'Once Upon a Tome' by Oliver Darkshire

I have read quite a few bookshop memoirs in recent years and they are always pleasant and interesting. This one revolves around the antiquarian bookseller, Sotheran's, which was until recently located in Sackville Street off Piccadilly in London just a short walk from the wonderful multi-story branch of Waterstones and the heavenly Hatchards which I visit regularly. I had always been under the impression that Hatchards was the oldest bookshop in the UK, having been founded in 1797 near to its present site. Not so, this book reveals that Sotheran's is thirty-six years older and that it was started by one Henry Sotheran in York in 1761 before relocating to London. It is now very favourably located at 22 Charing Cross Road close to many other antiquarian bookshops, but it is the Sackville Street store which this memoir concerns.

It is a very amiable and charming book of anecdotes written by an apparently gentle soul who refrains from indulging in some of the more bitter and bitchy storytelling that characterises some books written by second hand book dealers. My first job was in such a shop. Though much less pukka than Sotheran's my learning curve was not so dissimilar to Oliver Darkshire's when he first arrives as an apprentice. I moved pretty swiftly on, but he stayed and over time became a respected and valued member of the shop's team. The book is both entertaining and informative and I am very glad that my sister-in-law recommended it to me.