Status
Available
Call number
Publication
Viking Adult, Kindle Edition, 368 pages
Description
After the death of his wife, Peter Byerly, a young antiquarian bookseller, relocates from the States to the English countryside, where he hopes to rediscover the joys of life through his passion for collecting and restoring rare books. But when he opens an eighteenth-century study on Shakespeare forgeries, he is shocked to find a Victorian portrait strikingly similar to his wife tumble out of its pages, and becomes obsessed with tracking down its origins. As he follows the trail back to the nineteenth century and then to Shakespeare's time, Peter learns the truth about his own past and unearths a book that might prove that Shakespeare was indeed the author of all his plays.
Media reviews
The Bookman’s Tale is told in a straightforward manner quite unlike the fanciful prose of Spaniard Ruiz Zafon or the clinical narrative of Brooks. Though his narrative wends through time, the words Mr. Lovett chooses are rather plainspoken, though not without their own melody. He projects
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heartfelt warmth that is lacking in both Ruiz Zafon’s or Brooks’ novels.
One aspect in which this novel struggles is with time jumps. The bibliophile who is careful and who can get past that small failing, however, is in for a treat. Show Less
"Although the discussion of the provenance of Shakespeare’s plays will appeal to bibliophiles, the frequent flashbacks to bygone days interrupt the narrative flow."
"A pleasurably escapist trans-Atlantic mystery is intricately layered with plots, murders, feuds, romances, forgeries—and antiquarian book dealing."
User reviews
LibraryThing member Bookmarque
There’s a fine line between write what you know and write a wish-fulfillment vehicle that encapsulates your every fantasy and Lovett doesn’t know where it is. He tripped over it big time and it was kind of funny how laid-bare things got to be. I wonder how his wife feels about the sex-loving,
Peter has no real identity of his own. His every waking thought and nearly every utterance is Amanda this and and Amanda that. Upon entering a stranger’s house he reflects that the decor wouldn’t have pleased Amanda. Who the fuck cares? She’s dead. Grow a spine. Grow a set of opinions on your own. Grow the fuck up. Oy. He is good at treating grown women like children though and again, I cringe for Lovett’s wife.
The mystery brought every tired, shopworn cliche and trope into harness, right down to the gloating and monologuing villain. So eye-rolling I just had to laugh. I did read the whole thing though, and so I suppose that’s a mark in its favor, but it’s hitting the Kicked to the Curb collection pronto.
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brilliant, rich and gorgeous women that pervade this book. The perfect sex scene involving two virgins was the height of hilarity. What two virgins have EVER had good sex? And Lovett is clearly a tit man. At about page 10 I’d had it with the sainted Amanda already and by page 20 I was very glad she was dead. Peter has no real identity of his own. His every waking thought and nearly every utterance is Amanda this and and Amanda that. Upon entering a stranger’s house he reflects that the decor wouldn’t have pleased Amanda. Who the fuck cares? She’s dead. Grow a spine. Grow a set of opinions on your own. Grow the fuck up. Oy. He is good at treating grown women like children though and again, I cringe for Lovett’s wife.
The mystery brought every tired, shopworn cliche and trope into harness, right down to the gloating and monologuing villain. So eye-rolling I just had to laugh. I did read the whole thing though, and so I suppose that’s a mark in its favor, but it’s hitting the Kicked to the Curb collection pronto.
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LibraryThing member JBD1
A book about antiquarian books and forgery, actually written by someone who knows about such things and can write about them coherently? Needless to say, I wasn't about to miss this one! Charlie Lovett's The Bookman's Tale (Viking, 2013) is just such a book, and it's also an engaging and enjoyable
Peter Bylerly is an American rare book dealer living in the English countryside, still recovering from the tragic death of his wife, Amanda. When, in leafing through a copy of Edmond Malone's Inquiry into the authenticity of certain miscellaneous papers... he stumbles upon a 19th-century watercolor of a woman bearing an uncanny resemblance to Amanda, Peter feels compelled to learn more about the artist and his subject, and that leads him into quite a tangled web of forgery, deceit, and long-running family feuds.
Lovett intersperses Peter's narrative with flashbacks, both to ten years prior when Peter first got interested in rare books (and Amanda) during his college years, and to earlier scenes where the important rare book at the centerpiece of the plot passed from hand to hand through generations of readers (by means both fair and foul). It's filled with good details about Shakespeare scholarship, forgery, and the world of bookselling, and there's even a scene involving a Hinman Collator (if there are other novels in which a collator is featured, I don't know of them but would very much like to).
Now, there are a few particularly amazing coincidences throughout the book, a detail is off here and there, I could have done without some of the trysting in the rare book room (really?!), and I figured out the final twist fairly early on. But on the whole, I really liked this book, and recommend it highly.
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read.Peter Bylerly is an American rare book dealer living in the English countryside, still recovering from the tragic death of his wife, Amanda. When, in leafing through a copy of Edmond Malone's Inquiry into the authenticity of certain miscellaneous papers... he stumbles upon a 19th-century watercolor of a woman bearing an uncanny resemblance to Amanda, Peter feels compelled to learn more about the artist and his subject, and that leads him into quite a tangled web of forgery, deceit, and long-running family feuds.
Lovett intersperses Peter's narrative with flashbacks, both to ten years prior when Peter first got interested in rare books (and Amanda) during his college years, and to earlier scenes where the important rare book at the centerpiece of the plot passed from hand to hand through generations of readers (by means both fair and foul). It's filled with good details about Shakespeare scholarship, forgery, and the world of bookselling, and there's even a scene involving a Hinman Collator (if there are other novels in which a collator is featured, I don't know of them but would very much like to).
Now, there are a few particularly amazing coincidences throughout the book, a detail is off here and there, I could have done without some of the trysting in the rare book room (really?!), and I figured out the final twist fairly early on. But on the whole, I really liked this book, and recommend it highly.
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LibraryThing member cathyskye
The Bookman's Tale is for book lovers, book collectors, book restorers, book historians, and Shakespeareans with all the knowledge it contains about these subjects as well as the almost fairy tale-like story of Peter Byerly. Peter has been burdened with crippling shyness his entire life. The only
As Peter's obsession with the watercolor and its artist grows, he finds himself becoming acquainted with two eccentric families, the Aldersons and the Gardners-- a British version of the Hatfields and McCoys. In America, the Hatfields and McCoys tended to shoot each other, but the Aldersons and Gardners are much more civilized. Instead of firearms, these two families seem to rely on deception and double-dealing over the centuries to get the upper hand. This puts Byerly at a distinct disadvantage, and he has to take special care as he does his research.
This book was so enjoyable from first page to last that I almost didn't want to see it end. I do have a word of warning, however. The story has frequent changes in time period, setting, and point of view. I didn't find it at all confusing, but that was because I learned very early on to pay attention to the chapter headings that always told me when and where I was.
Charlie Lovett followed The Bookman's Tale with First Impressions which takes readers into the world of Jane Austen. He's shown that he has real talent for combining fascinating facts with spellbinding stories, and I eagerly await his third book.
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person who could make him forget that and start enjoying the world around him was his wife Amanda. His honesty and diffidence make him just the sort of main character for which a reader can grow to care. It wasn't long at all until I was cheering Peter on and wanting him to find joy in living again.As Peter's obsession with the watercolor and its artist grows, he finds himself becoming acquainted with two eccentric families, the Aldersons and the Gardners-- a British version of the Hatfields and McCoys. In America, the Hatfields and McCoys tended to shoot each other, but the Aldersons and Gardners are much more civilized. Instead of firearms, these two families seem to rely on deception and double-dealing over the centuries to get the upper hand. This puts Byerly at a distinct disadvantage, and he has to take special care as he does his research.
This book was so enjoyable from first page to last that I almost didn't want to see it end. I do have a word of warning, however. The story has frequent changes in time period, setting, and point of view. I didn't find it at all confusing, but that was because I learned very early on to pay attention to the chapter headings that always told me when and where I was.
Charlie Lovett followed The Bookman's Tale with First Impressions which takes readers into the world of Jane Austen. He's shown that he has real talent for combining fascinating facts with spellbinding stories, and I eagerly await his third book.
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LibraryThing member csayban
The Bookman's Tale really has me split. For starters, anything centered on books, book collecting, bibliophiles...it is going to have my instant attention, as long as it gets it right. Lovett gets it right. I can tell that he has a passion for books just by the way he writes about them and
So what happened? Why only three stars? Frankly, it really should be two stars and Lovett is only catching a break because of my love of any story set in the book world. For some reason, Lovett decides to drop a murder-mystery/thriller plot right in the middle of the story. Unfortunately, Lovett is not David Baldacci. The action is hackneyed and cliche. There are too many coincidences and too many convenient things falling in the characters' laps to make it feel at all realistic.
The Bookman's Tale really is two stories folded on top of each other. Unfortunately, one is very well done and one is amateurish. If it is possible to enjoy a book and by annoyed by it at the same time, this is the one that does it. I want to praise it and lambaste it at the same time. In the end, a split 4-star/2-star rating ends up with a 3-star average...but The Bookman's Tale only avoids a lower rating because of my passion for book collecting. Nothing more.
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understands the book-lover's mindset. For me, the best part of The Bookman's Tale is how Lovett creates his main character of Peter as the embodiment of the book-lover trapped inside of so many of us. In addition, he surrounds Peter with such a clever piece of literary history - the ongoing search for the proof of who William Shakespeare really is - that drives the plot forward. Left to just this, The Bookman's Tale would have been one of my favorite stories of the year.So what happened? Why only three stars? Frankly, it really should be two stars and Lovett is only catching a break because of my love of any story set in the book world. For some reason, Lovett decides to drop a murder-mystery/thriller plot right in the middle of the story. Unfortunately, Lovett is not David Baldacci. The action is hackneyed and cliche. There are too many coincidences and too many convenient things falling in the characters' laps to make it feel at all realistic.
The Bookman's Tale really is two stories folded on top of each other. Unfortunately, one is very well done and one is amateurish. If it is possible to enjoy a book and by annoyed by it at the same time, this is the one that does it. I want to praise it and lambaste it at the same time. In the end, a split 4-star/2-star rating ends up with a 3-star average...but The Bookman's Tale only avoids a lower rating because of my passion for book collecting. Nothing more.
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LibraryThing member bookswoman
This is one of the best mysteries I've read in a while. Peter Byerly is trying to get over the death of his beloved wife, Amanda. When he is visiting a bookstore in a small village in England he opens a book of interest and finds a picture -- a picture that could be his dead wife, only it is very,
This discovery leads Peter on a hunt to find out who the woman was and why it was in that old book. The hunt leads him through the centuries from the time of Shakespeare through the 1990's. Lovett leads you through the world of Shakespearian theories, did he or didn't he write the plays? To the competitive world of rare books and what people will do to find "the holy grail" of Shakespeare, something that proves that the works were done by the great man.
So many characters are real people that it gives the entire work a feeling of truth, from beginning to end that it is a wild ride.
This book is one I would highly recommend to anyone who loves mysteries and also to anyone who loves collecting old books or who loves Shakespeare.
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very old.This discovery leads Peter on a hunt to find out who the woman was and why it was in that old book. The hunt leads him through the centuries from the time of Shakespeare through the 1990's. Lovett leads you through the world of Shakespearian theories, did he or didn't he write the plays? To the competitive world of rare books and what people will do to find "the holy grail" of Shakespeare, something that proves that the works were done by the great man.
So many characters are real people that it gives the entire work a feeling of truth, from beginning to end that it is a wild ride.
This book is one I would highly recommend to anyone who loves mysteries and also to anyone who loves collecting old books or who loves Shakespeare.
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LibraryThing member MichealFraser
The Bookman's Tale by Charlie Lovett.
I haven't been as thrilled by a bibliomystery since John Dunning's Booked to Die.
This is a delicious literary mystery surrounding a book that was the inspiration of A Winter's Tale that had notes written in Shakespeare's own hand which is wrapped up in a
I simply couldn't put this book down. Lovett slowly builds the tension by switching between Byerly's story of meeting his true love at college to his contemporary sleuthing into what becomes a dangerous game of discovering what is perhaps the most significant literary discovery of all time. In between this we have glimpses into history and the background that lead us into the present where forgery, greed and lust combine to conspire to destroy Peter Byerly.
I loved every minute of it of course, as a book-lover can't help but salivate over all this tale of old books and the spell they cast on a bookseller. It is perfect for any book person just as Dunning's wonderful series was like drugs to a junkie so this is as well.
I haven't been as thrilled by a bibliomystery since John Dunning's Booked to Die.
This is a delicious literary mystery surrounding a book that was the inspiration of A Winter's Tale that had notes written in Shakespeare's own hand which is wrapped up in a
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touching love story of Peter Byerly, the bookseller who discovers this literary treasure, and his wife Amanda. It has all the anxiety of a taut thriller, and the pull of the antiquarian book world to a book-lover as well as tantalising glimpses into the Elizabethan world of writers and the Victorian world of forgers. I simply couldn't put this book down. Lovett slowly builds the tension by switching between Byerly's story of meeting his true love at college to his contemporary sleuthing into what becomes a dangerous game of discovering what is perhaps the most significant literary discovery of all time. In between this we have glimpses into history and the background that lead us into the present where forgery, greed and lust combine to conspire to destroy Peter Byerly.
I loved every minute of it of course, as a book-lover can't help but salivate over all this tale of old books and the spell they cast on a bookseller. It is perfect for any book person just as Dunning's wonderful series was like drugs to a junkie so this is as well.
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LibraryThing member Beamis12
Book Obsession and Hay-on-Wye, a place a friend of mine and I really want to go, They have more bookstores per capita than any other place on earth. This is a book lovers romp through history with some likable and some mysterious characters. Covers book forgeries, art forgeries and the tracing
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through the past of a book annotated with Shakespeare's musings. We follow the book to the time of Kit Marlowe and Shakespeare as well as many literary collectors of books and letters. We follow as the book is traced to Victorian times and at last to our own. A few mysteries at the core and I would have rated this book much higher but for a few too many coincidences that I felt were a bit over the top. That said all the books mentioned are said to actually exist or did at one time as well as many of the characters. Great fun for book lovers, art lovers, mystery and history lovers. An equal opportunity novel. Show Less
LibraryThing member Ronrose1
There is plenty of intrigue, mystery, and a touch of adventure here. Make no mistake this is a love story. More precisely this is a love story bound in the pages of a mystery book. A young college student, Peter Byerly, discovers his life's work in collecting, restoring, and selling old books.
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Peter finds his true passion, his raison d'etre, seated among the books in the college library where he works. Amanda is the girl who completes his soul. The stories of Peter's love for Amanda and his love of books are intertwined around a search for any bibliophile's Holy Grail, a concrete connection between Shakespeare the man and Shakespeare's printed words. This is a novel any book lover can identify with and totally immerse themselves in. Book provided for review by the well read folks at Viking. Show Less
LibraryThing member Icewineanne
After reading all of the positive reviews about this book, I couldn't wait to read this. Literary novels about books, are my favorites. Unfortunately, this one, for me, did not live up to the hype.
The main character, Peter, was irritating and I was bored by his obsession with Amanda. The parts
No rating as I did not finish the book.
The main character, Peter, was irritating and I was bored by his obsession with Amanda. The parts
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describing antiquarian books, and their restoration were interesting, but as the characters were not, I put the book down after only reading a third of the way through. I can't remember the last time I did not finish a book, but I found that I just did not care about how it all tied together in the end. No rating as I did not finish the book.
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LibraryThing member arbjames
Languishing after his wife’s untimely death, antiquarian bookseller Peter Byerly stumbles across a Victorian watercolor of a woman that looks uncannily like his beloved Amanda. When he tries to discover information about the artist and subject, he happens upon a “Holy Grail” in the debate
As a library geek myself, I found myself liking Peter and Amanda (although their clandestine use of the Special Collections Room really makes me want to break out the hand sanitizer). The author jumps back and forth in time between the document’s past, Peter and Amanda’s past, and Peter’s present. Of course, they are all inextricably linked. I anticipated that part. I was pleasantly clueless about who the murderer was right up until the end, which is unusual for me.
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over whether or not Shakespeare really wrote the work credited to him. Is this document what it seems to be, or is it an incredible forgery? Whichever the case, someone is willing to kill for it. Will Peter be the next victim? As a library geek myself, I found myself liking Peter and Amanda (although their clandestine use of the Special Collections Room really makes me want to break out the hand sanitizer). The author jumps back and forth in time between the document’s past, Peter and Amanda’s past, and Peter’s present. Of course, they are all inextricably linked. I anticipated that part. I was pleasantly clueless about who the murderer was right up until the end, which is unusual for me.
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LibraryThing member MomsterBookworm
Bibliophiles will likely enjoy this tale because it has to do with: (1) books, (2) working in a library, (3) finding, collecting and restoring old books, (4) searching for the 'holy grail' of a previously undiscovered work by a famous author -- all wrapped up in a mystery and a love story. There
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are two main threads in this book -- the modern, present-day story, and the historical dissection of antiquarian works and how to trace and determine authenticity. The latter part, I found to be somewhat draggy (although some parts were interesting) -- but to be fair, the subject matter and person of interest was Shakespeare and his works, which are not my favorites to begin with. That said, the rest of the book and plot development balanced it out. It didn't end with a bang, neither with a fizz -- so I'd only give it 3 stars. Show Less
LibraryThing member skraft001
I enjoyed the subject matter of antiquarian books -- not a lot of titles that deal with books as the subject.
The three story lines were pretty well woven together. I would have liked more 'reminders' of the characters as after putting the book down for a day or so it wasn't easy to recall all the
The three story lines were pretty well woven together. I would have liked more 'reminders' of the characters as after putting the book down for a day or so it wasn't easy to recall all the
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characters. Show Less
LibraryThing member Lajordan
Being a book lover, I enjoyed the history and the story in this novel. At times, it could be a bit confusing with so many characters to keep track of, but I liked the premise, enjoyed the writing and could sympathize with the main character. Even though I figured out the mystery before the end of
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the book, there were a few more twists that made it somewhat less predictable. Show Less
LibraryThing member EllenH
Great book, it has antique books, romance, mystery, and history.
LibraryThing member Debra_Armbruster
The Bookman's Tale was a pleasant read. I appreciated the historical aspects - they were more compelling than the present day plot-line - and the details about book binding and restoration. This is one I will pass along to mystery fans and those interested in Elizabethan writers.
I received this
I received this
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book for review through the publisher. Show Less
LibraryThing member JaneAustenNut
Who couldn't love a book with characters named Bartholomew Harbottle? The locations are great ( I'm a closet anglophile ). Main characters; Peter and Amanda Byerly lived a great life between my home state of NC and Kingham, Oxfordshire England. The author has also included a great romance and an
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adventure laden Shakespearian mystery. This is definitely a book you won't be able to put down; it has too many great aspects to put in this short review. You won't be disappointed! Show Less
LibraryThing member SamSattler
Reading novels about books, bookstores, and book collectors is something that I have a long history of enjoying, particularly those novels that immerse the reader into the world of antiquarian book collecting. So Charlie Lovett’s The Bookman’s Tale seemed like a perfect choice for me. But
Peter Byerly is a recluse by nature. Because he has preferred his own company since he was a child and has always felt awkward in one-on-one conversations, Peter is both shocked and thrilled to finally meet his soul mate. Amanda is the perfect woman for Peter, someone who brings out the best in him and completes him in a way he never dared dream possible. And then she is gone.
Still stunned by his loss, Peter moves back to England to ease his way back into the rare book business he has been so badly neglecting. There, Peter is contacted by a man hoping to sell some of the books that have been in his family for generations. While assessing the value and collectability of the man’s books, Peter makes what could be the discovery of a bookman’s lifetime. He may, in fact, have just stumbled upon the “Holy Grail” of the book-collecting world: indisputable proof that William Shakespeare was truly the author of all the works attributed to him. Some scholars still argue that a man of Shakespeare’s education and background would not have been capable of such complicated and distinguished writing. Peter knows that by ending the “did he or didn’t he” debate once and for all he can link his name to Shakespeare’s forever. His discovery could be that big.
But first he needs to prove that his documentation is authentic and not the work of one of history’s master forgers, an investigation that seems to get the attention of someone willing to kill in order to make Peter go away for good. Peter Byerly has inadvertently involved himself in a multi-generational two-family feud he could never have imagined when he stumbled upon what appears to be a Victorian era watercolor portrait of Amanda inside a nineteenth-century book. Now, getting to the truth might be the only way he can save his own life.
Bottom Line: The Bookman’s Tale is fun for a lot of reasons. It offers in-depth insight into the closed world of rare book dealers, the techniques and history of document and signature forging, and the whole Shakespearean authorship debate. But, while the premise of the book and its main characters are intriguing, the book’s plot relies too much on coincidence to make it plausible. I was unable to suspend my level of disbelief to the degree required of a reader to buy into the book’s ending - and that disappoints me.
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because I also have a history of not enjoying conspiracy theory novels, especially those that depend heavily upon coincidence to make the plot work, this one did not work out as well for me as I had hoped it would.Peter Byerly is a recluse by nature. Because he has preferred his own company since he was a child and has always felt awkward in one-on-one conversations, Peter is both shocked and thrilled to finally meet his soul mate. Amanda is the perfect woman for Peter, someone who brings out the best in him and completes him in a way he never dared dream possible. And then she is gone.
Still stunned by his loss, Peter moves back to England to ease his way back into the rare book business he has been so badly neglecting. There, Peter is contacted by a man hoping to sell some of the books that have been in his family for generations. While assessing the value and collectability of the man’s books, Peter makes what could be the discovery of a bookman’s lifetime. He may, in fact, have just stumbled upon the “Holy Grail” of the book-collecting world: indisputable proof that William Shakespeare was truly the author of all the works attributed to him. Some scholars still argue that a man of Shakespeare’s education and background would not have been capable of such complicated and distinguished writing. Peter knows that by ending the “did he or didn’t he” debate once and for all he can link his name to Shakespeare’s forever. His discovery could be that big.
But first he needs to prove that his documentation is authentic and not the work of one of history’s master forgers, an investigation that seems to get the attention of someone willing to kill in order to make Peter go away for good. Peter Byerly has inadvertently involved himself in a multi-generational two-family feud he could never have imagined when he stumbled upon what appears to be a Victorian era watercolor portrait of Amanda inside a nineteenth-century book. Now, getting to the truth might be the only way he can save his own life.
Bottom Line: The Bookman’s Tale is fun for a lot of reasons. It offers in-depth insight into the closed world of rare book dealers, the techniques and history of document and signature forging, and the whole Shakespearean authorship debate. But, while the premise of the book and its main characters are intriguing, the book’s plot relies too much on coincidence to make it plausible. I was unable to suspend my level of disbelief to the degree required of a reader to buy into the book’s ending - and that disappoints me.
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LibraryThing member gpangel
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
The Bookman's Tale: A Novel of Obsession is a Viking Adult publication. This book was released in May 2013. I would like to thank the publisher and Edelweiss for the digital copy of this book. Peter leaves the United States for Kingham, Oxforshire, England. It has been nine
The Bookman's Tale: A Novel of Obsession is a Viking Adult publication. This book was released in May 2013. I would like to thank the publisher and Edelweiss for the digital copy of this book. Peter leaves the United States for Kingham, Oxforshire, England. It has been nine
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months since the untimely death of his beloved wife, Amanda. He and Amanda had purchased a cottage here just a short time before her death. Peter is utterly bereft and without direction since his wife died. Even his beloved books bring him no peace or joy. But, for the first time in ages he enters a rare bookstore. Once inside, he feels at home and begins browsing the antiquarian goods. Picking up a copy of a book about authenticating documents, a watercolor painting is stuffed between the pages. A startled Peter finds himself looking at his wife's portrait. Only this painting is old- very old. So, with new direction guiding him, Peter sets off to discover who the woman is in the painting and who the artist was. However, his initial goal becomes overshadowed when Peter meets Liz. Liz may have information about the artist. When Peter is contacted by a resident of Kingham to come out and look are some old books and documents and possibly authenticate them, Peter is stunned to find that he may actually have proof that William Shakespeare was the author of his plays. The Grail book, the watercolor painting and Liz , with a little help from Amanda, all eventually lead Peter to one life altering moment. The history of the Grail book is told between the story of Peter and Amanda as they meet, fall in love and get married, and the present day- ( 1995), with Peter's research about the Grail book and the feelings he is having about the death of his wife and making new friends. The story flips back and forth between these three periods of time until all things are brought together. Peter is an interesting guy. He suffers from social anxiety and does very well with Amanda in his life, but once he is back on his own again, he struggles not to hide himself away from everything and everyone forever. Stumbling across the watercolor gave Peter something to focus on other than Amanda and his grief. Along the way Peter learns to take the bull by the horns and take charge of his life again. The facts about book restoration and antiquarian preservation and authentication is very interesting. The melding together of the past and the present was done expertly. I was intrigued from beginning to end. This book should appeal to any book lover, no matter what kind of books you typical read. This book has it all. History, romance, mystery, suspense, emotion, scandal, but ultimately it was an uplifting story that made you feel like you had gone on a journey and are now back safe at home, even if home wasn't the same as when you left it, you feel a sense of comfort and peace. Over all this one gets an A+ Show Less
LibraryThing member Mithalogica
I loved this book. I will confess, for the first quarter, maybe third, I was hopelessly confused. But even so, I was enjoying Lovett's storytelling. Too often when the author attempts to tell several tales at once, I lose patience, or find myself unable to really immerse myself in any of them.
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Here, I found myself trusting the author to tell his tales, each of which actually resonated, despite the switches between them. I also have to admit that my being a bit of ("bit?" Ha!) a bibliophile helped me bond with tis book. Lovett conveys Peter's love of books in a way any book lover will relate to. It's long been a dream of mine to one day retire to some small town in Europe and open an antiquarian book (and pen) shop, so Peter immediately appealed to me. The historical portions read well, and that's coming from a historian Granted, my wheelhouse is the Middle Ages, not Shakespeare's time, but I'm no stranger to the Bard and his day, and I found no quibbles in Lovettt's treatment of that or any of the the periods he visits. Overall, The Bookman's Tale kept me reading well past my bedtime, and feeling a bit bereft when it was over. Definitely worth picking up! Show Less
LibraryThing member moibibliomaniac
Lovett weaves an enjoyable tale that spans several centuries, and one that makes a knowledgeable bibliophile smile as he recognizes the real-life names of booksellers and book collectors in Lovett's book. A bookseller reading this book may not approve, however, because Lovett, a former bookseller
At one point in the book Lovett touts John Bagford for having a famous collection of printing samples. Is Lovett trying to rewrite history, or is he trying to make a bibliophile fall off his chair? The John Bagford I know, John Bagford the Iconoclast, would have torn out the title page from the book for his own collection of title pages.
Finally, Lovett switches the main character's obsession near the end of the book, from his obsession with the watercolor which looks like his wife to the Pandosto copy of a Shakespeare book. Such a switch in obsessions just doesn't ring true.
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himself, portrays not one, not two, but three booksellers having lapses of integrity and dealing in thievery. At one point in the book Lovett touts John Bagford for having a famous collection of printing samples. Is Lovett trying to rewrite history, or is he trying to make a bibliophile fall off his chair? The John Bagford I know, John Bagford the Iconoclast, would have torn out the title page from the book for his own collection of title pages.
Finally, Lovett switches the main character's obsession near the end of the book, from his obsession with the watercolor which looks like his wife to the Pandosto copy of a Shakespeare book. Such a switch in obsessions just doesn't ring true.
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LibraryThing member BooksForDinner
I enjoyed this book. Definitely a little over the top with the sex scenes...the book just didn't call for it. Less of that next time sir. Nothing complicated, just fun Shakespeare fiction. A solid first effort.
LibraryThing member JJbooklvr
This is one of those books I would not have picked up on my own to read. I read it for my book discussion group I lead. I do think there is enough in it to make a for a good discussion next week.
As for what I thought? I liked some of the historical elements and the glimpse into the rare books
The characters were never really developed enough for me to care about any of them. They seemed a bit too stereotypical for me which I could have overlooked if there was a stronger story. Was it supposed to be a love story? A historical novel? A murder mystery? Throwing everything together without giving me one strong element detracted from everything else. Add in the ghost of his dead wife and it was enough bring down the rating by another star.
As for what I thought? I liked some of the historical elements and the glimpse into the rare books
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trade. Also, the parts about forging rare books and historical documents was interesting. Was it enough to make this a book to recommend to others? Probably not. The characters were never really developed enough for me to care about any of them. They seemed a bit too stereotypical for me which I could have overlooked if there was a stronger story. Was it supposed to be a love story? A historical novel? A murder mystery? Throwing everything together without giving me one strong element detracted from everything else. Add in the ghost of his dead wife and it was enough bring down the rating by another star.
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LibraryThing member cameling
Peter Byerly, book collector, is grieving the loss of his wife when he enters a bookstore and finds a watercolor painting, about a hundred years old, of a portrait of someone who looks like his wife. While obsessed with identifying who the sitter of the portrait might have been and who the artist,
Alternating between present day and the 19th Century, the author provides us with the story of the origin and subsequent owners of the book Peter now holds, and Peter's personal life's journey.
I usually enjoy books about books but this was a little on the slow side for me. I thought about half the content was drawn out unnecessarily. About the three quarters of the way through I started to get a little bored. I liked the storyline, I just wish it was written better.
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whose initials are B.B. was, he is then invited to appraise a book collection and finds within the collection, what appears to be a book with scribblings by Shakespeare in the margins. Peter tries to uncover the mystery behind the different owners of the book over time and in the process almost forgets about the painting. Alternating between present day and the 19th Century, the author provides us with the story of the origin and subsequent owners of the book Peter now holds, and Peter's personal life's journey.
I usually enjoy books about books but this was a little on the slow side for me. I thought about half the content was drawn out unnecessarily. About the three quarters of the way through I started to get a little bored. I liked the storyline, I just wish it was written better.
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LibraryThing member dono421846
The central concern involves a book that allegedly proves that Shakespeare wrote his own plays. This part of the story is engaging and convincing. The author should have had more confidence in his ability as regards his primary expertise, and not thrown in a silly murder mystery to complicate (and
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thereby dragging down a text that had the potential to be quite special). I notice that the use of jumping back and forth in time as a plot construction device has become fairly common; this author employs the technique competently. Show Less
LibraryThing member bookmagic
Peter Byerly is recently widowed and has moved to Britain for a fresh start. Peter is an antiquarian bookseller. Peter flashes back to a time in college when he first became interested in the history and repairing of old books and how he met his wife, Amanda, now deceased. We are also taken back to
I love books about books and a good mystery but this fell flat in many places. Peter is a little dull. The frequent and long flashbacks to his life with Amanda are just too much; overly romanticized and only a little relevant. The current story is interesting enough but a bit predictable as well. I love books and I love bookish stories but this did not live up to the hype. I doubt I would recommend it to anyone.
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the time of Shakespeare and a disreputable man who originates a story that makes one wonder if Shakespeare wrote his own work. Many people have different theories and when Peter finds a painting that has a likeness of his deceased wife and looks into the history of it, he stumbles across a work that may very well answer a question that has baffled scholars for years.I love books about books and a good mystery but this fell flat in many places. Peter is a little dull. The frequent and long flashbacks to his life with Amanda are just too much; overly romanticized and only a little relevant. The current story is interesting enough but a bit predictable as well. I love books and I love bookish stories but this did not live up to the hype. I doubt I would recommend it to anyone.
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Awards
Dublin Literary Award (Longlist — 2015)
Barry Award (Nominee — First Novel — 2014)
Original publication date
2013-05-28