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Title:	Librarianist, The
Authors:	deWitt, Patrick
Genre:	Fiction
Pages:	352
Year:	2023
Language:	English
Description:	All is well with retired librarian Bob Comet, as long as he has his books and his walks. However, the usual pattern of his days is disrupted when he returns a confused elderly woman to her rest home and ends up volunteering there. In his dealing with the many quirky residents of the seniors' centre, it is Bob's life that ends up under the microscope: from a never-to-be-forgotten runaway childhood adventure, a brief foray into marriage, to the mainstay of his being - his life as a librarian. Told with humour and empathy, this is a moving character study of a solitary man experiencing the simplicity and contentment of an unremarkable life.
Categories:	Fiction, Literary, Contemporary, Grief/loss, Humour, Relationships, USA, America, Just Added, 2026 Titles

Reviews

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By: AUCK 458		2025-06-25 13:52:54

A slow burn, a gentle easy read with some lessons on life... if not a little dull for some of us.

By: WHANGA 004		2025-06-23 14:39:14

Seemed to go off track when Bob left home as a child, but otherwise an excellent read.

By: AUCK 027		2025-04-07 10:15:32

Very divided opinions - some really loved it while others couldn't finish! But it got us all involved in lively discussion, which is great.

By: HAMIL 029		2025-03-04 15:32:18

Well! The group was divided between those who hated the book, those who tolerated it, and one person who really enjoyed it. The haters found it hard to relate to Bob, the story without a real plot and no resolution. Like the Blenheim group, they queried the long runaway section and its relevance to later action or character development. On the plus side, the others enjoyed the characterisation for its humanity and humour. We decided to differ on our ability to identify with Bob in his ordered and lonely life, and the strange solution to loneliness that chance brings him.

By: BLENH 029		2024-12-02 09:52:33

A quirky contemporary read with great character development but some lack of resolution. The running away section seemed in the 'wrong place' - occupied a lot of the book and ended abruptly.