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The Unknown Unknown

The Unknown Unknown Bookshops and the Delight of Not Getting What You Wanted

Mark Forsyth — 2014
Mark Forsyth – author of the Sunday Times Number One bestseller The Etymologicon – reveals in this essay, specially commissioned for Independent Booksellers Week, the most valuable thing about a really good bookshop. Along the way he considers the wisdom of Donald Rumsfeld, naughty French photographs, why Elizabeth Bennet and Mr Darcy would never have met online, and why only a bookshop can give you that precious thing – what you never knew you were looking for.
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Reviews

Photo of Cristian Garcia
Cristian Garcia@cristian
5 stars
Feb 5, 2023

I have no clue on how I came across this book-essay but I LOVED IT. Got me thinking a whole lot and translated vague thoughts I had into actual sentences. This book was written by someone who realize about the many things we don't know we don't know and that is wonderful. Simply wonderful.

Photo of Capucine Fachot
Capucine Fachot@capucine
5 stars
Jan 30, 2022

brilliant, fun, evocative.

Photo of Ned Summers
Ned Summers @nedsu
5 stars
Jan 31, 2024
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Sabine Delorme@7o9
5 stars
Mar 5, 2022
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Vikas Prasad@boredmonk
4 stars
Jan 11, 2022
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Silvia Morgantini@abitlikemercury
3 stars
Oct 31, 2021
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Laura Leila Marta@lauraleila
4 stars
Oct 31, 2021
Photo of Emiliano Quintana
Emiliano Quintana@medialunadegrasa
5 stars
Sep 15, 2021