Reading Is Fundamental, You Idiot...

A guy I work with in my full time world asked me this morning about how working part time at Rhymes with Garnes and Soble is. Apparently he’s looking for a PT job to pad his income, so he and Skippy Whitebread came up and questioned me left and right about what I do there, how much money I make, how hard it is to sell books, etc.

So I was honest – it’s not that difficult, but it’s fast faced, and you have to use your brain. Shelving, cashiering, and finding the one book being requested in a store with 65,000 different titles takes a little brain power. I also told him that he’d have to know his authors inside out, and what the latest bestselling books are and who the most popular writers are, in every genre.

And that’s when he dropped this line: “I probably haven’t read a book in 10 years.”

Well. You can just about forget about having old Tommy put in a recommendation for you. Imagine if I was to refer a non-reader there? My manager at Rhymes with Tarnes and Zoble would laugh in my face, then she’d chew me out for wasting her time.

Wouldn’t you think that actually reading a book every now and then would be a precursor to working in a bookstore? I mean, you ought to at least know *something* about what you’re selling. Why don’t I just recommend someone who doesn’t know the first thing about cars to a job in a NASCAR pit crew? Or how about someone whose culinary skills stop at Top Ramen and Rice Krispy Treats as a sous chef? Fuggeddaboutit.

When I joined the crew at Rhymes with Larnes and Boble, I didn’t know the first thing about some genres – Romance, Manga, New Age – but I at least read enough other stuff that I was able to quickly learn and adapt. I knew who authors such as James Patterson, J.K. Rowling, Patricia Cornwell, Clive Cussler, J.A. Jance, and Janet Evonovich are. I understood why it was a big deal when Harry Potter 6 came out, and why any book that Oprah deemed worthy would be an instant bestseller. As far as the rest of it, I learned. I can now tell you the difference between Nora Roberts and J.D. Robb (same author; different genres), what “Fruits Basket” is (Japanese anime), and the difference between Wicca and Magical Arts (two shelves). It’s been a fun – and educational – experience. One I couldn’t do if I never picked up a book.

So, sorry, pal. I can’t put in a good word for you at Rhymes with Darnes and Yoble. But I now know what to get you for Christmas.