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Thank you everyone for making my day. In agreement with Nobby Clark, to find such open-mindedness and humour in (most) people is really refreshing. Now, we're all different, so of course some of you will take offence, but I'm sure glad I'm not among you. What a wonderful thread. Like-minded souls please seek out Robert Hancy's comments - pure genius!

- Kim, Reading

I work at WHSmith and to let you all in a BIG secret...the "fathers day" top 50 was actually the top 50 best selling non fiction books. So the books themselves were not specifically aimed at dads.
I know we cheat.
Am i traitor for letting you all know.
No because i hate my job

- S, London

no one is forcing anyone to buy the book. if it upsets you DON'T BUY IT.

- Gary, london

Yes it was in bad taste, an unfortunate error of judgement, however I'm sure in no way deliberate.

Surely removing the book though, effectively amounts to censorship, and I wonder would those complaining about the stores choice, like to deny access to any more information that they feel uncomfortable dealing with?

I work in a bookshop and I don't like selling a lot of things, Mein Kampf, David Irving or My booky wook for starters. BUT debate is essential to progress, and I think a greater understanding of a horrendous man such as Fritzl may be more beneficial to us in our understanding of what actually happens in the world, more so than the latest contribution from Katie Price.

Oh and just to let you know, my fathers day reccomendation to everyone was Charles Bukowski Notes From a Dirty Old Man and he was dead chuffed. Not everyone thinks the same, get over it.

- J Boy, London

"Fritzl's worst crime was the pictures of him in swimming trunks anyway.- Benny, london"

One can only hope you are joking, Benny.

- Maz, London

Frizl was a sick man, but we all like to look in to the mind of famous freaks and buy their books. Why apologise for selling, when the apologists should be the purchasers?

- Dave Davies, Basingstoke, Hants

Amy, this is a big deal. For people who have suffered abuse in their families, Father's Day is difficult enough as it is. To have the Fritzl book promoted is a slap in the face for anyone who has been abused themselves.

- K John, London, UK

I can't imagine any sane person wanting to have a copy of that book.

- John From London, London,England

It's pure 'Monty Python'.

*insert laughing smiley*

- Peter Key, WORKINGTON,

"If there was nothing wrong with this then WHSmith and Tesco wouldn't have reacted so swiftly to the complaints would they? "

What utter rubbish. They removed it because they're worried about being sued.
Why oh why is it such a big deal? Men are much more statistically likely to read non fiction and someone's choice of reading material does not necessarily determine whether they are inclined to lock their daughters up. Let's all just calm down here.

- Amy, Birmingham

Fritzl's worst crime was the pictures of him in swimming trunks anyway.

- Benny, london

It's a true crime book, there's thousands of them out there. It wasn't being marketed as a 'guide to parenting' for crying out loud.


- Chris, Nottingham

Oh come on, if this doesnt make you laugh lighten up!!

- Croz, esher

I dunno, I think that this story IS kinda funny. It shows the lack of foresight on the part of the store management that came up with this 'brilliant' idea. Perhaps this is why they are stuck working in retail instead of having become a neurosurgeon.

- Howard, Kingston, UK

Their real crime here was recommending Dan Brown.

- Jimbo, Willesden

It wasn't a selection of books about dads, it was books for Farthers day, My dad likes True Crime Books, he finds them intresting. My dad would like something like that for farthers day. I dont see the issure really, some dads would like it

- Mouse, Manchester United Kingdom

Jonathan, London - can you really not see the difference between history books on one of the world's most infamous leaders and a store promoting a book about someone who was obsessed with incest, for Fathers Day of all events? If there was nothing wrong with this then WHSmith and Tesco wouldn't have reacted so swiftly to the complaints would they? I suppose those of you thinking this funny are men yourselves? I have nothing but contempt and disgust for you. You should be ashamed!

- J., Fulham

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. You gota laugh at something like this. Its so stupid it wasnt done on purpose.

- Ian, Norwich

And I once spotted Happy Like Murderers: The True Story of Fred and Rosemary West in their Gardening section...what is the world coming too!

- Larry D, Mill Hill, London

The nastiest thing here (Fritzl aside) is Ms Bradshaw's venom towards some poor shopworker in Lewisham. Perhaps if she calmed down she wouldn't offend quite so many.

- Dave, London, EU

Call me sick, but I nearly wet myself laughing at this story.

- David Oakley, London

Call me really sick - I actually did!

- Nowan King, London

what a fantastic bit of thoughlessness - please get staff to read?

- Sally, London

If they don't sell enough copies it'll probably end up in the bargain basement

- Sean, Brixton

Robert of Bow: I like the way you think!

- Patricia, Forest Gate

Excellent story and the comments are just as funny, especially Robert from Bow.
As for M. Harbiash from Highgate, how many books have been written and bought about another rather more prolific Austrian killer than Fritzl?

- Jonathan, London, England

Who says father's day book selections have to be about paragons of paternity anyway? This may be a result of some (laudable) lateral thinking on WH Smith's part... though it was more likely selected by some relational database and placed on the shop floor without being checked for content, instead of being carefully chosen by a thoughtful employee after much reflection.

At any rate, it raised a smile with many readers, including me. So get it back on the Fathers Day shelf, Smiths (and perhaps in the bargain basement too?), and let us make our own minds up.

- Tom, London, London

I am not easily offended, in fact I seem to spend most of my life offending other people, but I do think this is vile. If a book about Baby P's mother were ever written and promoted as a Mother's Day gift would those of you that think this so hilarious think that so amusing?

- Sarah Bradshaw, Enfield, Middx

WH Smiths - the nation's favourite book cellar

- Sean, Brixton

Call me sick, but I nearly wet myself laughing at this story.

- David Oakley, London

I once spotted Nelson Mandela's "The Long Walk to Freedom" in their Health and Leisure books section. Honest!

- Sonia M., St Albans, Herts

When I was a teenager I worked in a Smiths almost all the customers were rude so if it is still same no great surprise staff resort to these sorts of pranks to keep themselves sane.

- Sean, London

Ah the "taste" police were out in force that day ! What hell does it matter ? Just because the book was about a horrendous father it is not suitable for a fathers day present ? Well maybe so-but I suspect there were many other books about "hard edged" subjects on that list it can't have been just about gardening and diy

- Jason Stone, Stratford, Newham

You couldn't make this up could you.

- Ann, Brighton East Sussex

This headline certainly cheered up my day!

Top marks to WH Smiths for being open minded!

- Gavin, London

He was a dab hand at the DIY though.

- Rob Jones, London

Just goes to show that WHS are not a proper book shop as staff know nothing about contents. Wouldn't happen in an independent

- Dawn, Worcs

The truth of the man is utterly horrific, in fact what his daughter must have gone through is beyond imagining and pretty much as evil as you can get.

But you've gotta laugh at this

- Keeno, London, UK

I blame the interior dimensions of the L-shaped Lewisham Smiths. they defy all logic and therefore nothing that happens in there can be judged in comparison to events in the world outside.

- Jeridan Cork, London

You really shouldn't laugh

- Dave, London

Come on people. This is the biggest laugh I have had in months.

It's raining, we have an out of touch, corrupt government, there is no credible opposition, we pay too much in tax, inflation is on the up, we are losing jobs, people are striking, pay is frozen and swine flu is going to kill us all by Christmas.

But at least WH Smith has a sense of humour. Good on them!

- Nobby Clark, Perth, the Scottish one

Brilliant! What has happened to peoples' sense of humour? This made me laugh out loud ;0)

- Jules_London, london

This has to be a joke. What was W H Smith thinking of? Thoughtless, to say the very least.

- Graham Rodhouse, Helmond, Netherlands

A fine example of Murphy's law.

People are so easily offended. For my part I fail to see any importance in reading a book about Josef Fritzl and as a father of three I find the notion of fathers day (US) far more disconcerting.

- Gary, brentwood

My sick sense of humour has got the better of me........this has just made my morning! Then I read Robert Hancy's comment which brought tears of laughter to my eyes. I think I need help..........

- Nowan King, London

It's up there with Woolworths selling a child's bed with the name 'Lolita' . . .

- Roz, France

Jenny,

WH Smiths is a dinosaur from a bygone era and is probably only being propped up by its station and airports stores. Although you mention the Penguin deal we shouldn't forget that Smiths also tried to prevent the abolishment of the Net Book Arrangement. I rarely buy anything from Smiths these days.

Mike and Brian,

I have a confession to make!

- Mark, South-East London

I don't believe that could be a mistake. They should at least admit that the shelf stacker had a sick sense of humour. Who on earth would want to read a book about a man like that anyway? Didn't we get enough revolting information on the case day in day out in the newspapers last year?

- M Farbiash, Highgate

Brian, if you are a bad man then so am I

- Mike, London

Do WH Smith have any awareness of their customers AT ALL or is it all about marketing? I'm getting really tired of them. They've just signed a deal that their monopoly airport outlets will sell only Penguin travel guides, ie. drastically reduce the choice and deprive many people of the guides they like to buy.

As with the Fritzl book it seems that they're so busy thinking about selling stuff that they have forgotten that their customers are not just financial units whose job is to buy from WH Smith.

Could it be cost effective for them to build into their strategies some consideration of what real human beings might actually WANT?

- Jenny, London

Am I a bad man for laughing out loud at that?

- Brian, Catford, UK

I don't know what the fuss is about, the last time an Austrian father hid his family from the authorities they made a musical out of it.

- Robert Hancy, Bow

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