The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabriell Zevin

Being somewhat laid up from my automobile accident, I had time to read lots of books. The one I enjoyed the most was The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry which was chosen by my Third Thursday Book Club. It was about a bookseller who lived on a small island and was totally in love with books. At first he seems a little contrary and not so friendly.  Amanda, a young woman who works for a publisher comes with the list of books newly published and he is rude to her and refuses to buy any of her books to sell in his store.

Eventually he turns into a different person when a young mother leaves her baby girl in the bookstore while he stepped out. The note from the mother said her name is Maya and she wants her little girl to grow up around books. Later the mother is found drowned by suicide.

A.J. has never had children or been married. He isn't sure what to do with her, but falls in love with this happy little girl and ends up adopting her. They end up very close and she calls him Daddy.  And as the years go on Amanda, the book seller comes back, and they fall in love, too.  Just having Maya has changed A.J,. Fikry into a much nicer and caring person.

There were twenty-five comments of praise in the beginning pages of this book.I can't put all of them on this blog, but here are some of them:

"Zevin has done something old-fashioned and fairly rare these days. She has written an entertaining novel, modest in its scope, engagind and funny without being cloying or sentimental. On top of all that it is marvelously optimistic about the future of books and bookstores and the people who love both." The Washington Post

"The story of A.J. Fikery's life includes the joys and heartbreaks that happen in most of our lives and the books that make our lives richer,. Anyone who loves books, bookstores and the world that reading opens up will love this book." The Wichita Eagle

"Wonderful , thoughtful and touching . . . There is a love story, yes, but it's handled with a sensitivity and genuine clarity that is both surprising and refreshing . . . A powerful novel" The Toronto Globe and Mail

"This novel has humor, romance, a touch of suspense, but most of all love ---love of books and bookish people and, really, all of humanity in its imperfect glory." Eowyn Iveym, author of The Snow Child.

I passed the book on to my sisters to read. I haven't heard from them yet what they thought.

Have you read this book?
Do you think you'd like to read it?
What is a book you enjoyed?