30 Books About Books that Bibliophiles Will Love

Dear Fahrenheit 451: Love and Heartbreak in the Stacks: A Librarian’s Love Letters and Breakup Notes to the Books in Her Life

Author: Annie Spence

Dear Fahrenheit 451 is the blog I would write if I had a little more snark in me–only in book form. Book lovers will have a blast reading Annie Spence’s letters to the book she loves, the books she’s retiring from the stacks (she’s a librarian), and the many books that have stayed with her in various ways.

I actually found this hard to put down–it was such a light, funny read, and I looked forward to seeing if she covered any of my favorites. But some of the funniest letters were to the surprising finds that she weeds from the stacks (The One Hour Orgasm and Principles of Bloodstain Pattern Analysis, anyone?). One of my favorite nonfiction books about books.

The History of Love

Author: Nicole Krauss

A 14-year old thinks the that book her mother is translating is the key to easing her mother’s loneliness. It’s also the key to Holocaust-survivor Leo Gursky’s long-lost love. Told in alternating narratives, this literary novel slowly tells how their stories converge.

Books for Living

Author: Will Schwalbe

In this nonfiction book about books, Will Schwalbe reflects on the books he’s loved and that have shaped his life. Each chapter focuses on a book and a particular aspect of life (quitting, friendship, trust, connection, etc.). I haven’t read this one yet, but it’s toward the top of my TBR of books on books.

How Reading Changed My Life

Author: Anna Quindlen

This is another nonfiction addition that I haven’t read yet, but anything my Anna Quindlen has to make the list. In this short book of essays, Quindlen revisits some old favorite books and reflects on the act of reading itself and how it affects our lives in myriad ways. At just 96 pages, this sounds like a delightful little detour for any book lover.

Sorcery for Beginners

Author: Matt Harry

This middle grade book about a book is perfect for fans of Harry Potter. When a 13-year-old stumbles on a strange bookstore and finds himself the owner of a magical sorcery book, he gets more than the ability to take on school bullies. He and some new friends are drawn into a centuries-old war in which the existence of magic is at stake. Full of fun, adventure, and snark that both kids and adults will appreciate.

The Bookshop on the Corner

Author: Jenny Colgan

English librarian Nina Redmond has lost her job–and the world of libraries is changing in ways she doesn’t like. She decides to buy a van and start a roving bookstore in the Scottish Highlands. This cozy book about books is filled with charming characters, sweet romance, lots of book love, and a setting so vivid you can almost smell the fresh air. Try the audio version if you love a light story about books and enjoy a good Scottish brogue.

The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry

Author: Gabrielle Zevin

A.J. Fikry is a cranky bookstore owner who has to rethink his life when an unexpected package shows up. A perfect “heartwarming curmudgeon” story for bookworms–books and stories are woven into the lives of the characters as comfort objects, discussion topics, relationship touchpoints, and contemplations on life.

Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore

Author: Robin Sloan

I haven’t read this novel about books yet, but I intend to! Touted as “National Treasure for Book Lovers,” this book about a bookstore filled with secrets and magic promises to be pure fun. Reviews seem mixed, but the readers who love this really love it. How can I resist a book about books that prompts such gleeful delight? If you’ve read this, tell me what you think!

The Bookish Life of Nina Hill

Author: Abbi Waxman

Nina is an introvert, bookworm, and trivia buff. She is happy with her regimented, small life working in a bookstore and competing on a trivia team (and trying to decide how she feels about an intriguing competitor). Her life is upended when she is named in the will of the father she’s never met–and suddenly she has a large and complicated family.

Nina has moments of mild abrasiveness, excellent snarky humor, and extreme introversion–but I loved how she was quite social, on her own terms. Funny, charming, and relatable.

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

Author: Betty Smith

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is the much-loved classic about a young girl, Francie Nolan, growing up in poverty in turn-of-century Brooklyn. Francie is a bookish, resourceful child, caught between her dreamer of a father and her work-worn, practical mother. Francie is self-aware and a keen observer of people and the life around her, a heroine who manages to continue to seek beauty even as it seems determined to elude her.

The Book Thief

Author: Markus Zusak

Set in World War II Germany and narrated by Death, The Book Thief brings us Liesel Meminger. A foster girl who is taught to read and about quiet acts of resistance by her accordion-playing foster father, Liesel attempts to make sense of the horrors happening around her while living her day-to-day. When Max, a Jewish man, moves into the basement, Liesel shares her (stolen) books with him as he shares his stories with her.

Fangirl

Author: Rainbow Rowell

Cath is a freshman in college who feels like she’s being left behind. Her twin sister Wren doesn’t want to room with her and is no longer interested in the Simon Snow fandom they’ve been devoted to for years. Cath isn’t ready to let go of her fanfiction, but she isn’t sure where she fits in this new world of cranky roommates and charming classmates. Book lovers will relate to Cath’s devotion to her favorite characters (even if you’ve never been part of a “fandom,” as I haven’t).

Beach Read

Author: Emily Henry

January has reluctantly moved into the beach house her dad left her after his death. The house was a surprise–as was his second life she never knew about. Now she’s trying to clean out his house, get over her writer’s block and submit her next romance novel to her agent, and deal with her grief. Discovering that her neighbor is her college nemesis, Augustus (Gus)–who also happens to be an award-winning author–isn’t helping. When they make a deal to switch genres, rivalry leads to romance. Fast-paced, a little steamy, and filled with fun banter, some heavy issues added depth to this otherwise light read.

Less

Author: Andrew Sean Greer

Arthur Less is a failing novelist on the brink of turning 50. When he receives an invitation to his former lover’s wedding, embarks on an around-the-world journey to avoid the event. Less is both frustrating and endearing, a bit bumbling, and above all, certain of his own failures. Those around him rarely disabuse him of these notions, but they also see more in him that he sees in himself. 

Light on plot and heavy on wandering musings, this Pulitzer Prize winner can be slow at times–but it’s a sweet and sometimes funny read. Certain parts had me laughing out loud.

I Capture the Castle

Author: Dodie Smith

Seventeen-year-old Cassandra and her family of dreamers live in a castle in the English countryside, but they are far from wealthy. When two young Americans arrive to take over the estate of their deceased landlord, they bring new hope to the family: of creative patronage, potential marriage, and (continued) free rent. 

Aspiring writer Cassandra details the adventures of the family in her journal as they move from abject poverty into high society. Full of charming observations and self-awareness, Cassandra teeters between childhood and adulthood. Through her writing, she comes to realizations about herself, her family, and love. A delightful classic.

Daily Rituals

Author: Mason Curry

In this quirky nonfiction book, Curry examines the daily rituals of many famous creatives–not just writers, though there are many. The varied rituals of so many successful artists should be reassuring to any aspiring writer: there are no rules for how and when to write (and some of the rituals are truly wild–so go with what works for you!). Strangely addictive; don’t hesitate to skip around to discover how your favorites spent their days.

I also just learned that Curry has a book dedicated to women creatives that looks excellent. Check out Daily Rituals: Women at Work.

Truth & Beauty

Author: Ann Patchett

Less a story of writing than about the friendship between two writers. Author Ann Patchett and the late poet and author Lucy Grealy women met in college and cemented their friendship in graduate school and the years that followed, as both pursued writing careers. Grealy, who in childhood battled cancer that left her without part of her lower jaw, endured ongoing health difficulties and reconstructive surgeries.

Grealy was a needy, all-consuming friend–talented, tortured, and plagued by addiction and her need for love. Patchett, for her part, basked in Lucy’s need for her, as well as their shared goals and talent. The two moved toward success together, and the journey must have felt magical and pre-destined, if not always healthy. Patchett’s writing shines, as always, as does her narration in the audio version.

Love and Ruin

Author: Paula McClain

The story of Ernest Hemingway’s third wife, Martha Gellhorn, and her efforts to forge her own identity as a writer. Gellhorn was a war correspondent, brave and accomplished in her own right. She and Hemingway were magnetic, but also fraught; it’s no surprise that he was difficult. While I’m not a fan of Hemingway, the question of what drew Gellhorn to him, beyond his fame, loomed large for me. Compelling historical fiction for any book lover.

On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft

Author: Stephen King

One of the most popular books on writing books, King’s memoir is a must-read for anyone who dreams of writing. I have never read any other Stephen King books because I know I’d have nightmares and be afraid to go in my basement (anyone else still give those wide-open storm sewers from IT the side-eye?). But I loved this; King is a prolific writer who knows how to tell a story, and he has great lessons to share with other storytellers.

Summer Hours at the Robbers Library

Author: Sue Halpern

In a failing New Hampshire town, a trio of loners come together in a small Carnegie library. Kit, a quiet librarian in her early forties; 15-year-old Sunny’s, who is doing community service for stealing a dictionary; and Rusty, the professionally dressed man who starts showing up all day, every day. Along with The Four–the retirees who spend mornings over coffee and the paper at the library, this trio finds comfort in one another–and in the library.

The Library Book

Author: Susan Orlean

Grounded in the 1986 fire at the Los Angeles Public Library, Orlean examines both the fire and the critical role of libraries in our lives. I haven’t read this yet, but it’s sitting on my shelf just waiting for me. This description is irresistible for a library and book lover: “…The Library Book is Susan Orlean’s thrilling journey through the stacks that reveals how these beloved institutions provide much more than just books—and why they remain an essential part of the heart, mind, and soul of our country.”

The Book of Longings

Author: Sue Monk Kidd

This ambitious and daring novel imagines the life of Ana, the fictional wife of Jesus. Kidd creates a compelling narrative for this woman, casting her at the center of her own story and granting her a feminism and independence that someone like Jesus would have appreciated. Ana has a love of words. While not central to the story, the Library of Alexandria is a prominent location in it, and book lovers will appreciate the setting.

The Borrower

Author: Rebecca Makkai

Ten-year-old Ian is a bookworm, and young librarian Lucy Hull helps him smuggle books past his overbearing mother. He also might be gay, much to the horror of his parents, who have sent him to conversion classes with Pastor Bob. When he shows up at the library with a plan to run, Lucy finds herself an unwitting kidnapper, driving Ian halfway across the country with a half-formed plan to save him. The bookish references and the belief in the power of books will delight avid readers.

The Giver of Stars

Author: Jojo Moyes

In a small Appalachian town in Kentucky, five women have committed to join the Horseback Librarians of Kentucky, an initiative to bring books to isolated families. Newcomer Alice joins up and finds friendship with the women, independence in the mountains, and camaraderie with the families who love the stories they bring each week. But a little education can be threatening to those in power, and the women become the target of several campaigns to bring them down. 

I loved this historical fiction novel, but I must also mention the controversy around this book and plagiarism concerns raised by Kim Michele Richardson, author of The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek, which covers the same topic. I haven’t read Book Woman yet, but I’d love to hear from readers who have read both.

The Midnight Library

Author: Matt Haig

Nora Seed is ready to end her life–she sees nothing good ahead and only looks back with regret on the paths not taken. But before that decision can be made final, Nora finds herself in a library unlike any other.

In this library, Nora can open any book and explore those untaken paths. As she explores the possibilities, she must decide: will she choose one of these alternate lives, go back to her own life, or end it altogether? A highly imaginative exploration of the “what ifs” of life. More info

The Lions of Fifth Avenue

Author: Fiona Davis

This historical fiction book is backdropped by the New York Public Library, where Laura Lyons’ husband works as the superintendent and the family live in 1913. Laura is pulled into a mystery when valuable books are stolen, and the impact of the theft reverberates 80 years later. This is another book that’s new in 2020 that I haven’t read yet, but I was sold at the premise of LIVING IN THE LIBRARY. ::dies::

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

Author: Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

There aren’t many World War II novels that could be described as “charming,” but The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society is just that. Told as a series of letters between an author in post-World War II England and the residents of the island of Guernsey, we learn how an impromptu book club, invented as an excuse for missing curfew, becomes a touchpoint for the members. Between the epistolary storytelling and the book club at the center of it all, this is truly an ode to power of words.

…And Ladies of the Club

Author: Helen Hooven Santmyer

This modern classic has been on my TBR for ages–so many readers love it. Set in a small southwestern Ohio town from 1868-1932, members of a book club chronicle how their town changes over the years, and what those changes mean to the ladies.

Never Have I Ever

Author: Joshilyn Jackson

When an intriguing woman appears at the neighborhood book club and threatens to derail Amy’s perfect life by revealing secrets she’d rather leave buried, Amy has to figure out who just who the woman is, what she knows, and how to beat her at her own game.

Jackson was on point with her usual quirky, well-developed characters and excellent writing. The book club may not be central, but I love that it’s the catalyst for this a twisty cat-and-mouse game that truly surprises.

The End of Your Life Book Club

Author: Will Schwalbe

When Will Schwalbe’s mother was diagnosed with cancer, he began attending chemotherapy treatments with her and discussing the latest books they had read. This soon grew into a “book club” of two, where mother and son shared book discussions, memories, and thoughts on living.