Had a librarian at the downtown branch school me on historical fiction

I was grabbing a pile of books for my book club's next pick, mostly bestsellers, when this older librarian at the counter asked what we were reading. She said 'you know, those popular ones skip the real grit of the era' and pointed me to a lesser-known novel set in 1920s Harlem. I dismissed her at first, but three chapters in and I saw what she meant. Has anyone else had a librarian or bookshop worker totally reshape your book club's direction?

2 comments

2 Comments

elliot451mo ago

Has anyone else shown up to book club all smug with your picks only to get totally humbled by someone who actually knows what they're talking about? Our librarian steered us away from a flashy WWII novel once and I felt pretty silly when the whole group agreed the quieter recommendation was way better. Now I just wave the white flag when they point at something obscure, saves me the embarrassment.

elizabethg1828d ago

elliot45, I've been there too and it's a humbling experience for sure.