The subtitle of this short collection of essays gives the reader a sense of what to expect — “Confessions of a Common Reader”. The author's style is one of erudite self-deprecation. Fadiman writes in an honest yet humorous way about her enduring passion for books — and all things related. She (and her family) are self-confessed bibliophiles. Naturally, this is a work that appeals to the like-minded. There is everything from how to arrange a collection through to the serendipitous joy of rummaging in a second-hand store. I laughed at the Fadiman family looking for typos in restaurant menus and found myself associating. This is a collection worth savouring in small chunks and then returning to regularly. Not rated.
By Anne Fadiman