Discover new kitchen selections
Buy used:
$5.67
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime
FREE delivery May 3 - 7 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Or fastest delivery April 30 - May 4
Used: Good | Details
Sold by GreatBookDealz
Fulfilled by Amazon
Condition: Used: Good
Comment: Book is in good condition and may include underlining highlighting and minimal wear. The book can also include From the library of labels. May not contain miscellaneous items toys dvds etc. . We offer 100% money back guarantee and 24 7 customer service. Free 2-day shipping with Amazon Prime!

Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) is a service we offer sellers that lets them store their products in Amazon's fulfillment centers, and we directly pack, ship, and provide customer service for these products. Something we hope you'll especially enjoy: FBA items qualify for FREE Shipping and Amazon Prime.

If you're a seller, Fulfillment by Amazon can help you grow your business. Learn more about the program.

Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items.
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

Josephine Carr
Follow
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

The Dewey Decimal System of Love Paperback – September 2, 2003

by Josephine Carr (Author)
4.1 out of 5 stars 23 ratings
Forty-year-old librarian Alison Sheffield finds her proper, staid, and quiet life turned upside down when she falls head over heels in love. A first novel. Original.
Previous slide of product details
  1. Print length
    251 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    NAL Trade
  4. Publication date
    September 2, 2003
  5. Dimensions
    5.5 x 0.62 x 7.94 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0451209710
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0451209719
Next slide of product details
"Layla" by Colleen Hoover for $7.19
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover comes a novel that explores life after tragedy and the enduring spirit of love. | Learn more

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

After 15 celibate years, librarian Ally Sheffield is in love, and the object of her newfound affections is gorgeous maestro Aleksi Kullio, the latest conductor of the Philadelphia Philharmonic. The fact that Aleksi is already married is a mere obstacle for Ally, since she knows deep in her soul that the two of them were meant to be together. As Ally tries to figure out a way to get Aleksi to notice her, she discovers some interesting things about her friends, her coworkers, and herself. Carr's tale sparkles with sharp, clever, and occasionally earthy humor, and sassy, unconventional Ally is a terrific protagonist. The choice of which man is really right for Ally may be obvious early on to some readers, but much of the pleasure in this wonderfully amusing novel comes from Carr's realistic depiction of the everyday pleasures and occasional downsides to working in a library; her wonderfully quirky, all too real characters; and her delightfully acerbic prose. John Charles
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

...a most bizarre, unpredictable and thoroughly delightful mess that keeps the pages turning and the laughs coming. -- Tampa Tribune, July 27, 2003

Carr's tale sparkles with sharp, clever, and occasionally earthy humor, and sassy, unconventional Ally is a terrific protagonist. -- Booklist, August 1, 2003

Carr...has a knack for quirky characters. -- Kirkus, July 15, 2003

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ NAL Trade; First Edition (September 2, 2003)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 251 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0451209710
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0451209719
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 11.2 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.62 x 7.94 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.1 out of 5 stars 23 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Josephine Carr

Josephine Carr

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read book recommendations and more.

Customer reviews

4.1 out of 5 stars
23 global ratings

Review this product

Share your thoughts with other customers
Write a customer review

Top reviews from the United States

  • Britttttt
    5.0 out of 5 stars It's amazing!
    Reviewed in the United States on March 21, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    For years I have loved this book, it's my absolute favorite. I've moved around a lot in my life and sometimes lost a copy or three but I always make sure to get a new one. I will forever be reading The Dewey Decimal System of Love. Thank you so much!
    Helpful
     Report
  • ECStilson
    5.0 out of 5 stars Such a fun read!
    Reviewed in the United States on May 2, 2012
    Verified Purchase
    I absolutely love this book. I couldn't wait to see what would happen. This author is one of my favorites because she has such an amazing talent for writing!
    Helpful
     Report
  • audrey frances
    3.0 out of 5 stars borrow from the library -- don't buy it
    Reviewed in the United States on August 23, 2005
    Verified Purchase
    Yes, I'm a librarian, but I don't downgrade much for stereotypes and I'm totally willing to suspend disbelief, so the reaon I rated this only three stars is that the premise was not very plausible and the story was goofy.

    Allison Sheffield, local librarian, has "long auburn hair and perfect skin" and "looks half her age of forty". Really? have you ever known ANYONE who was 40 but looked 20? Ten years younger I could believe, but twenty? And that was the problem with this book for me -- it is certainly not terrible, but it always goes just a bit too far in what it asks the reader to believe. Let's see, Ally's been celibate for 15 years, but suddenly she is in love with a married symphony conductor whom she's never met, and now she does any number of unusual things in order to get him. Ouch.

    Characters were well developed, the ending was well done and it is a quick read, so this is not terrible, but I'd recommend you borrow it from your local library rather than purchase it.

    if you're interested in a librarian protagonist, check out Larry Beinhart's The Librarian instead, a political thriller.
    10 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Kindle Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Quirky Romantic Comedy That Delivers
    Reviewed in the United States on December 2, 2003
    Josephine Carr's romantic comedy will leave you wondering how someone so talented could be known for writing in the suspense genre. "The Dewey Decimal System of Love" was a treasure that I found among the tables of urban literature. I was intrigued by the twist of the plot. Ally is a sensual librarian who has been celibate for fifteen years.
    Meet Alison `Ally' Sheffield, the head reference librarian at the Free Library of Philadelphia. She has a shield of propriety to protect her by day: boring clothes, hair up, and a detached approach. However, when she is on her own, she scoots around town in a sporty convertible, relaxes in her luxuriously restored apartment, and attends the Philadelphia Philharmonic. The heart stopping change in Ally comes when she meets the new conductor of the Philharmonic, Aleksi Kullio. To get closer to Aleksi, Ally volunteers to organize the music library that the Philharmonic has dumped into a storage room. Imaging Ally's thrill when she comes across a letter between conductors that will aid Aleksi in the direction of his current symphony. In a concurrent plot, Ally is assisting Aleksi's wife, Michelle, in doing research on a book she is writing. Ally becomes suspicious that Michelle wants to kill to Aleksi, since she is researching poisons.
    As any woman in love, Ally asks for assistance from her best friend, Suzanne. Suzanne is currently a stay-at-home mom but was a lawyer in the not too distant past. She agrees with Ally that Michelle is up to something, so she agrees to help Ally tail her. Needless to say, mayhem occurs. As the reader, you are given enough crumbs to keep you reading but not enough to see the big picture. I like to be kept in the dark and guessing.
    With a cast of minor characters that keep Ally's life colorful, you want to see her happy. She has a humanness about her that grabs you and keeps you interested even though she is unlike anyone you know. Ms. Carr has a gifted prose and the story flows even throughout the book. I certainly hope she undertakes another romantic comedy since she successfully created a refreshing breath of air with this novel.
    4 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • M. H. Bayliss
    5.0 out of 5 stars utterly charming
    Reviewed in the United States on December 10, 2003
    I was kind of surprised how much others seemed to have HATED this book. I admit, it's not a "serious" or deep novel, but I did find it charming and laughed out loud on at least 10 seprate occasions. Sure, there are some gaps in the plot (but it's not a really plot driven book) like what ever was the conductor's wife doing anyway?) but the scenes were just, well, funny and charming in their own way. Yes there are stereotypes, but they make us laugh at ourselves and our own habits, not at librarians in general. I think it's silly for librarians to be up in arms when the character is so likable. She's the first to admit how silly some of her habits and emotional disabilities are. It comes down to this -- if you want a light book of fiction that will make you laugh and has a happy ending, this is a terrific and downright fun book. If you're looking for the next Ulysses, well this isn't it. I bet none of the librarian critics caught the sly reference to Yeats' poem the Lake Isle of Innisfree -- come to think of it, maybe they didn't get lots of subtle wit and humor.
    12 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Kindle Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Adorable!
    Reviewed in the United States on December 15, 2003
    I was also amazed by all the vicious reviews of this book. Perhaps because I, like Ally, am a single librarian who prefers
    long dresses to mini-skirts, but I loved this book. It was quirky, fun and a great read. I am in my first year at Florida
    State, earning my Masters degree in Library Science, and I urged all my classmates to read this adorable book. Ally makes me proud to be a librarian!
    2 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • C. Hill
    3.0 out of 5 stars a few funny moments, but pretty shallow
    Reviewed in the United States on July 6, 2004
    Verified Purchase
    This was a fun and silly book in some ways, the kind you occasionaly read just for fun. I also appreciated reading about the personal life of a librarian since I am a librarian myself. Ally is basically a fun character to read about. But sometimes the characters' lack of depth kind of ruined the book for me. The whole scene between Lou and Ed towards the end was completely contrived and cheesey and seemed really out of place in the story. And the end of the book was very abrupt and a little lame. It just kind of fizzled out. All in all, it's a fun little book, but don't go looking for a good plot or in-depth characters.
    5 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report