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I wasn’t sure, to be honest, if it would have wider appeal than those in the book industry, so I recommended it to a few of my library patrons to see what kind of response I would get. I am happy to report that they loved it too.
All that praise heaped on one small book!
A.J. Fikry is the main character, a small bookstore owner in a tiny vacation town with a bustling summer business that dies the rest of the year. He is barely getting by, especially since he lost his wife. When one of the small publishers sends a new sales person to see him, he is especially rude to her, as she recommends a memoir that he has no desire or intention of reading. But when he finally does, he is completely taken with it, and with her.
Meanwhile, he is drinking to excess and wakes up one morning to find that his most valuable book has been stolen. To complicate his life further, a day later a baby is abandoned in his store, along with a note explaining that a bookstore would be a good place to raise a child.
The town police chief befriends him, and Fikry, who learns about people by what they read, is not surprised to find that the chief’s favorite author is Jeffery Deaver. Like any good bookseller, Fikry helps expand his horizons and eventually the chief forms a book discussion group for cops. (Deaver fans will enjoy his references here; I know I did.)
Fikry may be a prickly character, but there is also something quite lovable about him, too. All the characters in this story are quirky and interesting and the reader can’t help but care about what happens to them. Reading groups will love it, there is lots to discuss here.
This is an utterly charming book that is sure to make my best books of the year list; it is simply 272 pages of bookseller bliss. All I can say is don’t miss it.
4/14 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch
THE STORIED LIFE OF A.J. FIKRY by Gabrielle Zevin. Algonquin Books; First Edition edition (April 1, 2014). ISBN 978-1616203214. 272p.
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[…] book was recommended to me by the same person who recommended one of my favorite books of 2014, The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin. I was told it was a charming, quirky book, which are hard to find and something […]
[…] references, this book will appeal to anyone who loves books. It is a charming read, reminiscent of The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin and I loved it. Don’t miss […]