The Door-to-Door Bookstore

Description

“I’m so glad there are books in the world. I hope that’s one thing that never changes!”

What a delightful book this is! ‘The Door-to-Door Bookstore’, written by Carsten Henn takes the readers into a different dimension altogether. The author has particularly ensured that the readers are on the edge of their seats with each page bringing in new flair to the story.

This novel portrays a unique bond between elderly 72-year-old bookseller Carl Christian Kollhoff and a 9-year-old girl.

Carl has dedicated his entire life to working at the ‘City Gate Bookshop’, set in a town in Germany. One of his greatest joys is personally delivering books to his clients, tailored to their individual reading preferences. He has an exceptional talent for recommending books that perfectly align with his client’s preferences, circumstances, and moods. His suggestions are consistently spot-on, showcasing his keen understanding of what will resonate with each individual.

“Paper is carbon, he thought. We humans are the same. Books and humans are made of the same stuff.”

One evening while walking in his regular neighborhood, a 9-year-old girl comes up to him and introduces herself as Schascha. She sees him daily from her window. One day her curiosity gets to the best of her, and she decides to join Carl to find out to whom he delivers all those nicely wrapped packets. This cheerful little girl in a yellow raincoat quickly connects with Carl.

The best part of Schascha meeting Carl is that she too, has a deep understanding and knowledge of books and knows exactly what not to suggest to the clients. Meanwhile, Carl is now part of his clients’ lives, sharing their emotions and experiences. He constantly makes efforts to help them during their tough times.

Initially, Carl thinks of Schascha as an annoying little girl with no maturity. He constantly tells her to leave him alone. The story unfurls into Carl realizing that Schascha is more alike than he imagined. She is better at understanding people and books at times. Both share a similar outlook on books, but one has experience while the other has a curious, unique approach.

She helps him understand that although his clients choose to order the books he recommends daily, their selections are influenced by their current circumstances. For example, one client, a domestic abuse victim, prefers sad stories with tragic endings. Schascha gives her books with positive outcomes to improve her mindset.

“It has been said that books find their own readers—but sometimes they need someone to show them the way.”

As destiny would have it, the bookshop where Carl has dedicated nearly his entire life is now inherited by a new owner who believes in modernization. To her, the practice of personally delivering books appears to be an outdated endeavor. Carl’s heart breaks when he is abruptly fired from the City Gate Bookshop by the new owner. He loses his reason for living: recommending and delivering books to his cherished clients.

The story gracefully navigates through Carl’s challenges and his journey to redemption.

“He’d often dreamed of dying while reading, with a book in his hand so riveting, the transition from life to death passed him by unnoticed.”

The author has seamlessly amalgamated the perspectives of both the young and the old. The central theme of the story is the protagonists’ love for books, their passion for reading, and the selfless bonds they create along the way.

The book highlights several heart-wrenching moments, reminding us that life is unpredictable, yet goodwill helps us through tough times. Heart-to-heart relationships can often hold more significance than blood ties.

The translator, Melody Shaw has executed the translation exceptionally well.

Every character in the book is articulately described and well-developed. The plot remains consistent and has not wandered off-track even for a single scene. The charm lies in the writing, as the author has elegantly managed to evoke a plethora of emotions that will last for a long time.

“Do you know, people are increasingly neglecting to read? And yet between those covers, you’ll find people, their stories. Within each book lies a heart that begins to beat when someone reads it, because it makes a connection with the reader.”