An independent bookstore in England has reacted to going viral after the shop’s window display showed copies of Prince Harry’s new tell-all memoir next to a novel called “How To Kill Your Family.”
The owner of Bert’s Books in Swindon, Alex Call, shared that staff thought the idea of showing the Duke of Sussex’s book “Spare” next to Bella Mackie’s publication would be “quite light-hearted and make a few people smile,” the BBC reported. Mackie’s fictional book is about a girl who decides to enact revenge on her entire family and kill every one of them.
“It’s been interesting today how people have projected some very different meanings onto this picture,” a tweet from Bert’s Book’s read.
“Some have thought I’m supporting Harry, others think I’m doing the opposite,” it added. “I don’t really have strong opinions either way, tbh.”
It's been interesting today how people have projected some very different meanings onto this picture.
Some have thought I'm supporting Harry, others think I'm doing the opposite.
I don't really have strong opinions either way, tbh. https://t.co/hrUzbUYZIv
— Bert’s Books (@bertsbooks) January 10, 2023
One person who works in the shop, Michael Ritchie, said despite the book being in all the headlines, its high price (more than $34 U.S. dollars) would discourage people from buying it, the outlet noted.
“The price is £28 which I think is quite steep for a book,” Ritchie shared. “People will go ‘actually I don’t know if I’m going to pay for that or (I’ll) wait for the paperback.'”
He also told the outlet he predicts the book’s sales would “last for a week or two and then just fade.”
The comments from the shop come after people like Piers Morgan and Adam Carolla praised the bookstore’s display and shared it on social media.
“This bookstore clerk has a great sense of humor,” Carolla tweeted to his hundreds of thousands of followers.
This bookstore clerk has a great sense of humor pic.twitter.com/XlrJYhOZNt
— Adam Carolla (@adamcarolla) January 10, 2023
His tweet included an image of the bookstore’s display.
Morgan also shared the image and wrote “Brilliant” with clapping hand emojis.
Brilliant. @bertsbooks 👏👏 pic.twitter.com/AMUDuOWNbB
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) January 11, 2023
Later, Mackie reacted to the display on social media, captioning a post on Instagram: “Thank you to the 8000 people who’ve sent me this today. And thank you @bertsbooks, what an honor.”