The retail sector is hotting up – at least my little part of it is. I work in the local bookshop and it is more than pleasing, it is utterly fantastic and delightful and heart-warming to see that scanner going zip-zip-zip on BOOKS FOR CHRISTMAS!<\/p>\n
I usually enjoy helping people choose their gifts. Picture books for younger children are usually not much of a problem, but there are lots of parents and especially grandparents all at sea about junior and YA fiction and they’re really grateful for a bit of guidance through the maze of series and genres. But much more often, it’s a happy experience a bit like trying on clothes; after two or three goes there will be something that hits the spot. And I always emphasise that if it’s not right, we are\u00a0 happy to exchange – in fact, we’re open on Boxing Day for that very reason!<\/p>\n As a writer, of course, it behoves me very verily to give books as presents (I’m also giving chocolate) and I am. Last night a quartet of friends gathered at my place for dinner and I gave them each a little cookbook\u00a0 – Maggie Beer, David Herbert, Karen Martini, Belinda Jeffery – wrapped in a bad-taste tea-towel from the Op Shop. I have already given my husband his book – couldn’t wait – and he’s finished it and now I’ve just (only half an hour ago) finished it too. It was The Goldfinch<\/em> by Donna Tartt, and it was fantastic… Other books neatly wrapped ready for Christmas Day are The Luminaries<\/em> by Eleanor Catton, The Wild Places<\/em> by Robert MacFarlane, a V&A book on 1950s textile design and small book on drawing – Freehand<\/em> by Helen Birch –\u00a0 for my teenage niece and a fancy edition of The Lord of the Rings<\/em> for my teenage son. I’m also giving The Light Between the Oceans<\/em> by M L Stedman and The White Castle<\/em> by Orhan Pamuk and I’m still thinking about something for my eighteen-month-old great nephew. I think I’ll just take a punt on a Spot board book.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The retail sector is hotting up – at least my little part of it is. I work in the local bookshop and it is more than pleasing, it is utterly fantastic and delightful and heart-warming to see that scanner going … Continue reading
\nThe most difficult are the customers who want to buy books for people who don’t actually read. You have tortured conversations, trying to elicit a tiny bit of information that will help.
\nWhat do they usually read?<\/em>
\n They don’t. <\/em>
\nWell, fiction or non-fiction? <\/em>
\nI’m not sure. <\/em>
\nWhat are they interested in? <\/em>
\nI don’t know. <\/em>
\nDo you think they’d like this? <\/em>(Cookbook for a woman, book on sport for a man.)
\nNo.<\/em>
\nIt is then that I suggest a gift voucher. But that’s often rejected as well – people don’t like gift vouchers, I’m told. It looks like you don’t care enough to choose something.
\nMaybe then I go into the back office for a silent scream.<\/p>\n
\n…a great big juicy novel in which to immerse yourself. I don’t think I will be able to read any\u00a0 fiction for a little while.<\/p>\n
\nWhat does he usually read? <\/em>
\nFiction or non-fiction? <\/em>
\nWhat is he interested in? <\/em><\/p>\n