BOOK CLUBS / BOOK STORES
See our list of media book clubs for listings of current and past selections
of BBC4's Book Club, GMA's Read This! book club, the Today Show's Book Club, Oprah's
new classic fiction book club, Richard and Judy's Book Club, and the Washington Post Book Club.
- Reading Group Guides.com
- Over 1,900 reading group guides available, and a wealth of other information as well.
including author interviews, the list of choices for major TV/newspaper
reading clubs (USA Today, Good Morning America, Today Show, and Reading with Ripa),
and links to book clubs for teens and kids.
- Resources for Book Clubs (King County Library System, WA)
- Information on starting the group, choosing and researching the books, facilitating
the discussion. List of helpful books and web sites. Links to online discussion group
guides and sources of online book-buying.
- Vintage Books Reading Group Guides (Random House)
- Reading guides for over 125 books (in alpha order by author name; also searchable by title and subject),
as well as teachers' guides, reading group tips (reading
authors in-depth, reading on a theme,
exploring a different culture, attending a reading, reading poetry with your group, etc.),
a list of the best books for reading groups,
and a cheat sheet with author interviews, excerpts,
and related resources.
- Reading Group Choices: The Resource Center for Book Groups
- Offers May We Recomment ...? with a sbject and author search featues; What’s New?, a newsletter,
Featured Books, One-on-One Interviews, tips for starting and running bookgroups.
- Book Muse: Book Discussions Made Smarter
- Book reviews and resources for book discussion groups. Newsletter, interviews,
suggested books. Sponsored by Powells Books.
- Reading Groups on the Internet (Beauregard Parish Library - DeRidder, LA)
- About 50 reading groups with websites listed and briefly described. Another page by
this group lists reading group
guides available online.
- Reading and Discussion Book Themes (Massachusetts Foundation
for the Humanities)
- Lists book titles for over 30 themes, including American Dreams;
Animal Voices/Human Visions; Creators Great and Small: Biographies of the Constitution;
Crime and the Cultural Landscape; Family Affairs; The Journey Inward: Women's Autobiography;
Laughing Matters; Myths in Marriage; Not for Children Only: Children’s Classics for Adults;
The Quest for Utopia; Science as Literature; Voices of the Outer Cape [Cod];
and others.
- Reading Woman: Books We Have Read and Loved
- Sponsored and written by women from a longtime reading group, this site offer
"a place for readers and book discussion groups looking beyond
the bestseller lists for their reading selections." Sections
with lists and summaries of short stories; books by writers of the Harlem
Renaissance; great reads; science fiction by women authors; mysteries; "the best book
you never heard of;" as well as the "Opening Line Game"
and a short list of links.
- Book-Clubs-Resource.com
- (Formerly Rachel's Compendium of Online Book Discussions.) Links to many on-line book groups and book discussions, as well as links to related resource
materials.
- The Jewish Reader: A Guide for Book Groups (National Yiddish Book Center)
- Monthly newsletter, The Jewish Reader, features a new classic and
contemporary Jewish fiction, poetry, memoir selection, with selected
passages, review essay, study questions to guide book group
discussions. Also a Great Jewish Books list.
- HarperCollins Reading Group Guides
- Browse HarperCollins fiction and non-fiction titles by author, title, and subject;
also monthly newsletter and information about starting a reading group or
doing a community read.
- St. Martin's Press Reading Group Guides
- Guides for about 80 of St. Martin's titles.
- Picador USA Reading Group Guides
- Guides for about 120 Picador titles.
- Oprah's Book Club Books (Elmhurst Public Library, IL)
- List of all books chosen by Oprah from 1996-2006, with paragraph summary of each. Links
to Oprah's website.
- Salon: "A Web Site For People Who Read"
- Talk about books, art, ideas. Meet authors on line. Sneak peeks at new books.
- Literacy Volunteers of America
- (Now ProLiteracy Worldwide.) Info on teaching basic literacy. Volunteers and clients can search
for programs by state. Statistical reports, strategic plans, and other resources available online.
- Literacy Volunteers of Maine (Portland)
- Background info on literacy in the U.S. and in Maine and
links to local affiliates, such as Greater Sanford.
- National Institute for Literacy
- On-line resources including forums and listservs, current events and info, links.
Book stores listed in alphabetical order.
- Amazon.Com
- The biggie.
- Abebooks
- A worldwide distributor over 80 million new, used, and rare books. Easy to use. Browse or search by
author, title, keyword, ISBN; or use the Advanced Search to specify editions, publication year, etc.
"Reading Copy" is their weblog.
- Alibris
- Large online used book dealer. Offers used (and new) books, used textbooks, rare and out-of-print books, signed editions,
first editions. Also offers movies and music. Alibris
for Libraries calls itself "the leading library supplier
of used, new, and hard-to-find books, movies and music."
- Angus & Robertson (Australia)
- Searchable, or browse by dozens of categories. Some reviews, 12 bestseller
lists (including Top 10 Australiana), bookstore history, online shopping.
- Barnes & Noble
- Searchable and browsable by subject. 20% off paperbacks, 30% off hard-cover books.
Essays, news, features, lots of extras.
- Betts Bookstore (Bangor)
- Specializes in books about Maine and by Maine authors. Also aviation books.
- Bibliofind
- Now teamed with Amazon. Four million old, used, rare, out-of-print
books, available through 1,500 booksellers. Searchable by author,
title, other keywords, price range, date book listed on site.
- Blackwell's Online Bookshop (Oxford, England)
- Featured Book of the Month, recommendations, reviews, ebooks, rare books, Sunday Times
best sellers list, current titles in the media. Searchable or browse by
topic (Arts/Humanities/Social Sciences; Science/Technical/Medical/Computing;
Fiction/Leisure/Biography/Children's; Business/Finance/Law). Online shopping.
Link to Blackwells U.S. site.
- Booksense
- Network of independent bookstores. Find your local indie bookstore.
Sections on staff picks, forthcoming books, bestsellers, award winners, excerpts,
chapter previews, author info, book search, more.
- Bookzone (UK)
- Mega-store, all kinds of books, searachable. Catalog, new titles, literary links.
- Borders Books & Music
- Website is teamed with Amazon. Here you can find a list of local stores and
events.
- Buyer's Index
- Annotated list of over 250 bookstores, with description, how long in business,
secure/not secure ordering, return policy, areas shipped to, number of books
available, etc. Very good starting place. Large and small stores included.
- Clues Unlimited Mystery Bookstore (Tucson, AZ)
- Attractive, well-organised site. Features: New and Forthcoming Mysteries,
Staff Picks, Mysteries for Children, Imports, Mystery Subgenres (with excellent
articles about each subgenre -- Medieval, Academic, Historical, British
Historical, American Historical, Culinary -- and suggested authors),
Recent Reads, Bulletin board, Ordering info, Store hours and location,
Links.
- Cody's Books
- Locations in Berkeley and San Francisco, CA. Excellent online resources: Annotated lists of recommended
books; a book blog; lists of book
awards; kids' room.
- The Concord Bookshop (Concord, Massachusetts)
- Independent book store. Local events, store bestseller list, new titles list, newsletter, staff picks,
kids' section (with staff picks, links), info about the store. Order online.
- Cush City.Com
- "World's Largest African-American Selection." Offers
books, videos, art prints, toys, software, calendars, more.
Section on Black Greek/College Products. Browse or search, online
ordering, bestsellers list, hot off the press list, e-newsletter,
featured authors, etc. Limited information about the books.
- Daedalus Books
- Deeply discounted books and music, new and remaindered. Flat shipping and handling
fee. Search books by title, author, and subject. "Since 1980 Daedalus Books
has been the premier source for bibliophiles looking for quality books at
bargain prices."
- Fatbrain
- Bookstore on-line and with four retail stores, selling only computer, software, and
development books. Copious descriptions of many books, lengthy reviews of new and
classic books, list of 25 best-sellers (which are then priced 25% off).
Searchable and browsable. Same-day shipping. A Barnes and Noble store.
- Great Christian Books On-line
- Discounted homeschooling materials and Christian books. Search on-line catalog. Close-out specials.
- Half.com Books by eBay
- Half.com lists over 100 million items including books, music, movies,
computers, electronics. Lists new and used books in all categories.
Textbooks, audiobooks, reading group guides, bestsellers, more. Search, or
browse by category.
- Hedgehog Books (Santa Cruz, CA)
- Cute site. Teacher-recommended children's books. Site includes top 10 reading lists,
grade level reading lists (with summaries, reviews, excerpts, and author info),
series picks, monthly newletter, bulletin board and chat room,
online order tracking, a short list of favorite grown-up books.
- High Crimes Mystery Bookshop (Boulder, CO)
- Online store section carries reviews of recent arrivals, which can be ordered online,
as can books listed in the British imports section.
Also lists local author signings.
- Holt Uncensored: Independent Bookstores
- Extensive and annotated list of independent bookstores from Amazon (no, not that one;
it's a feminist bookstore cooperative) to Chicago's Women & Children First.
Lots of the stores aren't feminist in theme, but the first and last happen to be!
- Indigo Books and Music, Inc. (Ontario, Canada)
- Canada’s largest books retail chain. Searchable, or browse by topic.
Features: Pick of the Day; The Great Unread; Buried Treasures;
Microsoft Press Store; Tolkien Store; Harry Potter Library; Bestsellers
lists; Coming Soon; Oprah's Picks; Movie Tie-Ins; Bargain Books. Secure server.
- Moby Dickens Bookshop (Taos, NM)
- Best feature: Online
bibliographies of books in these categories: Art & Architecture In
New Mexico; Religious Folk Art; Pictorial Books; Works of Non-Fiction &
Biography; Works of Fiction; Mysteries Set In New Mexico (list of
major authors and works); Children's Books; Cookbooks; Gardening;
Travel & Recreation. Also info on local book groups, staff profiles,
ordering info (no online ordering), a few book reviews (Bibliofiles).
- Murder on Miami Beach (Miami Beach, FL)
- Section on Florida authors, with bio-biblio info on about 30 mystery writers; new books lists,
with summaries; events listing (outdated as of Jan. 02); contact info. No on-line ordering.
- Mystery Bookstores International: Directory (Mystery Readers International)
- Extensive list of independent mystery bookstores with regular hours, in the U.S. (by state),
Canada, Europe/UK/Ireland, and Australia. Provides contact information: address, phone number,
email, and website.
- The Mystery Bookstore (Los Angeles, CA)
- Online ordering; lists of local book signings; email newsletter; short reviews of selected
books; signed bestsellers for sale; rare and collectible mysteries for sale.
- Mystery Loves Company (Baltimore and Oxford, MD)
- Two locations in Maryland. Events, tea room, monthly mystery newsletter, mystery book lists, signed copies, etc.
- Mystery One Bookstore (Milwaukee, WI)
- Best feature: Mystery
author interviews page, including interviews with Kate Flora, Loren Estleman,
Charles Todd, Jane Haddam, Tess Gerritsen, Jan Burke, Laura Lippman, lots more.
Also: links to authors' websites; new arrivals; local author signings and events.
- Now Voyager, A Bookstore (Provincetown, MA)
- Gay and lesbian bookstore. Sections on new arrivals; books about
Cape Cod; gay & lesbian non-fiction; gay and lesbian literature;
mysteries; gay men's reading group; videos; Lambda Literary Award winners.
Online ordering.
- Poisoned Pen, A Mystery Bookstore (Scottsdale, AZ)
- "One of the three largest mystery bookstores in North America, The
Poisoned Pen carries over 15,000 current titles in inventory
including Canadian imports, small press books, British, historical,
and juvenile mystery, travel and literature of the Southwest, and
recommended modern fiction." Carries collectible and out-of-print
books. Best feature of website is Recommended Reading, which are detailed
booklists. Also: local events listing, what's new, mystery conference listings, author homepage links, etc.
Secure ordering.
- Port in a Storm Book Store (Mt. Desert Island, Maine)
- Large, general interest bookstore specializing in hard-to-find titles and books about Maine
and its history. Lists of books by Maine authors, Maine poets, books about Maine,
Maine children's books, Maine cookbooks, as well as other non-Maine lists.
- Politics and Prose Bookstore and Coffeehouse (Washington DC)
- Excellent mail order service for books. Staff picks, New and Recommended Books, Children's Books. Weekly email updates.
- Powells Books
- "The largest independent used and new bookstore in the world."
Excellent site. Specialising in hard-to-find, rare, out-of-print books.
Autographed books available.
- Sam Weller's Books (Salt Lake City, UT)
- A Booksense bookstore. Local author events, interesting monthly
newsletter (Book Talk), Joan's Picks of local/regional books,
Utah book awards info, independent booksellers bestsellers. Online
ordering, search.
- Seattle Mystery Bookshop
- Quarterly newsletters (archived) with info about author appearances,
northwest releases and other current releases, what the staff is
reading - with short summaries, etc.; calendar of upcoming author signings; current list of
signed books; last month's best sellers.
- WH Smith Internet Bookshop (U.K.)
- "Europe's largest online bookshop."
Up to 50% discount on national (UK) bestsellers (Hardback Fiction, Paperback
Fiction Bestsellers, Hardback Non-Fiction, Paperback Non-
Fiction Bestsellers, and Children's). Online ordering,
author/title/ISBN/publisher/series search, browsing by department, book of the
week, booklists.
- Stacey's Booksellers (San Francisco, CA)
- Staff recommendations and reviews; Stacey's top 10 bestsellers list; buyer's
recommendations; in-store events listing; staff favourites; email newsletter;
award winners for these awards: The Booker Prize, The Caldecott
Medal, The California Book Awards, The Edgar Award, The Hugo Award,
The National Book Award, The National Book Critics' Circle Awards,
The Nebula Award, The Nobel Prize for Literature, The PEN/Faulkner Award,
The Pulitzer Prize, and The Whitbread Book of the Year Award.
- Strand Books (NYC)
- The famous New York City bookstore, with 18 miles of books. Browse, or search by subject.
Also: Best Sellers, Just Arrived, Fine & Rare Editions, Gift Cards, sale books, and events calendar.
They also offer a unique service: "We assemble decorator collections in any subject,
including art, biography, reference, law, music, theater and classic literature." For example,
books in antique leather are $400.00 per foot, Victorian era books are $300.00 per foot.
- Tattered Cover Book Store (Denver)
- Wonderful bookstore. Lots of interesting things on line, including on-line
interviews with authors and independent bookstore info. Features large selection
of autographed books. Searchable by author and title, or send them an inquiry and get
a personal reply.
- VJ Books (Tualatin, OR)
- VJ Books "provides high quality modern fiction titles chosen
to meet the expectations of the discriminating collector. We specialize in
mystery, horror and science fiction authors." Searchable database.
Signed copies, advance reading copies, limited editions offered.
- The Well Bookshop (Perth, Western Australia)
- Searchable. Online shopping. News, reviews, interviews, new releases,
lending library, bargains, book clubs, The
Well Recommender (suggested specific books for specific kinds of people: intellectuals,
epicures, parents, jetsetters, gardeners, film buffs, crime buffs,
environmentalists, horse lovers, and about 50 more categories), currency
converter, more.
- Words Worth Books (Ontario, Canada)
- Independent booksellers in Waterloo. Bestseller list, staff recommendations, news and events, newsletter,
and weblog.
