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missbookiverse's review against another edition
2.0
2.5
Sehr stimmungsvoll gemütlich von Armin Hauser vorgelesen, aber die Story selbst fand ich unspektakulär. Während ich den Buchladenbesitzer Roger Mifflin und seine neue Gehilfin Titania sehr mochte, war mir Werbeverkäufer Aubrey unsympathisch und ich fand es doof, dass er
Sehr stimmungsvoll gemütlich von Armin Hauser vorgelesen, aber die Story selbst fand ich unspektakulär. Während ich den Buchladenbesitzer Roger Mifflin und seine neue Gehilfin Titania sehr mochte, war mir Werbeverkäufer Aubrey unsympathisch und ich fand es doof, dass er
Spoiler
schlussendlich Recht behält mit seinen Vermutungen. Außerdem sind's am Ende leider "die bösen Deutschen" gewesen.xxfelixxreads's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
foofers1622's review
4.0
This was a fun follow up to Morley's [b:Parnassus on Wheels|1001312|Parnassus on Wheels|Christopher Morley|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1416198831s/1001312.jpg|847161]. It has a great deal of early 20th century authors mentioned that were thought of as the best for the time. A little Anti-German, but that was the thought in 1919.
missbryden's review
3.0
I don't know how I acquired this but it's been in my book collection for some time, and currently off my to-sell shelves of books I thought I'd never get round to, didn't have knowledge about. But how could I resist this title, and at Halloween time thought it would be seasonal. I started to read on Halloween or earlier but then saw it starts in November so thought I would just wait a few days for November and a break in other books. This edition seems to be a very early one, if not a first. There's an owner's name, address and date of 1919, an author's note from April 28, 1919. Copyright page is printed "COPYRIGHT, 1918, 1919, BY DOUBLEDAY, PAGE & COMPANY ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, INCLUDING THAT OF TRANSLATIONS INTO FOREIGN LANGUAGES, INCLUDING THE SCANDINAVIAN"
It's very contemporary to its time, referencing the effects of the first world war.
It's self-referential: 'A young journalist came to see us once, with very unhappy results. He wheedled himself into Mrs. Mifflin's good graces, and ended by putting us both into a book, called [b:Parnassus on Wheels|1001312|Parnassus on Wheels|Christopher Morley|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1465495291l/1001312._SX50_.jpg|847161], which has been rather a trial tome. In that book he attributes to me a number of shallow and sugary observations upon bookselling that have been an annoyance to the trade. I am happy to say, though, that his book had only a trifling sale.' 'I have never heard of it,' said Gilbert."
And now I really feel I should read the first but I'll finish this first.
I paused where I saw a "next day" and then when I picked it up the next day I saw that was too be Thanksgiving so I'm planning to resume then.
As one might imagine it mentions a lot of books and mostly of books that aren’t really known today, some of still famous authors but of less known titles. In chapter three when Roger’s preparing a little library for a teenage girl who’s coming to stay and work, i noticed it seemed to be exclusively male authors, until he included [b:Jo's Boys|372319|Jo's Boys|Louisa May Alcott|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1632031105l/372319._SY75_.jpg|362258] for if she wants to relax (masculine sounding lesser known title of Louisa May Alcott without the author's name mentioned).
Roger's philosophizing and monologuing about the immediate post-war situation they were in is quite prescient now over 100 years later, but it wouldn't have taken that long to see the truth of what was worrying him. He mentions the Peace Conference as not yet happened. That occurred in January 1919. So this must be set starting in November 1918, the day(s) before Thanksgiving, which was on the 28th, so this is just a couple weeks after the Armistice. The book was published in 1919, so I wonder how much of Roger's thoughts was the author making him a little naive or hopelessly hopeful.
But some of his philosophizing goes on long.
The move into Aubrey's investigations is less entertaining. And for all they seem to mock the popular films (Tarzan is named, one of the first movies was out in 1918), Aubrey Gilbert's adventures turn into almost a film plot, the father of the teenage girl I think even refers to the events he missed out on as a film.
It's very contemporary to its time, referencing the effects of the first world war.
It's self-referential: 'A young journalist came to see us once, with very unhappy results. He wheedled himself into Mrs. Mifflin's good graces, and ended by putting us both into a book, called [b:Parnassus on Wheels|1001312|Parnassus on Wheels|Christopher Morley|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1465495291l/1001312._SX50_.jpg|847161], which has been rather a trial tome. In that book he attributes to me a number of shallow and sugary observations upon bookselling that have been an annoyance to the trade. I am happy to say, though, that his book had only a trifling sale.' 'I have never heard of it,' said Gilbert."
And now I really feel I should read the first but I'll finish this first.
I paused where I saw a "next day" and then when I picked it up the next day I saw that was too be Thanksgiving so I'm planning to resume then.
As one might imagine it mentions a lot of books and mostly of books that aren’t really known today, some of still famous authors but of less known titles. In chapter three when Roger’s preparing a little library for a teenage girl who’s coming to stay and work, i noticed it seemed to be exclusively male authors, until he included [b:Jo's Boys|372319|Jo's Boys|Louisa May Alcott|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1632031105l/372319._SY75_.jpg|362258] for if she wants to relax (masculine sounding lesser known title of Louisa May Alcott without the author's name mentioned).
Roger's philosophizing and monologuing about the immediate post-war situation they were in is quite prescient now over 100 years later, but it wouldn't have taken that long to see the truth of what was worrying him. He mentions the Peace Conference as not yet happened. That occurred in January 1919. So this must be set starting in November 1918, the day(s) before Thanksgiving, which was on the 28th, so this is just a couple weeks after the Armistice. The book was published in 1919, so I wonder how much of Roger's thoughts was the author making him a little naive or hopelessly hopeful.
But some of his philosophizing goes on long.
The move into Aubrey's investigations is less entertaining. And for all they seem to mock the popular films (Tarzan is named, one of the first movies was out in 1918), Aubrey Gilbert's adventures turn into almost a film plot, the father of the teenage girl I think even refers to the events he missed out on as a film.
metmaedl's review against another edition
3.0
Ok, ich hatte eigentlich ein Fantasy-Buch erwartet. Mir war auch nicht klar, das das Buch bereits 1919 (?) geschrieben wurde.
Stattdessen bekam ich einen mit vielen Anspielungen auf Bücher gespickten Kriminalroman.
Die Krimi-Elemente sind aber schon sehr dezent, der Protagonist stolpert recht planlos durch die Geschichte. Das hätte mich gar nicht so gestört, aber die Charaktere fand ich hauptsächlich nervig.
Aubrey stolpert planlos seiner Angebeteten hinterher, Roger ist ein schrecklich arroganter Buchhändler und hat Bildung quasi für sich gepachtet.
Die Anspielungen auf Bücher konnten es für mich leider nicht rausreißen, bedingt durch das Alter des Buches kannte ich schlichtweg kaum welche.
Da der Fall eigentlich ganz nett war, gibt's noch 3 Sterne.
Stattdessen bekam ich einen mit vielen Anspielungen auf Bücher gespickten Kriminalroman.
Die Krimi-Elemente sind aber schon sehr dezent, der Protagonist stolpert recht planlos durch die Geschichte. Das hätte mich gar nicht so gestört, aber die Charaktere fand ich hauptsächlich nervig.
Aubrey stolpert planlos seiner Angebeteten hinterher, Roger ist ein schrecklich arroganter Buchhändler und hat Bildung quasi für sich gepachtet.
Die Anspielungen auf Bücher konnten es für mich leider nicht rausreißen, bedingt durch das Alter des Buches kannte ich schlichtweg kaum welche.
Da der Fall eigentlich ganz nett war, gibt's noch 3 Sterne.
toniclark's review against another edition
4.0
Roger Mifflin, the feisty and and devoted bookseller of Parnassus on Wheels, is back. Now settled in Brooklyn, he and Helen run The Haunted Bookshop. Though primarily haunted by the ghosts of all great literature (Thomas Carlyle principal among them), it turns out that the bookshop is the scene of some other strange and suspicious comings and goings.
Those who have read Parnassus on Wheels (and really, you should read that one first) will miss Helen's refreshing point of view. But The Haunted Bookshop has its own rewards. Morley's writing is lively and charming, and mystery abounds. Filled with ruminations regarding the value of books and booksellers,the story is a real pleasure for all bibliomaniacs. However ruminative and meandering (though never boring), it becomes quite the page-turner.
I chuckled over this tongue-in-cheek reference to Morley by one of his own characters. Roger is here speaking to the advertising salesman, Aubrey Gilbert: "When I saw you come in," said Mifflin, "I was afraid you might be a newspaper man, looking for an interview. A young journalist came to see us once, with very unhappy results. He wheedled himself into Mrs. Mifflin's good graces, and ended by putting us both into a book, called Parnassus on Wheels, which has been rather a trial to me. In that book he attributes to me a number of shallow and sugary observations upon bookselling that have been an annoyance to the trade. I am happy to say, though, that his book had only a trifling sale."
Many reviewers find this story less satisfying than Parnassus on Wheels. Well, it's a different book, with its own story and a bit more of Roger's philosophizing. I put aside the chores today, settled in on the sofa with a glass of sherry, and fell into this delightful tale, a bibliophile's dream.
Re the physical shop itself, I couldn't help but be reminded of Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan. The same feel to those two bookshops. The kind of place so many of us would love to find. (Though the stories are very different and, frankly, I prefer Morley's.)
“Between ourselves, there is no such thing, abstractly, as a ‘good’ book. A book is ‘good’ only when it meets some human hunger or refutes some human error. A book that is good for me would very likely be punk for you. … There is no one so grateful as the man to whom you have given just the book his soul needed and he never knew it.”
Those who have read Parnassus on Wheels (and really, you should read that one first) will miss Helen's refreshing point of view. But The Haunted Bookshop has its own rewards. Morley's writing is lively and charming, and mystery abounds. Filled with ruminations regarding the value of books and booksellers,the story is a real pleasure for all bibliomaniacs. However ruminative and meandering (though never boring), it becomes quite the page-turner.
I chuckled over this tongue-in-cheek reference to Morley by one of his own characters. Roger is here speaking to the advertising salesman, Aubrey Gilbert: "When I saw you come in," said Mifflin, "I was afraid you might be a newspaper man, looking for an interview. A young journalist came to see us once, with very unhappy results. He wheedled himself into Mrs. Mifflin's good graces, and ended by putting us both into a book, called Parnassus on Wheels, which has been rather a trial to me. In that book he attributes to me a number of shallow and sugary observations upon bookselling that have been an annoyance to the trade. I am happy to say, though, that his book had only a trifling sale."
Many reviewers find this story less satisfying than Parnassus on Wheels. Well, it's a different book, with its own story and a bit more of Roger's philosophizing. I put aside the chores today, settled in on the sofa with a glass of sherry, and fell into this delightful tale, a bibliophile's dream.
Re the physical shop itself, I couldn't help but be reminded of Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan. The same feel to those two bookshops. The kind of place so many of us would love to find. (Though the stories are very different and, frankly, I prefer Morley's.)
“Between ourselves, there is no such thing, abstractly, as a ‘good’ book. A book is ‘good’ only when it meets some human hunger or refutes some human error. A book that is good for me would very likely be punk for you. … There is no one so grateful as the man to whom you have given just the book his soul needed and he never knew it.”
anna_l's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
venpyre's review against another edition
2.0
Read this on a train ride to Chicago. It was diverting but kind of a trite mystery similar to pulp novel stories. There were some interesting paragraphs about books (though I felt they dragggged)
cimorene1558's review against another edition
3.0
I have no perspective on this book or its predecessor, Parnassus on Wheels, because I grew up with them around--I don't think I actually read them till I was 12 or so, but I remember them on the shelf practically from birth, and always wanted to read this one--with a title like this (quite inappropriate, really) who can blame me? I find them charming, but I can see that if you didn't grow up with this sort of thing, you might find it dull.
readacorn's review against another edition
4.0
Dieses Buch handelt nicht nur 1919. Ich habe mich dabei ertappt, das Impressum zu prüfen. Es hätte mich nicht überrascht, wenn dieses Buch auch in dem Jahr geschrieben worden wäre - derart überzeugend und authentisch ist der Schreibstil und die Wortwahl des Autors.
Ein Buch für Bibliophile und sicher auch eine gute Unterhaltung für Bibliotherapeuten. Wenn jemand noch solcher Bücher kennt, bitte ich um Empfehlungen.
Ein Buch für Bibliophile und sicher auch eine gute Unterhaltung für Bibliotherapeuten. Wenn jemand noch solcher Bücher kennt, bitte ich um Empfehlungen.