Chapter 99: Doug the Bookseller on bookstore belonging and bottomless bibliomania

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Just dial 416-482-5665 and chances are Doug Miller will pick up the phone at Doug Miller Books, an incredible stuffed-to-the-ceiling bookstore that represents a mere sliver of the over 500,000-book collection of self-described bibliomaniac Doug Miller. Why do I say chances are? Well, Doug works in his shop 364 days a week. He comes mid-morning every day and shovels the front walks of six of his neighbors in Koreatown in Toronto, Canada.

I have known Doug Miller for over ten years and it was a rare treat to spend an afternoon with him, with you, and with (as you’ll hear) an ever-growing ‘shush’ of booklovers. As we we tip up against Chapter 100 of 3 Books — four years of this conversation! — I thought where better to spend time than in an incredible bookstore.

We discuss why publishers ‘hate’ authors and booksellers, bibliophilia as a lifestyle choice, processing grief, helping reluctant readers, and, of course, Doug Miller’s three most formative books.

I hope you enjoy this aural feast with the incredible Doug Miller.

Let’s flip the page into Chapter 99 now…

What You'll Learn:

  • Why do publishers hate bookstores?

  • How can we expand ourselves?

  • Who was Edward Gorey? William Faulkner?

  • What is the real business of selling books?

  • What books should we read when we deal with grief?

  • How do you get reluctant readers to read?

  • Why do we need help picking books sometimes?

  • Why is non fiction so popular these days?

  • What can small bookstores do that big book chains cannot?

  • Why has it never been harder and never been easier to publish a book?

  • Why is it so difficult to pinpoint a formative book?

Notable quotes from doug miller

“Owning a bookstore isn’t a business — it’s a lifestyle.” Doug Miller #3bookspodcast.”

“I always joke that publishers hate two things: they hate authors and they hate bookstores.” Doug Miller #3bookspodcast

“It doesn’t matter what you read just as long as you read.” Doug Miller (quoting his mom) #3bookspodcast

”There’s a multitude of material out there to be discovered. I think it’s vital to the books industry and to being a human being. You’ve gotta become interested to make yourself more interesting.” Doug Miller #3bookspodcast

“When it comes to grief, first we are a part of it, then we deal with it and then we are witness to it.” Doug Miller #3bookspodcast

“Never lie about reading a book. It will blow up in your face.” Doug Miller #3bookspodcast

“You read books, you’re interesting.” Doug Miller #3bookspodcast

doug miller books:

  • website

  • 650 Bloor Street West, Toronto

  • Tel: 416.482.56.65

word of the chapter:

Resources Mentioned:

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