News and interviews from the wild, wild world of independent bookselling.
“Old Books Discussed”—ancient article animates attention
We were once again taking a brief break from the page proofs—they will never end!—by scrolling through the digital resources available via the Brooklyn Public Library—our new favorite institution!—when we… Read more »
Shelf Wars: Ashley Tisdale buys 400 books to ‘style’ her home and Twitter explodes
What do your bookshelves say about you? Have you been collecting for years, cramming books in any which way you can? Do you carefully stylise, organising by colour or category?… Read more »
End of an era: Waterstones to extend high street domination after acquiring bookshop chain Blackwell’s
A 143 year legacy will soon be coming to an end after it was announced this week that Waterstones has bought Blackwell’s, the UK’s biggest independent bookshop chain. We recently wrote… Read more »
UK’s largest independent book chain Blackwell’s up for sale after 143 years
Blackwell’s is an institution in the UK. Benjamin Henry Blackwell opened the first family owned bookshop in Oxford to the public in 1849, making it one of Britain’s oldest booksellers. Benjamin Henry’s son,… Read more »
UK’s first specialist Black book shop saved by crowdfunder
The directors of the UK’s first book shop and publisher dedicated to Black writing, New Beacon Books, have thanked supporters for a “lifeline” after a crowdfunding campaign saved their premises… Read more »
Return of the Rings: Worcester hospice flogs filched fantasies
It’s a storyline that might have come from the mind of J.R.R. Tolkien himself. On December 19 it was reported that a thief had made off with rare first editions… Read more »
Flintshire book shop devastated by fire hails “incredible” public support
An unimaginable loss for “one of the largest online and real bookshops in the North West,” based in Flintshire, UK, has been transformed into a hopeful new beginning, thanks to… Read more »
New scheme aims to support budding booksellers from underrepresented communities
The Booksellers Association (BA) and Bookshop.org launched New Futures this autumn, a programme offering individuals from underrepresented communities across the UK the chance to develop their own bookshop business alongside industry experts.… Read more »
Northumberland mum donates hundreds of pounds worth of books to women’s refuge
This week the Newcastle Chronicle brought heartening news from Northumberland, UK, as local mum and Usborne Publishing sales partner Rachel Shayler donated £300 worth of children’s books to a women’s refuge in… Read more »
New Somerset-based press caters for dyslexic adults
“Dyslexia, as I can attest to, does not go away. You don’t grow out of it.” So says Alistair Sims, founder of the newly-created BOTH Press, which has just published… Read more »