Mr Penumbra's 24-hour Bookstore

by Robin Sloan | Literature & Fiction |
ISBN: 1782392335 Global Overview for this book
Registered by Tsjara of Zaandam, Noord-Holland Netherlands on 2/10/2015
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5 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by Tsjara from Zaandam, Noord-Holland Netherlands on Tuesday, February 10, 2015
Picked this up from OBCZ-DaCosta (in Amsterdam). It wasn't registered yet.
Heard a lot about this book and was also on my wishlist.. sounds very interesting.

Back of cover:
Recession has shuffled Clay Jannon out of his life as a Web-design drone and serendipity coupled with sheer curiosity has landed him a new job working the night shift at Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore. And it doesn't take long for Clay to realize that the quiet, dusty book emporium is even more curious than the name suggests. There are only a few fanatically committed customers, but they never seem to actually buy anything, instead they simply borrow impossibly obscure volumes perched on dangereously high shelves, all according to some elaborate arrangement with the eccentric proprietor. The store must be a front for something larger, Clay concludes, and soon he has plugged in his laptop, roped in his friends (and a cute girl who works for Google) and embarked on a high-tech analysis of the customers' behaviour. What they discover is an ancient secret that can only be solved by modern means, and a global-conspiracy guarded by Mr. Penumbra himself... who has mysteriously disappeared.

Journal Entry 2 by Tsjara at Assendelft, Noord-Holland Netherlands on Sunday, July 12, 2015
I read this a little while back but looks like I forgot to make a journal entry. :p

This was a charming story with an unusal mixture of books, modern technology, a secret society and geekiness. Plenty of humor and likeable, quirky characters. It has a very contemporary feel (with all that talk about the recession and Google etc.) even as they go on a sort of old-fashioned quest. The middle part felt a bit slow to me, but the story picked up pace again towards the end (and left me feeling all warm and fuzzy :p).

Also, I couldn't help wondering about the typeface Gerritszoon (it's a Dutch name - Gerrit's (Gerard's) son, though Griffo doesn't sound Dutch), so I went to google it.. and it seems to be a fictional typeface (amusing to read all the speculations). The name is a combination of Francesco Griffo and Gerrit Gerritszoon (or Erasmus), who both did work with Aldus Manutius.

Edit: Also read that the cover glows in the dark. Don't know if this version does.. Maybe you could check it azuki ;)

Journal Entry 3 by Tsjara at Assendelft, Noord-Holland Netherlands on Sunday, July 12, 2015

Released 8 yrs ago (7/13/2015 UTC) at Assendelft, Noord-Holland Netherlands

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Happy Birthday Azuki!
Hope you'll enjoy the book and goodies :)


Journal Entry 4 by Azuki at Miami, Florida USA on Thursday, August 6, 2015
Thank you so much Tsjara for your birthday present!! It really made my day!! I love the little owl purse you sent, and of course this book and all the tea, bookmark, candies and mask!

I've heard about this book so very glad to have a copy in my hand. Thanks!! XOXOXXXOOO

Journal Entry 5 by Azuki at Miami, Florida USA on Thursday, January 25, 2018
A rather unusual fiction about books, or rather more specifically, fonts. Yes, can you even imagine a fiction about fonts? A little bit of The Da Vinci Code, a little bit of Ready Player One, a little bit The Shadow of the Wind, it's ancient cult book fanatics meets Silicon Valley geeks.

The plot itself is enough of a draw, throw in a mix of intriguing characters, and you get a highly entertaining, eye-opening, brilliant little book.

The author has published another book, Sourdough, in 2017. I look forward to that one too. I am sure it won't be your average romance about a little corner bakery. Curious to see what crazy plot he can come up with!

PS sorry to disappoint, but nope this cover does not glow at all...

Journal Entry 6 by Azuki at Bookcrossing Convention Bordeaux 2018 in Bordeaux, Aquitaine France on Monday, April 9, 2018

Released 5 yrs ago (4/20/2018 UTC) at Bookcrossing Convention Bordeaux 2018 in Bordeaux, Aquitaine France

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

Releasing at the BookCrossing Convention. Tsjara, wish you could have made it but this little book is joining the convention for you!

Hi! How wonderful you've found one of my books! Thank you so much for checking out the journal. I would really appreciate if you can take a moment to let me know you have it now. Trust me, it'll totally make my day to hear from one of my "wild" books.

Bookcrossing is a wonderful online community of book lovers dedicated to sharing books with each other and the world at large. We are also curious to see how far and wide our books can travel. I would appreciate if you can make a journal entry on this book so we know where the book has been. You don't have to set up an account.

Feel free to keep this book, return it to where you found it, or pass it on to the next reader. If you sign up as a member, you will hear from the book as it travels and gets journaled. Feel free to explore the BookCrossing site, and visit our forum to meet other booklovers. Membership is confidential, free, and spam-free. Happy reading!

Journal Entry 7 by Skyring at Bordeaux, Aquitaine France on Saturday, April 21, 2018
I've been looking for this one for some time. Snatched up with glee from the treasure table in Bordeaux!

Journal Entry 8 by Skyring at Canberra, Australian Capital Territory Australia on Wednesday, May 16, 2018
I read this book on the ship, cruising out to the Canaries. It was my intention to leave it with IslandMomma on Tenerife, but circumstances intervened and we didn't get to spend the planned day together.

Oh well. It WILL get there.

I have a soft spot for San Francisco bookshops. Bay Books at Fort Mason is possibly my very favourite bookshop in all the world. City Lights Books is rightly famed, and there are many more. San Franciscans read a fabulous amount of great books, and their second hand bookshops are Aladdin's Cave.

This book isn't quite the same thing, but it's a quirky bookshop all right, patronised (and staffed) by quirky people. The tale quickly develops, adventures and intrigue ensue, and there's a bit of love in there as well.

Loved it!

Journal Entry 9 by schlickmic at Reid, Australian Capital Territory Australia on Sunday, July 29, 2018
Collected from the street library in Gooreen St, Reid, ACT, Australia.

Journal Entry 10 by wingAnonymousFinderwing at Dunlop, Australian Capital Territory Australia on Sunday, March 3, 2024
Enjoyed this modern day adventure. Plan to give it to someone to take it out of Canberra and off into the world again.

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