We chat with Samuel Zifchak about the magic of books, and exactly what makes a striking cover.

Why do you work in books?

Books have always been an instrumental part of my life. My grandfather was heavily involved in bookselling and both my parents are voracious readers. We used bookshelves for wallpaper. I would rarely raise my head from a book as a child. Books inspire me, entertain me and gently encourage me to examine my own beliefs about everything: from water usage to love. It’s a joy to work among such instigators of change.

What’s something new you’ve observed in bookselling?

A bookshop, despite a world of efficiency and the quick fix, remains a sanctuary where time slows. I’ve observed people spend hours engrossed in browsing shelves while ignoring the attention-seeking whines of their mobiles. It’s a place where you can put your world aside for a while and leave with another world under your arm. I hope that never changes.

Describe your own taste in books.

Stephen King once described books as ‘uniquely portable magic’. I like books that have enough magic to evoke a reaction in me. I want to finish a book feeling that something indescribable within me has been satiated.

Name a book that has changed the way you think, in ways small or large.

There’s a title called The Gift by Lewis Hyde. It’s a gorgeous exploration into market-driven societies and the role and importance of creativity in a money-fuelled world. It’s a gentle and well-researched book with a powerful message. I’d strongly recommend it to both artists and non-artists alike.

What book would you happily spend a weekend indoors with?

I’d happily spend a weekend indoors engrossed in a Haruki Murakami novel. Kafka on the Shore is an obvious choice, but Dance, Dance, Dance was one of the few novels that I had to read from start to finish without pause.

Your job entails recommending good reads: how do you balance personal taste with customer nous?

I think you can get a pretty good idea of someone’s taste through a simple enquiry about what books they’ve enjoyed in the past. From there it’s just a matter of going through an internal catalogue and finding a match.

What’s the best book you’ve read lately?

I really enjoyed The 100-Year-Old Man who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson. It’s a humorous and insightful novel about a centenarian who decides to break out of his nursing home on his birthday. From that premise, it gets wilder and wilder as you realise that throughout his life the protagonist has, albeit unintentionally, shaped the modern world. There are gangsters and elephants as well. What’s not to love?

Who has the best book cover?

It’s a hard question, but Alexis Wright’s The Swan Book certainly caught my attention. It’s a stark cover where the coloured type offsets the sombre, detailed bird in the background. It’s alluring and draws you in. Dorothy Porter’s Collected Works uses a similar strategy and is just as striking.