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Dear Bookologist,
I love your newsletter and completely understand the ailments
you described in the last issue (http://www.bookologist.com/cab/abu/y203/m04/bk0003/s01). However, the side effects of buying books are beginning to wear me down, and I wondered if other sellers are experiencing the same problems of etiquette. I am a very part-time book buyer and seller and was unable to chuckle at your description of estate sales. I used to think the behavior of other buyers was funny, but I have been trampled, pushed, knocked over, and elbowed too many times recently. I am not a shrinking violet by any means, but I do not want to have my love of books ruined by ending up black and blue.
This behavior is NOT conducted by the people who regularly buy books at estate sales. It seems that every once in awhile there is someone new (I have come to recognize the estate sale junkies) who argues about numbers in line, barges in, and then proceeds to grab books by the armload. Last weekend I watched in horror as a man pulled every book off the bookshelf, frantically piling them up on the floor as he straddled over them. Not only did he hoard the books, but he was also ruining them as he tossed them on the floor. A fellow regular buyer joined me in my expressions of dismay, but he actually shoved me aside.
Since I knew the estate dealer, we reported the nasty buyer and asked for help. She was great! She ordered him to replace the books and told him she would call the authorities if he continued to act this way in this place of business. Later we talked about how she had really no clout at all but had seen this behavior before, and her threats seemed to work. He did calm down but insisted on looking at every book first.
I am writing this to ask: what is happening here??? And do others see this? Any suggestions? Should I give up and step on everyone else? Get the first number at 5:00 in the morning? Perhaps you can address this in your newsletter. It may sound like I'm joking, but this has become the topic of conversation among many dealers.
Estate sales are just not fun any more.
(Name withheld by request.)
EDITOR'S NOTE: This letter will be posted in the Bookologist's Library later today for discussion.
http://www.bookologist.com/forum/phpBB2/index.php
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