Title: The Little Bookstore of Big Stone Gap: A Memoir of Friendship, Community, and the Uncommon Pleasure of a Good Book
Author: Wendy Welch
First published October 2, 2012
291 pages, Hardcover
ISBN: 9781250010636 (ISBN10: 1250010632)
Rating: 3.67
Overview
Wendy Welch and her husband always had a passion for books and their dream was to open a bookstore. When they got the opportunity to move to an Appalachian mountain town in Virginia and start their own bookstore, they didn’t hesitate.
In The Little Bookstore of Big Stone Gap, Welch shares the story of how they defied the odds, and with grace and ingenuity, built a bookstore and a community around it. The memoir is a heartwarming account of how books can bring people together, and how a small bookstore can be the hub of a town.
With colorful customers like “Bob the Mad Irishman” and “The Lady Who Liked Romances,” the bookstore becomes a place where people come for more than just books, they come for friendship and a sense of belonging. If you love books and the sense of community they can create, this memoir will inspire you to visit your local bookstore and discover the uncommon pleasure of a good book in good company.
Editoral Review
The Little Bookstore of Big Stone Gap: A Memoir of Friendship, Community, and the Uncommon Pleasure of a Good Book, written by Wendy Welch, is a heartwarming memoir that will appeal to any book lover. First published in October 2012, the book tells the story of Wendy Welch and her husband Jack, who decide to open a bookstore called The Little Bookstore of Big Stone Gap in a small town in Virginia.
The bookstore, which quickly becomes a community hub, has a charming cast of characters who generously welcome Wendy and Jack into the fold. The author’s writing style is engaging, witty, and infused with a sense of humor that makes the stories recounted in the book delightful to read.
Welch manages to convey the sense of warmth and welcome that the store offered to its visitors, and she does so with great skill. The book is a testament to the power of a good book to bring people together in a shared love of reading.
The Little Bookstore of Big Stone Gap includes a beautiful and touching account of the way a bookstore can change a community. In Welch’s memoir, she writes about the many people who come together in the bookstore, sharing their love of literature and learning from each other.
This book is a paean to the idea that literature has the power to bring people together, and Welch’s memoir is a perfect example of how this is possible. One of the book’s strengths is its charming characters.
Wendy Welch and her husband Jack are central to the story, and their love for each other and for books are inspiring. Welch’s descriptions of the people who inhabit the bookstore are vivid and telling, revealing the depth of the community that is built around the store.
The book’s setting is clearly drawn, and the sense of place is palpable throughout. The book’s main flaw is its pacing.
Some sections tend to drag, and the book could be trimmed down in certain places. Moreover, the book has a narrow appeal, and it may not resonate with readers who are not interested in bookstores and how they function in the community.
Nevertheless, readers who are invested in the power of literature to bring people together will find The Little Bookstore of Big Stone Gap an engaging and heartwarming memoir. Overall, The Little Bookstore of Big Stone Gap: A Memoir of Friendship, Community, and the Uncommon Pleasure of a Good Book is a delightful read for anyone who loves books and the idea of small, charming bookstores.
The book’s well-drawn characters, vivid settings, and charming storytelling will delight readers. I highly recommend it for anyone looking for a warm, cozy read that will transport them to a simpler and more connected place.
Out of five stars, I give it four.
