The Librarianist

I absolutely adored it. I loved Bob - his position over to the side of charisma and horribleness, out of the game, his notions and his demeanour ... This beautiful book took me far away from all my concerns. It’s so wonderful, soothing and heartbreaking -- Nina Stibbe
Tidily crafted and pleasantly life-affirming * Irish Times *
A lovely curio of a novel * Spectator *
This whimsical novel from former Booker Prize finalist deWitt is a delight * Mail on Sunday *
Full of subtle reflections on contemporary life and has a deceptively biting humour * independent.co.uk *
Memorable characters and a strain of burlesque comedy swirl through this story spanning the life of a retired librarian ... deWitt takes us on a waltzer of a ride, twisting through Bob’s life * Financial Times *
deWitt is one of the great literary ventriloquists, producing funny, quirky, richly imagined novels shaped each time by a wildly different narrative voice * Daily Mail *
A poignant character study ... deWitt’s writing and endearing characters create a memorable world * Los Angeles Times *
Light, bright, beguiling, a quirky delight ... DeWitt’s great gift lies in his ability to depict the Everyman in extremis – heroism hidden in plain sight * Telegraph *
“I found the whole reading experience utterly charming … The dialogue is fresh and characters come alive immediately on the page ... There’s simply an energy to deWitt’s books that make them pleasurable to spend time with, and that’s all on display in The Librarianist * Chicago Tribune *
One of his best * New European *
Wildly imaginative, genre-defying * Washington Post, Books of the Summer 2023 *
This engrossing fictional portrait of a retired librarian volunteering at an old folks home unspools its main character’s life - betrayals, loss, triumphs - with humor and tenderness * Vanity Fair *
That Patrick deWitt has pulled off this deceptively risky style of narrative is proof of his considerable skills as an author * The Lady *
A touching, affectionate novel, showing … that engagement in old age is a courageous act to be applauded * Big Issue *
The great chronicler of American weirdos is back with his warmest novel yet ... No one writes loopier, funnier dialogue * Slate *
A character study of almost defiant gentleness * The Times *
Gripping, random, and totally alive ... Readers come to deWitt for his brand of slightly off-kilter storytelling blessed with exuberant characterizations, gleeful dialogue, and a proprietary blend of darkness and charm, all strung up in lights here * Booklist *
An old man’s routines are interrupted by a woman in pink in this wistful fable … A quietly effective and moving character study * Kirkus (starred review) *
deWitt imbues the people he meets with color and quirks, leaving a trail of sparks ... This one gradually takes hold until it won’t let go * Publishers Weekly *
Praise for French Exit: 'Made me so happy ... Brilliant, addictive, funny and wise -- Andrew Sean Greer, author of Less
My favourite book of his yet -- Maria Semple, author of Where'd You Go, Bernadette
Pure joy * Mail on Sunday *
Buoyantly insane * New Yorker *
Dazzling . deWitt writes in a gorgeously relaxed, freeform style, dabbing a clause here, a phrase there. The book is studded with tiny pleasures . Sharp and strange . DeWitt's particular comic genius is to evoke the darkness behind the dazzle ... Whichever style he adopts or genre he inhabits, deWitt remains a true original * Guardian *