Review: Weird Things Customers Say in Bookstores by Jen Campbell, with Illustrations from the Brothers McLeod

Rating (Out of 5):~4-4.5

Genre: Non-fiction, humor

Publisher: Overlook Press

Release Date: March, 2012

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. Powells.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Customer: Have you read every single book in here?

Bookseller: No, I can't say I have.

Customer: Well, you're not very good at your job, are you?

A simple Twitter question posed by John Cleese-"What is your pet peeve?" -inspired Jen Campbell to start a blog collecting all the ridiculous conversations overheard in her bookstore, everything from "Did Beatrix Potter ever write a book about dinosaurs?" to the hunt for a paperback which could forecast the next year’s weather; from "I've forgotten my glasses, please read me the first chapter" to "Excuse me ... is this book edible?"; and from "Can books conduct electricity?" to "My children are just climbing your bookshelves: that's ok... isn't it?"

If we didn't know it already, this irresistible book is proof positive that booksellers are heroes, the world over.

The Cover:

The cover's not bad. It's the same art as inside the book, and it's also the start of one of the stories/quotes inside the book, so that's a definite plus. It's a little quirky, with the colors, and I like the font. Overall, I do rather like it.

Review:

I’d heard of this book, and seen it in the bookstore a couple of times, and then finally picked it up on impulse. And I’m really glad that I did, because it’s a really fast, funny read.

This book took me about two hours, I think, to read. I read it in one sitting, and was laughing/grinning the entire time. You don’t have to be a book person to read it, but I think there’s extra humor/horror if you are. I know there’s a second book, and I hope it gets released in the U.S. sometime soon, or I’ll buy it from the marketplace or something, because I would like to read more. I think there’s a blog, or something, too, which I’ll have to check out as well.

I would suggest reading this, especially if you want something small and funny.

Nonfiction Review: The Why Cafe by John P. Strelecky

              Rating (Out of 5): ~2.5 - 3

Publisher: Aspen Light Publishing

Spoilers?: No.

Goodreads Synopsis:

In a small diner at a location so remote that it stands in the middle of the middle of nowhere, John-a man in a hurry-is at a literal and figurative crossroads. Intent only on refueling before moving along on his road trip, John finds sustenance of an entirely different kind: in addition to the specials of the day, the menu lists three questions that all diners are encouraged to consider: Why are you here? Do you fear death? Are you fulfilled? With the guidance of three people he meets at the cafe, John embarks on a quest for answers that metaphorically takes him from the executive suites of the advertising world to the surf of Hawaii's coastline. Along the way, he discovers a new way to look at his life and relationships... and just how much you can learn from a green sea turtle. The Why Cafe will get readers young and free and older and entrenched to rethink their personal yardstick for success. Charming, simple, and inspiring, it will change lives.

Available on Amazon.

Review:

The Why Café is about a guy, John, who gets lost and stops in at this café, where he ends up staying a bit longer than planned, just to talk to the wait staff some more. He ends up talking to them about how some people get on their way to feeling fulfilled. How some people wonder what their purpose in life is, and once they find that out and begin working toward completing it, they feel more fulfilled.

Now, this is a very tiny book, at just over a hundred pages. And it’s interesting, but it’s not amazing. To me, at least. To some people, it might be a bit groundbreaking, like all of this stuff apparently was to John, since this is supposedly a true story. But this information wasn’t all that new to me. Maybe because I’ve taken a psychology class, and have read a lot, and have a controversial brother. It was still interesting to read, sure. And to other people, I’m sure this will be a lot more informative and intriguing.

But, yea, it wasn’t to me. There were a couple of things that I found interesting, like the green sea turtle and how people who know what they want to do with their life are apparently more lucky, but the overall concept wasn’t a new idea to me.

I didn’t not enjoy this book, and it wasn’t hard to get through, but the writing is pretty straightforward, and the book isn’t filled with action or info dumps. This book just wasn’t really for me, I don’t think, but I’m sure it is much more fascinating to someone else.

 A review copy was provided by Goodreads First Reads Giveaways. Thank you!