Category Archives: Birmingham

Birmingham, Bookstores, News

Vestavia Cokesbury Bookstore Closing

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The fact that the Vestavia Hills Cokesbury store will close its doors early next year has been confirmed via phone. Yesterday, the United Methodist Publishing House announced that they were closing all 38 of their full-line stores and 19 of their school campus/seminary bookstores.

The statement says that the United Methodist Publishing House and Cokesbury are bowing to their customers’ trending to buying online, which makes the overhead of keeping stores open too high.

They tried to spin a little positive angle by announcing a new online selling system called CokesburyNEXT, but it just won’t be the same as being able to go into a bookstore and thumb through the weighty texts that make up many religious books. It’s really too bad. The local Cokesbury staff has always been great and helpful. So sad to see another bookstore close.

Authors, Birmingham, Events

Book Events: Oct 28th – Nov 3rd

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Here are three bookish-type events going on this week in the Birmingham-area. If you know of any upcoming author signings, book sales or library events around the Birmingham area, please share via email or in the comments.

Sunday, October 28th, 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. – the Emmet O’Neal library has set up a walk through graveyard featuring the lives and deaths of some of the world’s greatest authors.

Sunday, October 28th, 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. – Nabeel’s owner and now author John Krontiras will give a talk and will be signing his new cookbook Beloved Family Recipes at the Homewood Library. (tip: you can also sign up to win a free copy of the book over at Grasping For Objectivity.)

Wednesday, October 31st at noon – Haunted North Alabama author Jessica Penot will give a talk about Southern ghost stories and will be signing books at the Birmingham Library.

Birmingham, Book Talk, On the Web

3 Birmingham Book Blogs to Follow

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One of my favorite things about Birmingham is the book culture. Looking online I know the local book scene is not “in your face” like the football fans or as scary as all of the “weather geek” updates, but man we have some cool people in Birmingham doing cool things to promote books, authors and reading. I have to admit to being a fanboy of some of them. There are some that you know you’d enjoy chatting with if you ever just bumped into them at the grocery store or bar. Here are three local Birmingham bookish bloggers that I always look forward to seeing updates from. Even if they are talking about books that I’ll never read, their passion for books is addictive and fun to follow.

So if you enjoy discussions with fellow book-folk, be sure to check these out:

Church Street book blog header

Church Street Coffee & Books – the bookstore crew over in Mt. Brook keep the Postscript updates coming regularly with guest posts, book reviews and insights into the world of “running a bookstore”.

Medusa's Library Book Blog

Medusa’s Library – this blogger works over at another great local bookstore the Little Professor in Homewood. If you like book-related conversation the posts here are fun. If you’re into paranormal books and sci-fi fiction you are going to be very very happy.

Oh My Godwin book blog

Oh My Godwin! – this local tumblr is dripping with bookish goodness. Some posts are humorous and some elevate books. My favorite updates are the photos. All of which will have you smiling wondering “can I have a room like this in my house”?

So those are three of my favorites. Who am I missing?

Birmingham, Book Sale, Events, library

Book Sale – Irondale

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There is a used-book sale this Saturday, September 29th at the Whistle Stop Festival in Irondale. The book sale runs 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is being held by the Friends of the Irondale Library group. They plan on having a booth set up in front of the library (which is about a block from the railroad tracks). They also will have more tables with books for sale set up inside the library.

Irondale Library Booksale Banner

I think this might be a great quick little stop this weekend. Especially if you can get there early enough before the tables are picked through. I have not heard any information on prices. But if they stick with what they usually charge you will be looking at 50 cents to $2 per book. Have a good weekend!