Books on Books: Books Written on the Topic of Reading

By Sidney Williams

Often when you get embroiled in a hobby you want everything you consume to be about the hobby. Gamers play games, read game reviews, watch anime about games, watch gaming news or tournaments, people who like sports watch them, watch movies and shows about them, people who like math and science just are absolutely consumed. So, why not reading? Although it seems a little odd to be reading about reading…what are you doing now? There are many wonderful stories, and nonfiction pieces about reading, but lately there’s been some cool releases, and BookPeople of Moscow would like to showcase some of those.

How to Protect Bookstores and Why by Danny Caine 

Author and fellow Indie bookstore owner Danny Caine has written a compelling narrative of why your local indie store matters. Besides helping your local community by creating jobs, bookstores are creative hubs, safe spaces, and often offer more than they appear. He's also previously written How to Resist Amazon and Why which was mentioned briefly in our review of Libro.fm. 

Library of the Dead by T.L Huchu 

If you're a fan of VE Schwab's Shades of Magic series then this should be on your to-read list! It'll hook you from the first page as you follow the lead character's journey as a ghost talker delivering messages from the dead....

Babel by R.F. Kuang

R. F. Kuang is a masterful writer and seems to be able to hit a home run in every genre. Babel is no different. Her pen is her sword and you can tell how much she loves literature, language, and fantasy in this sweeping historical fiction. For those interested in aesthetics, this is considered a prime example of Dark Academia literature (which we have an article covering), taking a place right next to Donna Tartt’s genre defining classic: A Secret History.

Lonely Hearts Book Club by Lucy Gilmore 

The story of Sloane Parker, a lonely librarian, and her friendship with an old grumpy man who consistently visits the library and suddenly falls ill. Aiming to make him feel better Sloane starts a book club that serves as a beacon for the lonely people of the town to converge. A kind-hearted and feel good book, Lonely Hearts Book Club is a wonderful book about how reading can bring even the most unlikely of people together. 

Keeper of the Hidden Books by Madeline Martin

Inspired by the Underground Library which provided books in secret to the Jewish children trapped in Warsaw during WWII. Keeper of Hidden Books follows Zofia Nowak and her friends trying to save as many books as possible from the Nazi as they occupy Poland. An interesting, and well written take on the effects of WWII. 

The Book Haters' Book Club by Gretchen Anthony

Starting the story with bemoaning the death of Elliott, one of the much beloved bookstore owners, it looks like the remaining owner will have to sell the bookstore that always had something for the self-proclaimed “book-hater”. However, those important to Elliott refuse to let the store be sold and resort to anything to keep it. Humorous, with legitimate book recommendations, The Book Haters’ Book Club is a fun read that incorporates the love of books into every page.

Although a little Inception-y, reading about reading is inspiring, and can really remind you why you would love it. Hopefully, these recommendations allow you to jump into this unique subgenre of books.