I wanted to work in the fiction section but I was placed in Performing Arts which I soon realized was the best place for me because there was tons of diversity in the books there. But here's how I remember the breakdown of those genres of books, in terms of space, demand and general order and personal interest. There were sections that I was always curious about but which I never explored because in my mind I had placed myself in box of interests which did not include these categories. Having enrolled in the Urban Studies program where I work this semester, I realize now that these interests were much more than just a passing fancy.
Cultural Studies and Women's Studies were sections I was always curious about as well as Anthropology a study I was so poisoned against because of a horrible intro class I took at Bard College. But now I see that Anthropology is much more than just some anemic white people spying on the daily practices of native peoples. Doing and ethnography of whites for my final project in Urban Cultural Diversity has helped me to see that.
Thankfully I remember that the African American Studies section was quite large and constantly being updated with new titles. It was a section that was always way too overcrowded. It took a great deal of effort to pull a single book off of that shelf on most days. The Native American section was a sad, pathetic section with the opposite problem. There were never enough books to fill that shelf. Often books were faced out end to end just to keep books with the spines out from falling over. And I swear to you that I could count on one hand the amount of times a customer asked me to look up a book in the Native American section. There were never many people standing around that section either. The most famous sections for people to hang out in were Art, Photo Essays, Film, Self Help, The Occult and Sexuality for the obvious reasons.
Self Help was one of the largest, most ridiculous and most annoying sections to shelve. I found books in that section that I could not believe existed! The Chicken Soup for The Soul Books had their own section! That section convinced me that Self Help is at least 90% racket. I mean the same things were said over and over by different people that's all and depending on whether there was an Oprah Book Club sticker on it it would rise in sales or go virtually unnoticed. I think most of it is a crock personally but I do see what draws people to self help books like an addiction. It's like anything else: a choice of a variety of ways to be told the same thing over and over again but never apply it. That's America. The illusion of choice will always trump resolution through realistic application.
Then there was Film and Music and celebrity biographies which I loved. I used to hide in the isles often flipping through large format photography books of film studies or musician bios that intrigued me. I also loved reading through some of the screenplays of my favorite movies. I eventually bought the screenplay for Noah Baumbach's "The Squid and the Whale" which for me is one the best modern screenplays I've ever read. When I read it, I can see everything in the movie which I love. It's very accessible and irreverent and conveys a great deal of emotion without being over the top or condescending to the audience.
The Art and Photo Essay section is pretty self explanatory. Everyone likes to stand around or sit around on the floor looking at coffee table books of their favorite artists and photographers or just something that catches the eye. Often, many of the suggestive or plain raunchy photos of nudity served the purpose of providing entertainment or offense to customers. Art & Design was another one of my favorite sections. I got a lot of ideas for design, font websites (I became a fan of font when I interned at Harper Collins one summer)page layout and fashion drawing there.
And last but not least is the business section. Yes, even as turned off as I am by the negative bi-products of commerce and advertising, I totally appreciate the genius behind it. One book in particular called
"Lovemarks: The Future Beyond Brands" really held my attention while I did my time at that information desk. It has a great explanation of the way the brands that make the most money are the ones that inspire people to invest a deep emotional association with the product. These products are staples, parts of the family, and represent the fabric of life itself. Anyone of us can see examples of this in our own daily relationships with products. Johnson&Johnson, Kodak, G&E, Vasoline are just a few old favorites. There's also a book I had to read once for a presentation I did while interning at Simon&Schuster called
"Trading Up" which also talks about more modern companies like Victoria Secret, Panera Bread and Starbucks and how their marketing of European based products have begun to be associated with "A new luxury" for many Americans.
When I think about working at B&N I realize that essentially, it is my relationship with these books that I missed the most when I left. Working there was fucking insane. I will never work retail again if I have anything to do with it. But at the time, I told myself that if I was going to do retail one last time, it might as well have to do with selling a product I love. I do love the book.
