The dreamiest job in the world

Bookseller Philip Blackwell, scion of the family that owned — from 1879 until 2006 — the Blackwell’s chain of bookshops in the United Kingdom, has advertised a vacancy in his new pop-up bookshop in the luxury resort of Soneva Fushi in the Maldives.

The shop will serve wealthy patrons who vacation at the resort, where villas can cost anywhere from $2,000 a night for a one-bedroom property to $26,000 for a nine-bedroom haven of luxury. As such, the mix on offer will be titles relevant to island and marine life as well as those that will appeal to the rich clientele who are, according to Blackwell, “highly educated, enquiring people who want to relax and get away from things, but also think a bit and better themselves.”

The resort shop is an extension of Blackwell’s Ultimate Library, which provides bespoke, carefully curated book collections for hotels, cruise ships, retail spaces as well as private residences.

The successful applicant will receive “derisory” pay but unparalleled fringe benefits and living arrangements on the beautiful island of Baa Atoll. They will also be required to commit three months to the position, host creative writing workshops, write a “lively blog” about their experiences as a desert island bookseller, mingle with some of the world’s top celebrities and entertain children with storytelling.

Published in Dawn, Books & Authors, August 26th, 2018