It's Friday, so here is something fun.
Sheppard's Confidential, a really great newsletter for booksellers out of the UK, has taken suggestions for a new collective noun for book dealers. (working off the same concept as a murder of crows or troop of gorillas). They came up with the following:
A whinge of bookdealers (contributed by someone who wishes to remain
anonymous!)
A quire of booksellers (C.S. Griffin, DoolinDinghy Books)
A ream of booksellers (C.S. Griffin, DoolinDinghy Books)
A case of bookdealers (Pierce Roche, Dunphail, Moray, Scotland)
A ring of bookdealers (Pierce Roche, Dunphail, Moray, Scotland)
A commission of bookdealers (Pierce Roche, Dunphail, Moray, Scotland)
A mildew of used booksellers? (Ken Brinnick, New Gloucester, ME USA)
A doze of booksellers (John Underwood - judging by the number fall asleep at
fairs!)
A shuffle of bookdealers, (Joanne, Proseworthy Collectable Books, Cape Town)
A chapter of bookdealers, (Joanne, Proseworthy Collectable Books, Cape Town)
An eccentricity of bookdealers (Pierce Roche, Dunphail, Moray, Scotland)
A madness of bookdealers (Pierce Roche, Dunphail, Moray, Scotland)
A reduction of bookdealers (Pierce Roche, Dunphail, Moray, Scotland)
At first I was thinking it should be "a shelf of bookdealers" but after reading this "chapter" is definatly the way to go... "a chapter of bookdealers".
a gathering of booksellers
Posted by: alan wilkes | July 11, 2009 at 07:19 AM
A pack of fucking hyenas
Posted by: T. Madrone | July 12, 2009 at 08:53 PM
Some booksellers are so independent that we don't gather at all. I don't recall ever having gathered with more than one other second-hand bookseller in the 9 years I've been in business, though I guess if you had me, my wife, and one other, that would be a huddle of booksellers.
Others join associations, so that would be an association of booksellers.
Yet others go to book fairs. Maybe a fair of booksellers?
Posted by: Peter Reynolds | July 13, 2009 at 06:15 AM
How about a "impoverishment" of booksellers? Or perhaps an "Anachronism" or an "extinction" of booksellers?
Posted by: DC Tappin | July 14, 2009 at 02:00 PM
A babble or babel of Booksellers.
Posted by: Grendel | July 14, 2009 at 07:44 PM
How about a genre of booksellers?
Or a bin of booksellers?
Posted by: chatterton | July 15, 2009 at 01:01 PM
As few a we are these days - A dusting of booksellers.
Posted by: booklady | July 17, 2009 at 12:12 PM
If you line up a group of bookdealers you're more than likely to see a row of skinny arms on top, spare tires in the middle and spindly legs below. How about "A Loaf of Booksellers" (doughy on the inside and crusty on the outside?)
Posted by: Janet L Jarvits | July 18, 2009 at 10:27 AM
As much as I love T. Madrone's poetic and precise answer, I can't help but think that a Collection of booksellers would also be appropriate.
Posted by: teachem2think | July 19, 2009 at 03:23 PM
How about a binding of bookdealers?
Posted by: Deb | July 24, 2009 at 12:36 PM
a volume of bookdealers
Posted by: red | July 29, 2009 at 09:26 PM
A page of booksellers?
A rectoverso of booksellers?
Posted by: Stan | August 27, 2009 at 09:56 AM
How about "a moan" of booksellers
(and yes, I'm guilty too.)
Posted by: Keith | September 02, 2009 at 12:51 PM
Given my and others' experience of Pierce Roche who claims to live in Dunphail but was thrown out of Logie Steading Bookshop there by owner Helen Trussell and actually lives in Aberdeen, it should be 'A crook of Booksellers'. He does the profession no credit
Anyone wanting to know about this man before doing business with him feel free to get in touch . . .
Dixie Dean (Prof. Em.)
01309-674-582/dixie_dean@lumison.co.uk
Posted by: Professor Dixie Dean | October 18, 2009 at 01:30 PM