I'm in Australia, and everything the guy said about A&R having a poor selection is absolutely true. They are the last stop on my list for bookshopping because I know that unless I am after Stephen King's very latest, I am unlikely to find what I am looking for on their shelves. Unfortunately, I live in a regional centre, not a big city and for a long time, they have been one of my only choices. We had a Dymocks, but it closed its doors years ago. I turned to Amazon and eBay about eight years ago and rarely buy a book in person.

However - Borders is due to open here on 4 December and I fully expect them to wipe the floor with A&R.