A nonbiologist helping a bookstore
Sunday, 12. August 2007, 10:54:52
It's been a slow month for me, my life has gone from topsy-turvy to something resembling order. So I haven't been blogging that much. But this weekend I was able to break the monotony of my daily routine. Maybe some of you have heard of this new blog: Biologists Helping Bookstores. They have a mission, to scour the various local bookstores, looking through the science section for misplaced books (mostly those advocating intelligent design creationism), and placing them in the appropriate section of the store.
Well yesterday I was window shopping when I saw a copy of Christopher Hitchens' new book God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything displayed on the window of a Fully Booked branch, a great store chain which I've blogged about before. Of course I've been eagerly waiting for Hitchens' tome for quite a while. His promotion campaign landed him in the headlines, even debating the likes of Al Sharpton.
Anyway, I tried looking for copies of his book in the obvious sections like Politics, Social Science, even in the Religion section, but no dice. So I went to Science, thinking that maybe someone shelved it next to Dawkins' book The God Delusion. Nope, not there either, but I did notice something out of place:
If you couldn't spot what's amiss, it's that book on the upper right of the image, Michael Behe's Darwin's Black Box. Following Ste's example, I picked up the lone copy and refiled it in the Religion section (a misnomer, since it's virtually all about Christianity), where superstitious-minded people (the book's target audience) would be able to find it and maybe even purchase it:
If it had stayed in the Science section, it'll just gather dust. So I'm doing the bookstore, Behe, and the religionists a favor. Nothing malicious, just trying to help out.
Oh, about Hitchens' book, which got me into this crusade. I couldn't find a copy so I asked the clerk if I can get the display item instead. She obliged, and I went home with a great new book to read. Oh joy!
A job well done, my Brother-in-Arms.
~Ste
By anonymous user, # 13. August 2007, 00:04:52
By Heathen Dan, # 13. August 2007, 13:39:23
You're not helping bookstores. You're hurting them - especially the poor damned clerks who have to go through the store every night and reshelve all the books that have been misplaced through the day. And it's not like they're going to get the message - I've worked in a bookstore and you would not believe the number of people who pick up a book, carry it around, and then just stick in on a shelf wherever they happen to be. The clerks don't have time to ponder "ooo Behe is in Religion again" they just throw it on a cart and forget where they found it. And this is AFTER they've more than likely lost several sales if not customers by not being able to find something their inventory computer assures them is in the store. Somewhere.
By anonymous user, # 18. August 2007, 17:26:44
And again, it's Micheal Behe's Darwin's Black Box. Its target audience are the religious. They can easily find it in the religion section where it belongs.
By Heathen Dan, # 18. August 2007, 22:36:31
Having some problems posting a comment. Let's try Anon.
I would have been tempted to shelve it under Fantasy and Science Fiction.
breakerslion
By anonymous user, # 26. August 2007, 13:09:16