Steve Shapiro is a man to avoid if you're just browsing. He remembers your name and what you bought last time you stopped by. He remembers the name of every author you've ever mentioned, and he's made several mental notes to tell you about a new book that will undoubtedly be of interest to you. We remain fairly convinced that his purpose, in compiling invisible reader profiles of everyone in Kansas City, is not to shamelessly hawk books but rather to share his own excitement about books with the people who have hinted that they might be willing to listen. That you can't help but buy whatever it is he's talking about has nothing to do with salesmanship, per se, but the result is still you taking out your wallet while Shapiro punches buttons on the cash register. The beauty lies in the fact that all Shapiro is really doing is making conversation -- there's no wheeling and dealing. His one and only sales tactic is genuinely loving the product he sells.