Especially since I'm in it! You may already be familiar with my fellow bookseller Jen Campbell and her blog, This is Not the Six Word Novel - but have you seen her Weird Things Customers Say in Bookshops posts? They're hilarious - and tragically familiar to anyone working in the book business - and now they've been made into a book!I've already read my copy cover to cover, and it is simultaneously hilarious and a little bit tragic. The illustrations, by The Brothers McLeod, are the icing on the cake! Split into three sections, Jen has covered her time at the Edinburgh Bookshop and Ripping Yarns in London (where she currently works), as well as collecting crackers from other booksellers all over the world for the third section, 'Weird Things Customers Say in Other Bookshops'. Which is where our little Derbyshire bookshop comes in! I sent Jen a handful of the pearlers we've had thrown our way over the last couple of years, and was well chuffed when one of my own favourites was chosen, haha!
You definitely don't need to be a bookseller to appreciate the humour - just a love of books, I think! A couple of my favourite gems from the book, just to give you a flavour:
~ CUSTOMER: Do you have any books by Jane Eyre?**********
~ CUSTOMER: Doesn't it bother you, being surrounded by books all day? I think I'd be paranoid they were all going to jump off the shelves and kill me.
BOOKSELLER: . . .
**********
~ CUSTOMER: Do you stock Nigella Lawson under 'Sex' or 'Cookery'?
**********
~ CHILD: Mum, look, it's the book of A Hundred and One Dalmatians. Can I get a hundred and one puppies?
CHILD'S MOTHER: No, dear, you've already got a hamster. That's quite enough.
**********
Are you smiling already? Well, good! Weird Things Customers Say in Bookshops is published by Constable & Robinson, and is hitting shop shelves near you round about NOW! And remember - be nice to your friendly local bookseller. You never know who's listening... ; )
Looking forward to buying this book.
ReplyDeleteI've always worried that the books I have here even in my home library would jump off and start attacking me. :D
ReplyDeleteSounds like an awesome book :D
ReplyDeleteSounds great! And how cool that you're in it!
ReplyDeleteI don't think I'm a nice enough person to read this.... Comments like the first one just irritate me BEYOND BELIEF, as well as the ones that snub books when they're in a BOOKSHOP.
ReplyDeleteThe other three comments are hilarious though, especially Nigella Lawson one :)
It's awesome that you're in it though!
I love the Jane Eyre comment.
ReplyDeleteIt reminds me of when I was working retail at a clothing store... Many interesting customer comments about sizing and selection.