據說在智慧型手機普及之前，日本通勤列車裡，最令台灣人驚豔與欽佩的景象，是座位上的乘客人手一本書專心閱讀。當時日本上班族普遍住在離公司距離一小時車程以上的郊區，在每天往來的通勤時間恰好能用來讀書打發時間。出版業界甚至因此需求推出了文庫本這種輕薄的書籍尺寸，方便一手掌握、隨時翻閱。
對此種說法，我可以親自作證。自從搬到淡水後，往來遠在內湖公司的路途上，我也是隨手一本紙書隨意瀏覽，整整一年下來可以看超過50本書。
對於愛書人來說，總有一個想到書店裡謀職的夢想，而這本《書店圖鑑：體驗一日店員，揭開書店工作日常！》能替讀者揭開書店店員的日常生活，讓我們不用真的遞出辭呈，就能領會在書店裡工作的真相。雖然此書為日本翻譯的圖文書，描述的是日本書店，但可猜想在台灣的書店店員工作內容應該也差不多。當然，在台灣複合式書店已成主流，說不定販賣文具商品和咖啡點心等任務，才是台灣書店店員最有經濟產值的工作，想想真令人傷心。
可愛簡潔的四格漫畫，加上每個章節後面補充的書店營運知識，充實的內容讓這本書幾乎可以當成實體書店的新生訓練手冊。事實上作家確實也收到一些讀者反應，是把這本書當成入職的參考書來翻閱。
全書以一天的時間為章節分隔點，從開門進貨、上架，到服務客人的詢問，中間就是不斷補貨、上架，穿插著回覆經銷商、出版社的業務洽詢。十足是勞力、心力要全部燃燒的吃重職業，然而每位願意到書店裡工作的人，多半都是打從心裡愛書的狂熱份子，因此對於能販售、推薦書籍給消費者，都是樂此不疲。尤其是仔細分析客層來下訂、精心排列書架和檯面以達成最佳的銷售效果，當看到有客人因此而購買時，真的是會高興得跳起來，對於建置書店電商推薦系統的我來說，完全可以體會作者的感受。
It is said that before smartphones became popular, what amazed and impressed Taiwanese people the most on Japanese commuter trains was seeing passengers in their seats, each holding a book and reading intently. At that time, Japanese office workers usually lived in suburbs more than an hour away from work, and the long daily commute was just right for passing the time with reading. The publishing industry even created "bunkobon"—small, pocket-sized books—so people could easily hold them with one hand and read anytime.
I can prove this from my own experience. Ever since I moved to Tamsui, on my long commute to my office in Neihu, I also carry a paper book with me to read. Over a full year, I can finish more than 50 books.
For book lovers, working at a bookstore is always a dream. The book Bookstore Illustrated: Experience a Day as a Clerk and Reveal the Daily Work of a Bookstore! opens the door to the daily life of bookstore staff. It allows us to understand what working in a bookstore is really like without having to quit our jobs. Although it is a translated Japanese book and describes Japanese bookstores, the work in Taiwanese bookstores is probably quite similar. Of course, in Taiwan, multi-concept bookstores have become the trend. Selling stationery, coffee, and snacks might actually bring in the most money for staff, which is a bit sad to think about.
With cute, simple four-panel comics and extra operating knowledge at the end of each chapter, the rich content makes this book work almost like a training handbook for new bookstore employees. In fact, the author did receive feedback from readers who said they used this book as a practical guide before starting their bookstore jobs.
The book divides its chapters across a single day: from opening the shop to receive inventory and shelf books, to answering customers' questions, along with endless restocking and handling business inquiries from distributors and publishers. It is a tough job that takes all your physical strength and energy. However, most people who want to work in a bookstore are true book lovers from the bottom of their hearts. They never get tired of selling and recommending books to readers. In particular, choosing books by analyzing customers, and arranging bookshelves and display tables for the best sales results—when a customer actually buys a book because of that, you truly feel like jumping for joy. Having built a bookstore e-commerce recommendation system myself, I completely understand how the author feels.
