Having mined her own memories and those of her colleagues, Jen Campbell opens her challenge for Weird things Customers say to fellow Booksellers worldwide. As a Bookseller of long standing, weird customer sayings and queries were like beacons in the desert, there was the thrill of the chase, could we really track down that book with a green cover by a woman that died and the wonderment of being asked for nasal sprays and spectacular temper tantrums to be marvelled at when we couldn’t identify a tune being hummed to us. A guilty pleasure then to read Jen Campbell’s collection of tales but guilty because without customers where would Bookshops be and indeed where would all these marvellous, eccentric, forgetful, mad, stupid, vain, silly and essential customers be without bookshops, The Internet won’t be listening, that’s for sure.
More Weird Things Customers Say in Bookshops Synopsis
Weird Things Customers Say in Bookshops was a Sunday Times bestseller, and could be found displayed on bookshop counters up and down the country. The response to the book from booksellers all over the world has been one of heartfelt agreement: it would appear that customers are saying bizarre things all over the place - from asking for books with photographs of Jesus in them, to hunting for the best horse owner's manual that has a detailed chapter on unicorns. Customer: I had such a crush on Captain Hook when I was younger. Do you think this means I have unresolved issues? The book is illustrated by the Bafta winning Brothers McLeod.
Jen Campbell grew up in the North East of England, and graduated from Edinburgh University with an MA in English Literature. She's a published poet and short story writer. She lives in North London where she works at Ripping Yarns bookshop.
