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The Unknown Unknown
The Unknown Unknown: Bookshops and the delight of not getting what you wanted | Mark Forsyth
18 posts | 7 read | 1 reading | 5 to read
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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KarenUK
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Pickpick

Helen, this was lovely! @squirrelbrain Kept me occupied while waiting for my mammogram! 🤦‍♀️Thank you for putting it in my hands…. So perfect for me! A humorous romantic little essay, on the joys of picking books you never knew you needed or wanted…. i.e. the total joy of browsing a bookstore. 💕📚
#pop22 #onesittingread #booked2022 #titlerepeats

alisiakae That sounds like a delightful little read! 2y
squirrelbrain Glad you enjoyed it - and it worked for two challenges too…yay! 😁 2y
BarbaraTheBibliophage Fun!! (Of course … bookshops …) 🤓 2y
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Cinfhen Oh that‘s just perfect!!! And yay for #SelfCare #GettingSquished 2y
BarbaraBB This sounds good! I have this one waiting for me too thanks to @squirrelbrain 🤍 2y
KarenUK @Cinfhen That hashtag! 😂😂😂😂💕💕💕💕 2y
Cinfhen Xxxxxx 2y
64 likes2 stack adds7 comments
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jhod
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Thanks so much Helen! Lovely notebook and looks like a v interesting essay, not seen this version before, so cute!! Back from the Lakes and pleased to be reunited with my kindle which I had forgotten!! Merry Christmas!
@squirrelbrain

Cathythoughts Lovely ! Happy holidays to you 📚🎄❤️ 2y
squirrelbrain Hope you had a lovely time in the Lakes, Jess! 2y
61 likes2 comments
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rockpools
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Pickpick

Thank you Helen!
I really enjoyed this little book on the joy of bookshops (and the great sage Donald Rumsfeld!) And I love the idea of bibliomancy with PG Wodehouse 😁.

The notebook is so much fun as well (we‘ve been trying out elephant yoga & cat exercises this week, not to mention reading about dragons doing ballet, so fox dancing is just perfect!)- can‘t wait to find the perfect project for it.

Hope you and yours had a lovely Christmas 😘

squirrelbrain You‘re welcome Rachel! Sounds like you had a lovely Christmas - I‘m assuming it was your niece who was doing the cat yoga etc?! 2y
rockpools @squirrelbrain Why yes, how did you guess?! We were trying to copy these (especially the green one!) https://bit.ly/3EyBjSx And then of course there‘s 2y
rockpools Did you have a good Christmas Helen? 2y
squirrelbrain Looks like fun! 😁 We had a lovely Christmas thank you - a quiet one and then lots of visitors since the big day, but all coming to see the puppy, not us! 🤣 2y
48 likes1 stack add5 comments
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eraderneely
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Thank you @squirrelbrain !
I‘m going to spend all day debating what to use the notebook for 😂

squirrelbrain Hope you‘re having a lovely day! Loving that you‘re covered in bows - did your daughter do that?! Is she old enough to understand this year? 😘 2y
Cathythoughts Lovely! And gorgeous picture ❤️ 2y
eraderneely @squirrelbrain she did do that. And made sure to add one for baby brother. She‘s loving Christmas this year, especially as her grandparents are here! 2y
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squirrelbrain Oh a little boy, how lovely! And it must be so nice for her to have grandparents there too, and for you after all this time. 😘 2y
julesG Congratulations! 🎊 2y
eraderneely @julesG thanks! 2y
21 likes6 comments
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julesG
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Pickpick

Christmas morning reading.

Delightful essay about the unknown you can discover in a bookshop.

Thank you, @squirrelbrain! 😘😘😘

erzascarletbookgasm Merry Christmas 🎄 2y
Cathythoughts ❤️🎄 2y
AmyG Merry Christmas 🎄🎁 2y
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julesG #AVeryMerryReadathon @TheSpineView - forgot this runs until the 31st 🤦🏻‍♀️ 2y
TheSpineView @julesG No worries! 2y
Nute I enjoy making new discoveries in bookstores and leaving with different books than what was previously planned. Stacking! 2y
65 likes1 stack add6 comments
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Caroline2
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Thank you Helen for my Christmas goodies! 😃 The little book sounds really interesting and the notebook is the perfect size for me to take to work. Thank you. 😘 ❤️ #jbuk

squirrelbrain You‘re welcome! Your tree looks wonderful! 2y
66 likes1 comment
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Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

I am still having problems unfollowing certain hashtags. Can someone tell me how they are doing in it?

Melissa_J Is it because some are still showing up in your feed? Maybe the user misspelled the hashtag? I‘ve had a few I‘ve muted show up in my feed but only because of a mistake in how the hashtag was typed out. 5y
Crazeedi Didnt know you could do this! Learn something new every day! 5y
Blaire I didn‘t know you could follow hashtags on litsy! This would be so helpful in keeping up. 5y
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CindyMyLifeIsLit So how do you do it? I couldn‘t figure it out . . . 🤷‍♀️ 5y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @CindyMyLifeIsLit @Melissa_J @Crazeedi @Blaire you‘re supposed to able to from the online site... People have been complaining about some of the hashtags so they came up with a way to mute them 🤷🏼‍♀️ They do t bother me that much I just scroll on! I just wanted to see how it worked. 5y
Blaire @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks I didn‘t even know there was an online site!?! Behind the litsy times. 5y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @Blaire yeah if your not on Facebook you miss the onward Litsy stuff... I‘m not on there much.. check out @Litsy 💗 5y
Litsy I'd love more specific info. We've discovered that a small percent of posts that are tagged something in the text never had their tag marked in the database. This means that they won't show up if you search for the tag. It also means they won't be excluded if you exclude the tag. We're trying to track down how and why this happens, but it's a 1% sort of thing. If your problem is way more than 1%, then it's something different. Examples will help. 5y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @Litsy I finally figured it out! Thank you! I‘m not sure if the people who are not on Facebook know what is going on... 5y
46 likes9 comments
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Debdeb

Thought this article might be of interest ... reminded me of an essay I read and loved the concept of (tagged book) https://bigthink.com/personal-growth/do-i-own-too-many-books?xrs=RebelMouse_fb&t...

Dragon Buying more books 👍💐😀 5y
23 likes1 comment
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Nuwanda
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Okay, Littens. I have been trying to find the name of a book for WEEKS now. I feel like maybe Stone is in the title and it is sort a fake biography of a man‘s life. The cover might have an old-timey looking portrait of a guy (I think with glasses) on it. I know that‘s not much to go on, and I haven‘t posted forever, but I figured the hive mind of Litsy could help!

8little_paws Pretty sure it's this 5y
Nuwanda @8little_paws YES! That‘s it! Thank you!! 5y
Tamra Stoner is my favorite novel! 5y
14 likes3 comments
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oddandbookish
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Omg I hit 10k!

erzascarletbookgasm 😃🎊👏 6y
callielafleur 👏👏👏🎉🎉🎉 6y
Birdsong28 Congrats 🎊🎉📚📖 6y
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tournevis 🕺💃🕺💃🕺💃🕺💃 6y
Pamwurtzler Yay! 6y
hes7 Yay! 🎉 6y
Reviewsbylola 🎉🎉🎉 6y
Ddzmini Congratulations 🎉🎊🎈 6y
50 likes8 comments
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Sharpeipup
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1. Not sure to be honest
2. Can‘t stop the feeling by JT
3. A bookstore
4. I don‘t like clothes shopping
5. Blue
6. Vanilla
7. BBQ
8. Seasons 52
9. Jason‘s Deli
10. Autumn
11. Morning
12. December (people are usually happier)
13. Thanksgiving
#favorite #favourite

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Peddler410
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Yay! @KimM sent me this book from our #blinddatewithabook 🙂 She also sent me a bonus book! Although I forgot to log in and claim my choice, Kim's book was one on my list. I will post a little later when I open 😊

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Peddler410
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Yay! My #cupidgoespostal package arrived! My daughter is very excited to help me open everything next week -- and the letter is addressed to & family!
We can't wait ! Thanks @Annl

Annl Yeah! 🎉 7y
39 likes1 comment
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ytzem
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Pickpick

It was a really short read but enjoyable..always loved Mark Forsyth and his word play which required me to stop and think for a minute. Just like the book said we are always gonna find the unknown unknown in a good bookshop 😊

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ytzem
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this is some of the books I've chose for BetterWorldBooks Reading Challenge 2017. Hopefully I get to read this all by the end of year 😄 Currently reading: The Unknown Unknown by Mark Forsyth

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Bookworm83
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So, my #bookmail is at home and I'm not 😩and won't be for a couple more hours. #bookwormproblems

BooksTeasAndBookishThings Ahhh BOTM is still en route for me! So jealous!!! 😍 7y
LeahBergen Lucky 🍀 7y
Theresa I may need to stay off Litsy for a few days. My Book Riot book mail arrived but I'm away until late Monday night & I want to avoid spoilers. 😆 7y
Bookworm83 @Theresa I can understand that. I won't ruin it for you...I promise 😊 7y
58 likes4 comments
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little_edition
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Was könnte passender für ein erstes Hallo auf Litsy sein als Mark Forsyth und der glückliche Umstand, am Welttag des Buches im Buchladen zu sein:)

1 like1 stack add