Meet a Bookseller: Nathaniel Hattrick

Happy Meet a Bookseller Monday! We’re excited to introduce bookseller Nathaniel Hattrick of Ballast Book Company in Bremerton, Washington.

How did you get into bookselling?

It started as a part-time job when I was 16. The owner, Suzanne, said that I spent enough time in the store that I might as well be working there. Bookselling has since been a job that I have returned to over and over until just over a year and half ago when I took over as the manager of Liberty Bay Books’ Bremerton store.

What do you love most about being a bookseller?

I love the recommendations I get to share and the ones I get from customers. There is something almost magical in the way that independent bookstores create an atmosphere of sharing and love of books.

What do you love most about your bookstore?

I love our community here at the store and our bookclubs! Some of the best and most interesting conversations I’ve had have been in the store. I love getting to meet day travelers coming in and knowing more about our regulars and their reading habits!

What are you listening to right now?

I am listening to I think three different audiobooks right now: Children of Virtue and Vengeance by Tomi Adeyemi (during my commute), Words on Fire by Jennifer A. Nielsen or Across That Bridge by John Lewis (during my down time), and Don’t Believe a Word by David Shariatmadari (when I cook)!

What audiobooks would you recommend or are among your favorites?

I absolutely loved The Good Neighbor by Maxwell King and Talking to Strangers by Malcolm Gladwell. The Good Neighbor is read by LeVar Burton and is one of the best matches of subject matter to reader that I have come across in a long time! Talking to Strangers I think is a brilliant experience in audio form because Gladwell has chosen, as much as he could, to let the reader listen to things he quotes in their original words by playing audio clips of interviews or broadcasts.

Where / when do you listen to audiobooks?

I do most of my listening on my commute or when I am cooking. I got tired of my staticky radio and love listening on my Bluetooth speaker in the car!

What is your favorite thing about audiobooks through Libro.fm?

I love supporting my store the most, but I also love Libro.fm’s support of cage-free audiobooks! It’s a small thing, but I also love that I can adjust the speed of narration in the app.

What do you do when you’re not selling books?

When I’m not selling books I am usually cooking with friends or playing board and role-playing games!