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mitziglezart's review against another edition
4.0
Chistoso, adecuado y recomendado por Neil Gaiman. ¿Qué más quieres?
crystalstarrlight's review against another edition
3.0
Bullet Review:
Amusing, but damn, I don’t think this was worth me waiting all these years for it. I used some birthday money to buy this and I wish I had just found at the library.
Most of the weird things were either “people who don’t read much ask a dumb question” or “people are effing rude”. Sometimes I felt it obvious that the customer was just trying to be polite but came across as slightly weird - since I’m that type of person who can veer awkward at conversation, I guess I’ll be in the next book. :/
Really, this book just suffers from the hype. It’s fine, but I won’t be keeping it.
Full Review:
People say the darnedest things - and sometimes in bookstores. Jen Campbell compiled a bunch of the craziest ones she's heard and started a blog - which apparently got famous due to Neil Gaiman (!!) discovering it. She was then tapped to produce a book, which she augmented with stories from other booksellers (thought fortunately, I'd say a good 75% or better are hers).
I added this book on September 3, 2014, along with the book "I Work at a Public Library". I'm not entirely certain why I added this book - maybe there was a review that instigated it or I found it from a blog I read at the time. I'm not sure - but the point of me mentioning when I added it is that, 3 years later, it was not nearly worth the 3 year wait nor the price I spent to buy it (sorry). This is definitely a "check out of the library, spend 30 min on and have a chuckle".
Although the book is divided up into multiple subjects, the types of entries are usually one of two:
1) A customer who doesn't read much makes a "heinous book error" (Tequila Mockingbird!)
or
2) A customer is a rude a-hole
At least one entry seems to mock bookphiles. The customer comment "I just don't like my Kindle. I like real books. They are like cozy blankets to me" - how is that weird at all? I think I've heard that sentiment multiple times unironically on Goodreads!
In general, I don't like to laugh at people who are inexperienced or just trying to make small talk but being awkward about it. Hell, I'm that awkward person, so perhaps I'll be the next laugh in her next book.
As for the rude a-holes, I don't know whether to laugh or want to strangle them. Asking if you can pee in a bookstore (and doing it), ripping books to get a discount, and so on aren't really funny - they are weird, but more a "this is a vile person" than "what a weird thing - let's have a giggle!"
Further, the formatting sometimes made it a challenge to determine how long an entry was. The entries had signifiers at the end to tell when the entry was over, but sometimes, when the entry went across the page, it was a challenge to determine if it was a new entry or the same one.
At the end, this book wasn't horrible. I mean, I may not have loved it and may think it was not worth waiting 3 years and spending money on it, but it was amusing - a few modest chuckles. I think what did this book the worst was the hype that led me to put this on my list. I probably should have checked out the blog first, to see if it was the style I liked before buying and reading.
Oh well, we all make mistakes. I'll quickly remedy this mistake by taking this off to the used bookstore to sell and get something else.
Amusing, but damn, I don’t think this was worth me waiting all these years for it. I used some birthday money to buy this and I wish I had just found at the library.
Most of the weird things were either “people who don’t read much ask a dumb question” or “people are effing rude”. Sometimes I felt it obvious that the customer was just trying to be polite but came across as slightly weird - since I’m that type of person who can veer awkward at conversation, I guess I’ll be in the next book. :/
Really, this book just suffers from the hype. It’s fine, but I won’t be keeping it.
Full Review:
People say the darnedest things - and sometimes in bookstores. Jen Campbell compiled a bunch of the craziest ones she's heard and started a blog - which apparently got famous due to Neil Gaiman (!!) discovering it. She was then tapped to produce a book, which she augmented with stories from other booksellers (thought fortunately, I'd say a good 75% or better are hers).
I added this book on September 3, 2014, along with the book "I Work at a Public Library". I'm not entirely certain why I added this book - maybe there was a review that instigated it or I found it from a blog I read at the time. I'm not sure - but the point of me mentioning when I added it is that, 3 years later, it was not nearly worth the 3 year wait nor the price I spent to buy it (sorry). This is definitely a "check out of the library, spend 30 min on and have a chuckle".
Although the book is divided up into multiple subjects, the types of entries are usually one of two:
1) A customer who doesn't read much makes a "heinous book error" (Tequila Mockingbird!)
or
2) A customer is a rude a-hole
At least one entry seems to mock bookphiles. The customer comment "I just don't like my Kindle. I like real books. They are like cozy blankets to me" - how is that weird at all? I think I've heard that sentiment multiple times unironically on Goodreads!
In general, I don't like to laugh at people who are inexperienced or just trying to make small talk but being awkward about it. Hell, I'm that awkward person, so perhaps I'll be the next laugh in her next book.
As for the rude a-holes, I don't know whether to laugh or want to strangle them. Asking if you can pee in a bookstore (and doing it), ripping books to get a discount, and so on aren't really funny - they are weird, but more a "this is a vile person" than "what a weird thing - let's have a giggle!"
Further, the formatting sometimes made it a challenge to determine how long an entry was. The entries had signifiers at the end to tell when the entry was over, but sometimes, when the entry went across the page, it was a challenge to determine if it was a new entry or the same one.
At the end, this book wasn't horrible. I mean, I may not have loved it and may think it was not worth waiting 3 years and spending money on it, but it was amusing - a few modest chuckles. I think what did this book the worst was the hype that led me to put this on my list. I probably should have checked out the blog first, to see if it was the style I liked before buying and reading.
Oh well, we all make mistakes. I'll quickly remedy this mistake by taking this off to the used bookstore to sell and get something else.
melissa_bookworm's review against another edition
5.0
A lovely light and hilarious read. Great gift idea for a bookseller who probably has everything.
dontstopreadin's review against another edition
5.0
So funny, quick and enjoyable. Have to get my hands on more of Jen's books!
tregina's review against another edition
4.0
Really, I meant to only look at this for a second, a couple of pages maybe. Next thing I know, I've read the whole thing. Equal parts horrifying and hilarious.
brisingr's review against another edition
4.0
A very fun, refreshing read! The title couldn't be more perfect, there are A LOT of weird things that customers say in bookshops! Enjoyed it a lot.