Booksellers Share Their Absurd, Surreal Moments

Inspired by Shelf Awareness' "Notes From an ER Bookseller," booksellers and former booksellers let off some steam this week, sharing their odd, aggravating, and all-too-common bookstore moments. Most used the Twitter hashtag #bookstorebingo to mark their contributions, and the complete archive can be found by clicking that link. Some of the BTW staff's favorites (a few edited for clarity, since BTW has no 140-character limit) are below.

History Press USA: "'Can you recommend a book? Something dark & creepy.' 'How about Crime & Punishment?' 'Nah. I don't really like Austen.'"

Amy Stewart, Eureka Books: "'So people actually come in here and buy books?'"

Robert Sindelar, Third Place Books: "From my first year as bookseller in 1990: 'Do you have Get Rich Overnight?' 'No, but I can get it for you.' 'Sorry, I can't wait.'"

Trish Brown, Hooray for Books!: "Customer asked for The Onion in the Closet; wanted Indian in the Cupboard."

Emily Pullen, Skylight Books: "Most commonly asked non-book-related question: Do you have a copy machine? 2nd most common: Do you sell stamps?"

Lanora Hurley, Next Chapter Bookshop: "Had a customer demand to know where the 'body shop' was & dragged staff person outside to point at sign that reads 'bookshop'."

Rock City Books: "Here's a fave for used circa-1970 paperbacks: 'Why are you charging 2.50 for this? The cover price is 75 cents.'"

Steve Fischer, NEIBA: "Customer: 'I want that new paperback called #1 From Coast to Coast.'. Bookseller: silent stare."

Katherine Fergason, Bunch of Grapes: "Found Iris Johansen's Tender Savage shelved as though it were written by someone named Tender Savage. *my new pen name*"

Liz Sullivan, sales rep: "I once made a page on the store intercom for the customer looking for Who Farted. (Forget to say that was the title...)"

Jon Page, Pages & Pages: "'I never like any of your books but you always play good in-store music.'"

Joe Foster, Maria's Bookshop: "'Do you have Slipknot, Camel, Origami?' 'Eat, Pray, Love?' 'That's it!'"