A Chat with Alan Mordue for Libraries Week

1. What was your favourite book to read when you were little?

There were no books around when I grew up, so I didn’t read books until I was about 12 when I insisted that I wanted to buy a book on the 15th century explorer. I was then hooked on various books on history, with my main passion being archaeology and ancient history. It wasn’t until many years later that I started to read philosophy and theology in that order.

2. Which library did you visit most often growing up?

Durham City Library- which was an incredible library and had a huge range of books for me to get my teeth into.

3. How did a love of reading influence your decision to sell books?

It was the main reason for me working in Durham University bookshop and then moving into sales in publishing. I could see a new world in books and to be honest they totally changed my life for the better, in ways I can’t even begin to explain.

4. What advice would you give someone who would like to work in book sales?

You have to have a passion for books and want to sell books you believe in to the general public, so I would suggest that anyone interested should think it through very carefully.