People or businesses that sell books to the public, either in physical stores or online.
Compound of 'book' from Old English 'bōc' (originally meaning beech tree, as early writing was done on beech bark) and 'seller' from Old English 'sellan' meaning to give or hand over. The profession emerged with the spread of literacy and printing technology in medieval Europe.
Booksellers have been cultural gatekeepers for centuries, often doubling as publishers, librarians, and intellectual salons in their communities. In authoritarian regimes, they've frequently been targets of censorship, making their role both commercial and quietly subversive - preserving and spreading ideas that might otherwise disappear.
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