/lit/ - Literature

>>12840502
One time, my niece (in 7th grade) needed Ready Player One for school. Not here to talk about the quality of that book or the fact that it is assigned reading for whatever reason, but undoubtedly a very popular book. Hell, Spielberg directed a movie based on it.

Anyway, instead of BAM or Barnes and Noble, I decided to take her to a local bookstore in town with a surprisingly large selection. Looked quaint, had an impressive selection, etc. Very unorganized though - basically a section for fiction, non-fiction, and children's.

Went inside, and we asked the clerk if they had Ready Player One. She was maybe late 40's and had soccer mom hair, if you know what I mean. Freckles and a blouse that looked like she probably had a "Friends Gather Here" wooden Hobby Lobby sign in her living room and goes to Panama city beach every June.

>"Excuse me, do you have "Ready Player One?"
>"Ready what now?"
>"Ready Player One"
>"I don't think I've heard of that one."
>"It's.. a young adult sci-fi novel"

She goes "hmm," and starts clacking away on a cigarette smoke-stained computer keyboard

>"Oh, I see it here."
>"You have it?"
>"No, I see it here on Amazon."
>"Oh..."
>"Yeah, we don't have a catalogue or anything. Do you want me to order it for you?"
>"...from Amazon?"
>"Yes, we have Prime and can get it here in two days."

I tell her no thanks and my niece and I leave.

Moral of the story, little local mom and pop book stores look good on paper but the reality is it is mostly donated children's books, copies of the "Left Behind" series, and textbooks from the community college down the road.

This is the one picture they have online.