Hi Margo - Last week I called into Angus & Robertsons at Salamander Bay shopping centre to see if they had NHJ. This is in a very large and recently expanded shopping centre in Port Stephens that services Nelson Bay and environs. A&R said they did not have the book and though they might be getting it in August, there were no plans to get it in that they knew of. They told me (somewhat vaguely) that someone else had asked about it.

Today (15/7) I called in again. This time I was told they did not have it but might be able to get it on a special order. I said, 'But this book is in the top 10 non-fiction books, why don't you stock it?' They told me they were not going to stock it, had no plans to get it in but might be able to get it on special order.

Isn't this rather bizarre? The ONE major bookshop in the whole area that is part of a major chain (now owned by W.H. Smith of U.K.) does not have a book that is #4 on the Non Fiction best seller list? They have Bill Clinton's opus and every other one of the books on the top 10 fiction and non fiction - but NOT HAPPY JOHN. Now, why would that be?

Margo: Hi Phil. Sounds like A&R is a super slack book store! Unlike its main competitor Dymocks, where NHJ is in its top ten non fiction list. How about buying online? See penguinordering.