Books › Weird things customers say in bookshops
Weird things customers say in bookshops
188 pages
A hilarious, bite-sized tribute to the baffling and wonderful oddities of the reading public.
What it feels like
Reading this collection feels like leaning over the counter of a cozy, slightly dusty independent bookstore to share a conspiratorial whisper with the staff. It is a delightfully brisk and breezy experience, built entirely from bite-sized snippets of dialogue that range from the innocently confused to the utterly unhinged. The mood is lighthearted but laced with the specific, wry exasperation known only to those who have worked in retail. Because it is formatted as a series of quick quotes and brief anecdotes, you can devour it in a single sitting or dip in and out whenever you need a quick laugh. It will thoroughly delight bookworms, library regulars, and anyone who has ever survived a customer service job, leaving you with a renewed, affectionate awe for the sheer eccentricity of the general public.
- Mood
- cozy
- amusing
- mildly chaotic
- Tone
- wry
- deadpan
- affectionate
- exasperated
- Pace
- brisk
- Themes
- the absurdity of retail · human eccentricity · bookish camaraderie · the magic of bookstores
- The writing
- Minimalist and dialogue-driven, relying on sharp comedic timing and deadpan delivery to highlight the absurdity of each exchange.
- The arc
- A steady stream of chuckles that builds into a fond, exasperated appreciation for the bizarre depths of human eccentricity.
- Who it's for
- Anyone who has ever worked in customer service or spent hours browsing the aisles of an independent bookstore.
About the book
Customer: Have you read every single book in here?
Bookseller: No, I can't say I have.
Customer: Well, you're not very good at your job, are you?
A simple Twitter question posed by John Cleese-"What is your pet peeve?" -inspired Jen Campbell to start a blog collecting all the ridiculous conversations overheard in her bookstore, everything from "Did Beatrix Potter ever write a book about dinosaurs?" to the hunt for a paperback which could forecast the next year’s weather; from "I've forgotten my glasses, please read me the first chapter" to "Excuse me... is this book edible?"; and from "Can books conduct electricity?" to "My children are just climbing your bookshelves: that's ok... isn't it?"
If we didn't know it already, this irresistible book is proof positive that booksellers are heroes, the world over.
Description from Open Library.
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