Why I Judge Bookstores by their Science Fiction Collection

Bookstores should hold many books. More than one person could ever really truly handle. And within those piles and piles of books should exist something called genres — you’ll notice them when the covers start looking less like pictures of Dan Carter and more like people standing in a lake fly fishing.

I’ve written about genres elsewhere, in The Mystery of Genre and Why We Need It?. So I won’t do it again except to say that it’s my secret shopping weapon.

My most commonly used tool, attached to said weapon’s belt, is science fiction. It isn’t because I like it (although I am nuts on the subject). It’s because so few people care about it.

This is why I know whenever I go into a book store with a great science fiction collection, the store itself will be smashing because bookstores should go to the trouble to understand everything. The attention to detail, including specific works, shows that the bookstore gets its audience; it’s done its homework. And because no one reads science fiction (at least not outside the mainstream best sellers), I know the stores that get it right are doing their part.

Though this brings complications, I understand that not every book store can have all the essentials. Yes, but if a science fiction shelf doesn’t have at least one Dune, it’s not a science fiction shelf. At least, that’s what I’d argue. There are some names, and titles, that you should see a smattering of if you’re going to claim basic genre competency.

I also know how extensive your collection is if you’ve grouped science fiction with fantasy. Although the two often go together, it says we’re short on books, and we don’t know the difference between Kim Stanley Robertson and J.R.R.Tolkien. Not even if they stepped out of their dust covers and beat us around the head with the book’s spine.

Nor do we want to know the difference.

The ideal bookshelf in my mind (for a quick diversion) would start at one end with ‘fantasy’, the other with ‘science fiction, and slowly trickle towards the middle, away from the hard stuff, until they both reach Dune, about as midway between genres as you could want.

I’ll never get this until I build the shelf myself, but the point remains that book stores that can’t tell the difference are hiding behind a lack of books and knowledge.

This is why we have Whitcoulls and airport book stores — a general, riffraff collection of titles in a top 100, based entirely on marketing sales, and very likely never updated (unless people truly never stopped buying Harry Potter with a furious passion). These stores give us just the popular titles, just the ones we’ve heard of, without requiring us to overthink. They’re not for the discerning reader — a point which is even better made when you consider 90% of the store is stationary, games and kids toys, and not books.

So, we have our range between Whitcoulls and Waterstones (the most fantastic place ever). How you wish to distinguish yourself, book store owner, is up to you. But it will be judged by your sections and your display. Everyone has science fiction, whether a biography, romance, sport, or origami history. And they’ll judge you for it.

It’s a tough life, but then, what did you expect? You’re bookstores.