Once upon a time, there was a girl who loved BOOKS. She loved the feel, the look, and the magic they contained. She loved the fact that the characters came to life every time she began a story, and, long after she turned the final page, they whispered promises of meeting once again. That girl was...or rather IS, me...and this story...this story was a perfect match. Ladies and gents, please welcome Rachel's Random Resources as we turn the book review spotlight on...
The Door-to-Door Bookstore
by
Carsten Henn
About the book...
There's a book written for every one of us...
Carl may be 72 years old, but he's young at heart. Every night he goes door-to-door delivering books by hand to his loyal customers. He knows their every desire and preference, carefully selecting the perfect story for each person.
One evening as he makes his rounds, nine-year-old Schascha appears. Loud and precocious, she insists on accompanying him - and even tries to teach him a thing or two about books.
When Carl's job at the bookstore is threatened, will the old man and the girl in the yellow raincoat be able to restore Carl's way of life, and return the joy of reading to his little European town?
THE DOOR-TO-DOOR BOOKSTORE is a heart-warming tale of the value of friendship, the magic of reading, and the power of books to unite us all.
Translated by Melody Shaw
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This book was pure magic.
There wasn't a defining moment when it made that connection with me, or garnered that one word description, but rather every moment, ALL the moments went into making it the beautiful work it truly is.
The good ones like when he finds a somewhat kindred spirit in his new little companion. The bad ones like when we discover what's truly behind Essi's bleak reading habits. The everyday ones like traditions, and habits, where Carl goes through the motions of gathering and wrapping the chosen tomes, and setting out on his rounds to make his deliveries. The scary ones like when he visits the dark alley that's always seemed so sinister, and proves itself, in a fashion, to be. The surprising ones like when Schascha seems to be harder to find than Dog...which is actually a cat, but I'll let you unravel that story between the pages for yourself. The bookish ones like when Carl explains how everyone in his 2 km radius, especially his customers, has a literary name, not from birth, but given by him to bring his world into fine print focus. The astounding ones where you as a fellow reader and lover of the written word really GET where he's coming from. Even the tragic ones where all seems lost and tears are streaming down your face, but you keep turning pages or flicking the screen to carry on alongside your newfound literary friends. ALL the moments, mentioned and beyond, go into making this a truly remarkable book.
For me, it's now on my VERY short list of books that I think all true book lovers should read. Don't get me wrong, there are PLENTY of stories out there that will resonate with readers, but two from my point of view are THIS ONE, and Dash & Lily's Book of Dares. Very different works, different genres, and different story lines, but they both speak to the bookish soul. This story certainly gets a high recommendation from me, and I would definitely suggest if you love reading as much as I, you make haste to add this to your MUST READ list.
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About the author...
Carsten Henn has worked as a radio presenter, wine and restaurant critic, and has published a number of successful novels. He lives in Germany.
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Special thanks to Rachel at Rachel's Random Resources for the chance to bring this tour to you and for the ecopy for review. (THANKS!) For more information on this title, the author, this promotion, or those on the horizon, feel free to click through the links provided above. This title is available now, so click on over to your favorite online retailer to snag your copy today and be sure to check out the rest of the tour for more bookish fun!
Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!
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