Alexi Horowitz-Ghazi

So you're kind of the risk-taker around here.

Every book that Fisher does consider taking a bet on has to make it through a series of hurdles, a kind of existential decision tree, before they can land a place in Carmichael's bookstore.

The first question Fisher asks, should they buy any copies of the book at all?

It really is like a real estate puzzle that you're solving all the time.

Looking around the store, this scarcity issue is clear.

The whole place is around 1,800 square feet divided into two rooms, which means Fisher's got to make some tough calls.

For those that do make the cut...

Or should Fisher order two copies, knowing that doubling down can actually make a book more visible to passing customers?

If Fisher wants to up the ante, the next biggest bet would be to buy a total of four copies.

That is the minimum number they need to qualify for the display table.

This is a table right in the center of the store where a very lucky selection of new books are stacked several copies high,

So this is sort of like the most prominent billboard or placement in the store?

This is like the Holy Grail.

Or at least on the path towards the holiest grail of all.

Is that the shelf right behind us?

Fisher and I turn around and right there in front of us, like a wooden shrine to the almighty book market, was a real physical encapsulation of the bestseller list in one bookshelf.

At the top, a little festive banner proclaims bestsellers 20% off.

And this shelf was one of the big reasons I'd come to Carmichael's on this very day, a Sunday, to witness one of the most hallowed rituals in the world of books.

So this is like the moment where fortunes are won or lost.

Fisher makes their way methodically through both bestseller lists.