Quote by Terry Pratchett
Aziraphale collected books. If he were totally honest with himself he would have to have admitted that his bookshop was simply somewhere to store them. He was not unusual in this. In order to maintain his cover as a typical second-hand book seller, he used every means short of actual physical violence to prevent customers from making a purchase. Unpleasant damp smells, glowering looks, erratic opening hours - he was incredibly good at it.
Summary
This quote from the novel "Good Omens" by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman highlights the character of Aziraphale, who owns a bookshop primarily for the purpose of hoarding books rather than selling them. Despite his desire to maintain the appearance of a regular second-hand book seller, Aziraphale goes to great lengths to deter customers from buying anything, utilizing tactics like unpleasant smells, intimidating looks, and inconsistent operating hours. This description underlines Aziraphale's devotion to his book collection and the lengths he will go to protect it, revealing his eccentricity and quirky personality.