Bookseller finds purpose helping customers after degree struggles

Student secures event role

The worker began the job after attending a book launch at the Trades Hall in Carlton. Christine Gordon, who serves as the programming and community engagement manager at Readings, provided assistance for events. The employee had emailed a résumé to the chain since turning 16 without expecting a reply. Shifts were irregular but included weekly visits to the Lygon Street store. The staff member picked up boxes of books and an old computer for each event.

Interactions with famous authors

Early gigs included selling Jordan Peterson's books at the Melbourne Recital Centre despite not knowing him well. Helen Garner appeared among speakers at the Church of All Nations but did not speak to the staff member. Jimmy Barnes laughed at jokes while Irvine Welsh gave the cold shoulder during festivals. Authors usually sat with customers to sign copies at writers' festivals instead of long lines. The role eventually secured permanent shifts at Readings Hawthorn where the person had visited as a child.

Supporting grieving community members

A grieving husband visited the store with his wife before she passed away and sought help for mourning. The staff member recommended The Year of Magical Thinking and CS Lewis's A Grief Observed to him. Elderly readers often called the landline just to have a chat about their lives. For several months, workers helped a man collect 100 hardbacks for his granddaughter's 21st birthday. The policy allowed customers to sit for hours without buying anything if they wished.