We’ll be open late for the second Main St Block Party! Come on down and enjoy the fun summer atmosphere, entertainment, great food, and more.

We are excited to welcome North Shore author Elizabeth Winthrop to The Bookstore on Thursday August 6th from 6:30pm-8pm! She’ll be discussing & signing copies of her new novel CONVICTION.

Books can be found at The Bookstore before & during the event. No registration is required!

Save the date for our July Book of the Month Meet Up! Enjoy bookish conversation & complimentary tea and snacks with fellow readers in store on Thursday July 30th at 5:30pm. Our July BotM is DEATH OF THE AUTHOR by Nnedi Okorafor!

Here’s a little about the book:

“In this exhilarating tale by New York Times bestselling and award-winning author Nnedi Okorafor, a disabled Nigerian American woman pens a wildly successful Sci-Fi novel, but as her fame rises, she loses control of the narrative--a surprisingly cutting, yet heartfelt drama about art and love, identity and connection, and, ultimately, what makes us human. This is a story unlike anything you've read before.”

We’ll be welcoming Matthew E Henry back to the store for another Poetry Reading! He’ll be joined by Whitney Rio-Ross at The Bookstore Thursday July 23rd at 6:30pm! Matthew will read from his latest collection PROMISES TO KEEP & Whitney will read from her latest collection THUNDER MAKES US.

We’ll have books for sale at the event! No registration required.

Gloucester Writer’s Center brings author Lydia Willsky-Ciollo to the UU Church (10 Church St, Gloucester) on Thursday July 16th from 7pm-8pm to talk about her new book WILDNESS: HENRY DAVID THOREAU AND THE MAKING OF AN AMERICAN THEOLOGY!

The Bookstore will have copies of Lydia’s book for sale at the event!

We’re very excited to partner with Sawyer Free Library to welcome Eric Jay Dolin for an author talk & book signing! Join us in the Community Room at SFL on Thursday July 16th from 5:30pm-6:30pm to hear about Eric’s latest nautical nonfiction book THE WRECK OF THE MENTOR!

REGISTER BY CLICKING HERE! This event is likely to sell out, so RSVP ASAP!

The Bookstore will have books for sale at the event. Preorders always welcome.

Rachel Kadish will be in town for an author talk on Tuesday July 14th at Temple Ahavat Achim from 7pm-8:30pm! Join us for an author talk, Q&A, and book signing. Registration required - REGISTER HERE!

The Bookstore will have copies of THE WEIGHT OF INK & Rachel’s earlier books for sale at the event!

We’ll be open late for the first Main St Block Party of the Summer! Come on down for a fun atmosphere & great entertainment.

Our June Book of the Month Meet Up will take place on TUESDAY JUNE 30TH! Join us in store 5:30-7pm for lite bites & tea! Please note the day change, as we avoid the Fiesta foot traffic. The June Book of the Month is going to be THE LILAC PEOPLE by Milo Todd!

Join us on Thursday June 18th at 4:00pm in Sawyer Free Library’s Community Room for an author event with Tim Crellin! Crellin’s new novel THE LAND OF THE LIVING follows three generations of a Sicilian immigrant family settling in Massachusetts during the 20th century. Crellin will discuss the book and how his personal story inspired it:

“In this moving and timely lecture, Timothy Crellin, the author of The Land of the Living, weaves together memoir, history, genealogy, and cultural reflection to explore one enduring question: Who are we, really? Beginning with the myth of America as a “melting pot,” he traces his Sicilian family’s journey from the slopes of Mount Etna to upstate New York, uncovering stories of migration, war, resilience, and love. Blending personal narrative with social history and contemporary insight, this powerful talk invites audiences to reflect on their own family origins, the immigrant experience that shapes the nation, and the deeper connections that bind us together in a time of division.”

REGISTER BY CLICKING HERE

The Bookstore will have copies of the book for sale at the event! Preorders always welcome.

We excited to partner with Cape Ann Museum for their Pride Picnic on Saturday June 6th! Join us & many other community partners at CAM Green from 10:30am-1:30pm for a day of activities, community events, & BYO picnic as we celebrate Pride together. The Bookstore will have a table of books for sale & an updated Pride Pamphlet featuring books by queer authors!

We’re thrilled to welcome photographer Alex Knudsen to The Bookstore on Thursday June 4th from 6:30pm-8pm to celebrate his new photo book MOURNING DOVE - published by Dust Collective. Please save the date and join us in store to hear more about the project and enjoy some complimentary food & drink.

Mourning Dove by Alexander Knudsen reflects on the intertwined memories of family and place. Knudsen writes, “My grandfather taught me how to cup my hands together, thumbs pointed to create a mouthpiece to mimic the coo of the bird that calls each morning. The mourning dove is thought to be a harbinger of deliverance, or a spiritual message of hope. Its soft, sorrowful call marks the beginning of a new day.”

The daily sound of a mourning dove forms a rhythm for life in Ipswich, Massachusetts, where the artist lives with his family and where his mother and grandfather before him also called home.

Made along the tidal banks, river paths, and marshlands of Cape Ann, these photographs show the textures of this coastal landscape. Morning walks, fleeting encounters, and Craigslist connections weave together with intimate family moments to create a layered portrait of place.

Both personal and universal, the book shows how place and memory intertwine, and how noticing becomes an act of remembrance and grace.

Books will be available for sale at the event!

Save the date for our May Book of the Month Meet Up on Thursday May 28th! We’ll meet at the store at 5:30pm to discuss BITE BY BITE by Aimee Nezhukumatathil. We invite folks to bring along a food with special memories to share for the discussion! (Finger food/ easy to serve is best!)

Save the date for a program by Gloucester Lyceum on Saturday May 9th at Kyrouz Auditorium in City Hall.

Where does democracy come from? What are its strengths? How is it challenged? What can we learn from history to sustain democratic values and institutions? In keeping with the charge of the Gloucester Lyceum to sponsor marquee events on topics of pressing importance, we hope that our Forum, Our Democracy, will inspire our city of inquiring minds and concerned citizens to address these questions.

Harvard Professor Steven Levitsky will be speaking from his work on a new book The Great Abdication: How America Lost its Democracy. His talk will argue that the United States descended into competitive authoritarianism in 2025 and 2026. It then discusses why this happened, centering on the acquiescence and retreat to the sidelines of much of the American elite. Callie Crossley, well known for her work as a local journalist and commentator, will respond to Professor Levitsky with her insights and facilitate dialogue with the audience.

Doors open at 1:30 PM - Registration required via Sawyer Free Library: CLICK HERE

The Bookstore will have books for sale at the event and in store.

We’re excited to partner with Cape Ann Pride, Gloucester Writer’s Center, & Sawyer Free Library for this lecture & book signing with Milo Todd, author of THE LILAC PEOPLE! Milo will give a lecture - "A Trans History of the Weimar Republic" - that ties into his award-winning debut novel on Friday May 8th in the Community Room at SFL at 5:30pm.

REGISTRATION REQUIRED! CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

The Bookstore will have copies of THE LILAC PEOPLE for sale at the event. Preorders always welcome!

We’ll have a festive arts & culture window display for FROM THE DEEP - a Downtown Gloucester Arts Party! You can also stop in to view the May Art Wall with paintings by Robin Koral Wright, as all as a number of other local artists featured around the store. We’ll also have a 10% off Art Books (excluding consignment books) sale!

Happening downtown 11am-5pm - The Bookstore will be open 9am-6pm! List of events and promos will be listed at www.harbortownculturaldistrict.org

We’ll be selling Sebastian Junger books are this fundraiser for the families of the F/V Lily Jean crew at Gloucester Stage Co on Thursday April 30th at 7:30pm. This is a ticketed event! Purchase tickets by CLICKING HERE

Save the date for the April Meet Up! Join us in store Thursday April 30th at 5:30pm to discuss our April Book of the Month 44 POEMS ON BEING WITH EACH OTHER by Pádraig Ó Tuama!

Copies of this book are 10% off for the month of April! Stop in to pick yours up.

Literary Cape Ann presents authors Heidi Pitlor and Susan Sheperd at Shalin Liu on Saturday April 25th at 1pm! They will have a discussion about short stories. This event is free!

The Bookstore will be on site with selections from our Short Story Section for sale.

Cake Ann is hosting Stephanie Hersh, Julia Child’s longtime assistant, to talk about all things food, recipes, and Julia on Friday April 24th from 6pm-8pm. Refreshments courtesy of Cake Ann will be served. Ticket fees will be donated to Open Door! TICKETS HERE

The Bookstore will have some of Hersh’s favorite Julia Child’s cookbooks for sale at the event!

We’ll welcome authors Emily Carpenter & Shannon Kirk back to the store on Sunday April 12th at 5:30pm for a conversation about Emily’s new book A SPELL FOR SAINTS AND SINNERS.

The Bookstore will have copies of both Emily & Shannon’s books for sale.

Join us Thursday March 26th at 5:30pm in store to discuss the March Book of the Month: SAOIRSE by Charleen Hurtubise!

Save the date for the February Book of the Month Meet Up! We’ll meet on Thursday Feb 26th from 5:30-7pm in store to discuss the February Book of the Month: BLACK IN BLUES by Imani Perry. Complimentary tea & snacks!

February Art Wall artist Fred Kepler will be in store to celebrate his show on Friday February 13th from 1pm-4pm. The public is welcome to stop by during those hours to speak with the artist. Fred’s paintings are on view at The Bookstore for the month of February.

The February Art Wall artist, Fred Kepler, will be at The Bookstore for a small gathering to celebrate his show! Please feel free to stop by to meet the artist. Kepler’s paintings are on view (& for sale) at the store until February 28th.

We’re partnering with Sawyer Free Library once again to offer an author talk & book signing! Please join us in the SFL Community Room on Thursday February 5th from 5:30-6:30pm for an author talk with Doug Most! He will be discussing his recent book ‘Launching Liberty: The Epic Race to Build the Ships That Took America to War’ and will highlight local connections!

The Bookstore will have copies of the book for sale at the event. Register today by visit Sawyer Free Library’s website or giving them a call at 978-325-5500.

Save the date for the first Book of the Month Meet Up! We’ll meet at The Bookstore Thursday Jan 29th at 5:30pm to talk about Lily King’s Heart the Lover! Save 10% off this title for the month of January.