This is John Bachelor, a conversation with Oliver Darkshire, the author of a new book,

Holly recommended once upon a time the misadventures of a bookseller, a rare bookseller.

I chance to ask Oliver, what are the personalities you see as you visit with your colleagues

in rare book selling? He's gathered at Fets around the country, he goes to seminars.

Who are they? What are they like? His answer is revelatory and happy.

I think it's a certain kind of person to fall into book selling. I think part of that is

being happy spending a lot of your day by yourself with books and surrounded in your desk and

with no one talking to no one. That doesn't necessarily produce a collection so much as it's a

good environment for someone who's quite reclusive to be in like myself. Some people do that

and parties very well, but personally, a lot of my friends and colleagues, the kind of parties,

not necessarily our strong point, my socializing and a huge group of people, you know,

I want to be surrounded by my books all day, not necessarily a party person.

It sounds heavenly, Oliver, which is why I like your book so much.

I'm John Bachelor.