops does more or less what it says on the tin: Bythell describes the typical customers you get in bookshops (although they’re not limited to bookshops - I definitely met some of these characters when I worked in a supermarket and a charity shop!) with his usual acerbic wit. It only took me about an hour to read, providing a restorative shot of humour and normality in these strange days.

I snorted out loud several times while reading this book. Bythell has such an eye for people and turn of phrase that you can’t help but laugh at and recognise his portraits of self-appointed experts, conspiracy theorists, the perpetually disdainful, loiterers, misers, bargain-hunting book dealers, and many more. I especially loved his descriptions and stories of three main types of people you get in the erotica section: furtive men, teenage boys guilelessly following in the footsteps of previous generations, and the occasional woman who browses ‘with a combination of curiosity and disappointment’.

You don’t feel mean enjoying the less flattering accounts of real people because they don’t spend much money in the shop, and can be a real pain for the staff to deal with. Besides, Bythell is very honest about his own shortcomings as a put-upon bookseller, you don’t get the impression he sees himself as superior to anyone else and, as the ‘bonus’ section shows, there are good and bad booksellers as well as customers!

Furthermore, he also includes positive descriptions of customers who love books and reading, and don’t complain about the prices or try to haggle. These include Haynes Manual and railway book enthusiasts, sci-fi and graphic novel fans, and book-loving patrons who always find something to buy each time they browse.

Bythell is very sympathetic towards children and parents; the former when they’re really into books without having to be pushed, and the latter when they just want a few minutes’ peace perusing the shelves, so long as they don’t take advantage and treat the bookshop as a childcare facility. Despite all his gripes about running a bookshop, you can just tell that these customers make it all worth it.

Seven Kinds of People You Find in Bookshops is a short, funny treat.

I enjoyed the easy read but it sadly didn’t stick out as a good I’d read again. It had some good stories but also some descriptions that felt a little judgemental. That is my fault though as I should’ve expected this given the title of the book. I think I was expecting more light hearted and fun stories about the people who enter the bookstore but instead was left with some stereotypes of people. Im glad I didn’t resonate with any of the “types” described. Overall it was a good read but wasn’t a stand out for me. If it weren’t for the NetGalley review I wouldn’t have finished it sorry.

A short introduction to the seven(ish) kinds of people you often meet in bookshops. From the bearded pensioner to the insistent whistler, Shaun Bythell covers them all. 

This had the potential to be a little mean spirited, however Bythell has a certain type of humour that lends itself well to self depicting as well as generally just making fun of human behaviour and it's various quirks. He exudes a fondness for his customers while in the same breathe lamenting their existence. I also love that Shaun drops in little gems of information on literature and the book buying world. It's such an interesting, highly niche market with such an eclectic set of clientele. I just wanted more, and this is why I can't rate this any higher. His previous books have delved a lot deeper into Shaun's life, his friendships and colleagues on top of these customers and I guess I wanted more of that. 

Short and sweet, this would be a good introduction to Bythell's writing, but do check out The Diary of a Bookseller too for more of an in-depth look into this utterly fascinating line of work.

As an exbookseller from the same company that trained one of Bythell’s employees, I knew I was going to love this book.   Having watched the online event from Wigtown Book Festival to promote it,  I was really looking forward to getting my hands on a copy, so I was delighted to be given a proof version.

I know that the customer isn’t always right, in fact some of them are extremely frustrating.  Whilst working in a bookshop that sells new books is a slightly different experience I could recognise & relate to the reactions of some of the categories that are mentioned. And I’ve certainly seen plenty of them when I’ve been a customer enjoying the delights of antiquarian/second hand bookshop myself.

Like Bythell’s previous books, I laughed at and with his astute comments and wry observations whilst nodding along in agreement.  It’s Fantastic and perfect stocking filler for your book loving relatives, just maybe not the annoying ones that like to hum or whistle while browsing in shops!

Such an interesting novel. At times it was laugh-out-loud funny and others it was introspective. I loved it all and would recommend it to anyone!

As someone who has worked in a bookshop for the last three years, even though it is a chain bookstore, I recognised many of these characters. Shaun’s observations about his customers and staff are always honest and hilarious, a breath of fresh air if you’re looking for your next non-fiction read.

This book was clearly written during the Covid-19 pandemic and aspects of the lockdown make an appearance in the book. It demonstrates the importance of second-hand bookshops, independent businesses of all kinds, and the consumers’ decisions that really affect people’s lives and livelihoods.

I really enjoyed this book and though serves a different purpose to his other books, I would still recommend this to any book lover. An enjoyable, easy read for anyone interested in the marvellous world of books.  This would make a particularly good gift!

I really enjoyed the ‘Diary of a bookseller’ so was excited to read this review copy.  However, this was a bit of a disappointing read, the format was quite repetitive and it was also very short. 

Some humorous anecdotes along the way though and an easy read for an Autumnal evening.

A bit of a filler or to be charitable, a novella after his two previous unmissable diaries, this is a light, humourous and perceptively written description of the different types of customers who frequent bookstores. 

The writing is sharp and to the point and totally accurate. 

I was left wishing for more.

Short but funny! Observations from an antiquarian bookshop owner. I found myself laughing out loud! Book lovers will particularly enjoy these musings.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

I love all of his books. They are gems for a book lover. Witty, very accurate and well written. Just a very enjoyable time to read these books. 

Thanks a lot to NG and the publisher for this copy.

Bookshops are my favourite kind of shop and I’ve lost count of how many bookish heavens I’ve visited over the years. I wonder which of the seven kinds of people I am. This is a light hearted whistle stop tour through book shop visitors, particularly poignant in the current climate with shops either closed or restricted.  It consists largely of categorisations of visitor which the author does admit are ‘perpetuating stereotypes, when in reality people are far more nuanced..’ I was especially interested in the facts about different editions and would happily have welcomed more of this information and a few more stories rather than multiple descriptions. With thanks to Netgalley and Serpents Tail and Viper for a digital copy of this book.

Pure joy to read and just as funny as what came before. The observations are witty and accurate,  even though I dont work in a bookshop, anyone who works in retail will find this hilarious and make you study your customer just that little bit longer and harder. Loved it.

A quick, fun, easy read that showcases the author's dry, sarcastic sense of humour. 

This is a short book which is perfect for whiling away a rainy afternoon.

Having enjoyed Bythell's previous books, I was looking forward to this one but I have to admit, I'm slightly disappointed.

Blythell's trademark dry and sarcastic humour are at the forefront once again in this quick and easy read (it comes in at just over 100 pages), providing plenty of laughs as he describes the wide variety of visitors to his bookshop. 

However, as the book goes on, it becomes less of a humorous reminiscence and more of a monotonous diatribe and appears to be a quick cash in for the Christmas market.

A quick, often humorous read, but not as funny as his previous works and not really necessary. I'd avoid this and read Blythell's two previous books instead.

Thanks to NetGalley and Profile Books for the ARC.

Eh. The author came off as a little self centred, especially towards the end when he compared himself to hipsters. Just let people enjoy whatever they want as long as it’s not hurting anybody, and last time I checked wearing tweed and having a beard doesn’t.

The book also felt like it went on forever despite being under one hundred and fifty pages. I kept expecting the chapters to end and nope, here’s another entry, whoops, and another, oh! and another. Finally, I finished it and it wasn’t that great.