# In a geographically arranged bookstore… **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 3, 2026, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-geographically-arranged-bookstore/1029749 "2026-05-03T15:03:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Schnitte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/schnitte/32/9033_2.png) [@Schnitte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Schnitte)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2026, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-geographically-arranged-bookstore/1029749/1 "2026-05-03T15:03:33Z")
…where would you put books about Bermuda? I’d put it under Caribbean, even though I know it’s not really a Caribbean country. It’s off the coast of North America, but the North American shelves are all about the United States and Canada (even Mexico is usually separate, under Central America). (I’m asking the question because I’ve been browsing bookstores for books about Bermuda for a while and can’t seem to find it anywhere.) ---
**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2026, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-geographically-arranged-bookstore/1029749/3 "2026-05-03T15:55:46Z")
> [@On another topic](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1030246/36): > > a separate triangular alcove removed from the rest of the store from which no customer can be permitted to return. Welcome to the SDope, tilteddrive! This is probably the best first-time post we’ve ever had here. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2026, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-geographically-arranged-bookstore/1029749/4 "2026-05-03T17:43:24Z")
No kidding, An all-time classic. Many more, please. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2026, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-geographically-arranged-bookstore/1029749/5 "2026-05-03T20:39:33Z")
Welcome, @tilteddriveway! Pull up a chair and make yourself at home! ---
**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2026, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-geographically-arranged-bookstore/1029749/7 "2026-05-05T04:49:38Z")
Hey, we like onions! And kittens. And books. And good conversation. This site is a special place, a community unlike any other on the entire internet. May I ask how you found us? ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2026, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-geographically-arranged-bookstore/1029749/8 "2026-05-05T05:23:58Z")
> [@Schnitte](#): > > …where would you put books about Bermuda? I’d put it under Caribbean, even though I know it’s not really a Caribbean country. That’s how [Dewey](https://www.librarything.com/mds/972.9) does it. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2026, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-geographically-arranged-bookstore/1029749/9 "2026-05-05T05:32:26Z")
Where does Guam go? Aside from alphabetically alongside me. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2026, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-geographically-arranged-bookstore/1029749/10 "2026-05-05T07:06:46Z")
Would books on Heaven be in the attic? ---
**Author:** ![Schnitte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/schnitte/32/9033_2.png) [@Schnitte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Schnitte)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2026, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-geographically-arranged-bookstore/1029749/11 "2026-05-05T08:26:11Z")
That goes back to another bookstore-browsing problem I’ve been having: What about atheists such as Richard Dawkins - under theology/religion, or philosophy, or science? ---
**Author:** ![Llama\_Llogophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2026, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-geographically-arranged-bookstore/1029749/12 "2026-05-05T11:58:27Z")
Bermuda really is out in the middle of nowhere. The first time I went there I was flying a jet charter. As part of our flight planning we had to designate an alternate airport in case of bad weather or other mishap. We ended up using Boston or Cape Cod IIRC, because that was actually the closest suitable field. Did not expect that. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2026, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-geographically-arranged-bookstore/1029749/13 "2026-05-05T12:49:20Z")
Yeah. Philadelphia PHL is our usual alternate going to Bermuda BDA. With the result that we’re often landing there with more than half the takeoff fuel still on board. And real heavy. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2026, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-geographically-arranged-bookstore/1029749/14 "2026-05-05T12:56:52Z")
Atheism is Religion. Theology is Religion. Philosophy of religion is Philosophy. Religious philosophy is Religion. ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2026, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-geographically-arranged-bookstore/1029749/15 "2026-05-05T13:07:18Z")
Obviously hidden inside Finis Africae… ---
**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2026, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-geographically-arranged-bookstore/1029749/17 "2026-05-06T04:19:11Z")
> [@On another topic](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1030246/38): > > Web 1.0 style forum that’s kinda gone downhill Well ya found the right place! This site is full of folks who are going “downhill”. (About half of us are close to retirement age). When the Straightdope community started, the atmosphere of the forum was like a college dorm, with a bunch of smart people enjoying good discussions and snarky humor while passing around a joint. Now we’re a little more subdued, but [those were the days, my friend](https://youtu.be/JnxTT7XXMPA?si=qwMKtg7rLmNBtQxK) ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2026, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-geographically-arranged-bookstore/1029749/18 "2026-05-06T11:27:35Z")
Library of Congress classification has Bermuda among the West Indies, which includes the Caribbean, but is larger than the Caribbean. The Bahamas too are not Caribbean, but are West Indies. Logically the shelf next to Bermuda should be the Bahamas. The Bahamas are adjacent to the Greater Antilles, and so on. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2026, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-geographically-arranged-bookstore/1029749/19 "2026-05-06T16:00:38Z")
And the Legbone islands are adjacent to the Kneebones, the Kneebones are adjacent to the Thighbones, the Thighbones are adjacent to the Hipbones, sail on, my friend, sail on.