Ladybird Books will officially open tomorrow, October 30, at 299 King St. in Charleston, S.C. The Post and Courier reported that after a long career as book reviewer and bookstore consultant in New York City and the Charleston area, Summer Anderson "is trying her hand at owning and operating her own independent bookshop in the heart of Charleston's main shopping district." 

Committed to creating a "third space" getaway for book enthusiasts, Anderson envisions a setting that serves as an informal meeting place "that will transport patrons from their predictable home and work routines into a mystical journey through layers of literary genres," the Post and Courier added.

In addition to curated book sections, the layout for Ladybird Books will feature a cooking area "reflective of the Holy City's rich culinary scene," according to Anderson, who described the store's interior as "inviting," furnished with ample bench space for people to relax and explore the books. Also on offer will be items like wrapping paper, greeting cards, art in vintage tramp frames from Cornwall, England, oyster shuckers, and paring knives.

She is most excited about her "How to be Human" section, offering spiritual, meditation, and self-reflection titles: "I'm also thrilled with our 'What the South Holds' section that will pull together all that the South represents and wrestles with: the good, the bad and everything in between. It will carry southern literature alongside regional nonfiction and cookbooks that carry culture." 

Ladybird Books was inspired by Anderson's experiences at Three Lives & Co. in Manhattan's West Village: "I think what Ladybird Books offers is an experience with a very curated and specific point of view, from the tiles to the vinyl selection. My hope is that you might come in with a book in mind and leave with two or three other discoveries that ignite your imagination and curiosity." 

Of Moose and Mind Bookshop held its grand opening in Manlius, N.Y., on October 25, Syracuse.com reported.

Located at 137 E. Seneca St., the bookstore sells general-interest titles for all ages with an emphasis on "cultivating thoughtfulness and reflection through literature." The store's event plans include book clubs, TED Talk-esque lectures, and children's storytimes. Eventually, owners Mark and Monica Browning would like to start serving coffee and baked goods as well.

The Brownings have decided to open the bookstore as Mark Browning nears his retirement from the military, in which he served for nearly 20 years. Having an independent bookshop of their own appealed to them because they are avid readers and fans of bookstores--when the family travels, they always try to visit a local bookstore.

The space features a mural of a moose painted by a local artist, and the store's name is an allusion to Of Mice and Men and to Browning's call-sign as an Air Force pilot, which was Moose. 

"A bookstore just helps you slow down at the end of the day," Mark Browning told Syracuse.com. "There's a lot of working families around here. It's hard to find time to sit back and reflect on things, just picking up a good book and reading through it."

Daydrift Books & Cafe opened Monday, October 27, at 1550 Crystal Drive in the Crystal City neighborhood of Arlington, Va. The "new West Coast-inspired cafe and bookstore... plans to offer food, drinks and a curated range of reads in a warm, relaxing atmosphere," ARL Now reported.

"As National Landing grows into a destination for food, art, and community, Daydrift adds something unexpected to the mix," Episcope Hospitality founder David Morton said. "It's a little slice of the West Coast on the East Coast--sunny, creative, and built for lingering."

"Daydrift moves with the rhythm of the day--bright mornings, sunlit afternoons, and all the gatherings in between," Episcope notes on its website. "A café, market, and bookstore all in one, Daydrift is an outpost for fresh, nourishing ingredients and a slower pace. The menu features vibrant salads, wholesome bowls, artful tartines, and refreshing smoothies, thoughtfully sourced and simply prepared. Every dish is designed to taste great and make you feel good. Book-lined shelves and a steady hum of espresso invite you to settle in."

The goal is engage customers with "staff favorites" book lists, original book clubs, author talks and "blind date"-inspired book events, ARL Now wrote.

Storytime Bookshop, which opened in November 2024 at 309 W. Kennewick Ave. in downtown Kennewick, Wash., has relocated to a larger space at 107 W. Kennewick Ave., the Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business reported.

"We outgrew our current space," said owner Lorelei Kennedy. "We're hoping the move will allow people to do more in-person holiday shopping."

Storytime primarily sells used books for children and adults, in English and Spanish, as well as handmade bookmarks, gifts and other items. It also hosts KeenEye, the photography business of Kennedy's partner, Jason Keene. Kennedy, who has a background in theater and teaching, provides play-based activities at the bookstore to draw more young people into reading. The shop also holds classes for adults in public speaking, storytelling, and sewing.

"The first year has gone really well," she said.

Storytime's new storefront will provide 1,000 more square feet of space and the move was made ahead of the holiday shopping season so the store could serve more customers.

Bob Roarty and Jan Bolgia

Bob Roarty, co-owner of Atlanta Vintage Books, a used and rare bookstore located near DeKalb-Peachtree Airport in Atlanta, Ga., died September 30. He was 72. The Journal-Constitution reported that Roarty "turned an Atlanta bookstore into a treasure trove and a community meeting space where lovers of reading could fall asleep in overstuffed chairs with classics on their laps and in tucked-away corners surrounded by cats--occasionally long enough to be locked inside after closing hour."

"He was the most voracious reader I've ever met," said Jan Bolgia, his wife and business partner. He would bring home books on all different genres. He was just interested in everything, and he ended up in a great place."

After purchasing the shop in 2007, Roarty and Bolgia "greatly expanded the inventory of the rare bookstore... and made it more approachable, fostering a 'community space' atmosphere where customers could make themselves at home and consult with employees who knew books.... Atlanta Vintage Books evolved into a store that sells everything from $1 paperbacks in the basement to rare first editions, often signed," the Journal-Constitution noted.

Dana Teft, a customer, described Roarty as "a gentle, kind, genuine person. Anytime I talked with him, I always felt better about things."

In an Facebook post, Bolgia wrote: "I want to thank everyone for the heartfelt messages, cards and emails we have received. Bob was so special to all of us and we will miss him every day. I truly appreciate your kind words. The eighteen years that Bob and I spent at the bookstore brought us so much joy. It brings me comfort to know that this joy has spread throughout our wonderful bookstore community." 

Weller Book Works, Salt Lake City, Utah, is launching an adult book fair, called Books After Dark, that will take place this coming Sunday, November 2, from 6-9 p.m., after regular store hours. Adults 21 and older are invited. The spooky emphasis will be on banned books. As the store wrote, "Customers can come sip and shop in ambient atmosphere while we discuss the tea surrounding the current sociopolitical climate. Like cultured adults."

At the event, bartenders will serve signature themed cocktails. There will also be local vendors, artists/creatives, a Drag Story Hour and moderated book panel with local publishers, literary icons, and radical educators.

Guests and panelists will include Rebekah Cummings, director of digital matters at the University of Utah Marriott Library and co-director for the Summer Institute Humanities Perspectives in Artificial Intelligence; Daniel Neville-Rehbehn, chief service & impact officer at the Salt Lake City Public Library; Tara Lipsyncki, founder and executive director of the United Drag Alliance and Drag Story Hour's Intermountain West chapter; Madazon Can-Can, M.Ed., "a local performer, educator, activist, clown, and all around weirdo"; Syvlie Luna Thorn, a local artisan specializing in occult wares; and Out of the Shadows Theater Company, organized by Jen Ogle and performed by the Latter Day Transvestites, Salt Lake City's premier shadow cast theater troupe.

"A Georgia couple is known at a local bookstore for their weekly dates to pick out new books. It's a tradition that has spanned decades," WOWT reported, adding that every week, Brooks and Michael Breedlove visit the Read It Again Bookstore in Suwanee.

"Mrs. Breedlove gets treatment in the area so after the doctor's appointment, as a treat, they come and visit us," said owner Kim McNamara. 

"It is something we can do together and share," Michael Breedlove noted. "It builds our bonds together. We really like that and we can tell funny stories back and forth too. I am trying to find some of these we don't have already."

Abrams, which acquired Taunton Books in May 2024, is assuming full marketing, sales, and distribution of Taunton titles in the U.S., Canada, Latin America, and Asia, effective November 1. Ingram's Two Rivers Distribution had been handling these functions. Returns to Two Rivers Distribution will be accepted for up to six months following November 1.

Lex Higbee has joined Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing as publicity manager. She was most recently a publicity manager at Bloomsbury Children's.

Lead to Beat: The Leadership Rhythm That Shapes Tomorrow by Jonathan Escobar Marin (Fast Company Press).

Tomorrow:
Sherri Shepherd Show: David Burtka, co-author of Both Sides of the Glass: Paired Cocktails and Mocktails to Toast Any Taste (Plume, $35, 9780593719862).

Tonight Show repeat: Allen Iverson, author of Misunderstood: A Memoir (Gallery/13A, $30, 9781476784397).

Jonas Åkerlund will direct a movie adaptation of tennis legend Björn Borg's memoir, Heartbeats. Variety reported that Banijay Entertainment labels Jarowskij/Yellow Bird and Mastiff Sweden are co-developing the scripted project with the Swedish director (Polar, Spun, Lords of Chaos).

Currently in development, the project will chart Borg's rise to tennis stardom and shocking decision to retire at 26. The book also "delves into Borg's life beyond the tennis court, starting from his childhood and shedding light on years of financial collapse, media scrutiny and ultimately, his personal reinvention," Variety noted.

"I've spent my entire life in matches--both on and off the court," Borg said. "Jonas wants to explore both sides, and I feel the time is right for that. He has the eye, the energy, and the courage to tell my story in his own way."

Åkerlund commented: "Everyone knows Björn Borg for his legendary moments on the court, for his fierce, unparalleled power as an athlete and icon.... With his book, we finally dipped a toe into his enigmatic mind. But with this project, we're cannon-balling into the deep end."

David Brooks won the 2025 Patrick White Literary Award, honoring an author who has "made an ongoing contribution to Australian literature but may not have received adequate recognition," Books+Publishing reported. Established by Patrick White with the proceeds from his 1973 Nobel Prize in Literature, the award is worth A$20,000 (about US$13,175).

Born in 1953 in Canberra, Brooks spent his childhood in Greece and Yugoslavia before returning to Australia. He is the author of six poetry collections, four novels, four volumes of short stories, and four works of nonfiction "that explore the ethical and emotional dimensions of the human–animal relationship," Books+Publishing noted.

According to award trustee Perpetual, the prize honors "a richly deserved recognition of [Brooks's] profound and wide-ranging contributions to Australian literature, contemporary poetry, and environmental thought."

The judging committee said: "Brooks's contributions to Australian literature have been profound, but perhaps because his oeuvre has been spread across so many different forms and genres--each with its own audience--his output has not always been readily appreciated in its totality. The Patrick White Literary Award is a hugely deserving recognition of David Brooks as an outstanding Australian writer, thinker, scholar, educator who has had a major influence on contemporary poetry and environmental thought. The judges hope that recognizing Brooks's work with this honor will encourage more readers and writers to his stellar body of work, and thank him for his gifts to Australian writing."

photo: Celeste Fontein

Maddie Ballard is the author of Patchwork: A Sewist's Diary (Tin House, October 21, 2025), a collection of essays about sewing and textiles. Her creative nonfiction has appeared in publications including Wasafiri, Landfall, and the Oxford Review of Books, and she writes a Substack newsletter. Born in Syracuse, N.Y., she grew up in Aotearoa New Zealand and now lives in Melbourne, Australia.

Handsell readers your book in 25 words or less:

Patchwork: A Sewist's Diary is a memoir about learning to sew. It tells the story of making 17 garments, alongside a story of growing up.

On your nightstand now:

I'm currently reading the diaries of Helen Garner--I picked them up thinking I should read some Australian literature, having just moved to Melbourne. They're wonderful: full of gossip, tenderness, believable foible, and lines like "I am the only person in the world who carries round an inventory of my crimes. Everyone else is busy with their own."

I'm also loving No Good, the debut collection by U.S.-schooled Aotearoa New Zealand poet Sophie van Waardenberg. I think her poems about love and death are extraordinary--lyrical without being cloying; precise without being fussy. Seek it out!

Favorite book when you were a child:

I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith. I must have read this 20 times. Twelve-year-old me loved the crumbling English castle setting and the story of two sisters finding their way out of penury. The novel's ending is still one of my favourites ever.

Your top five authors:

Virginia Woolf. Every one of her books has meant something important to me, and she writes my favourite long-breathed sentences of all time (consider the first sentence of her essay "On Being Ill"!)

Elif Batuman. I just think she's hilarious and brilliant--all her books, and her articles and interviews too. There's a scene in her first book, The Possessed, where she unexpectedly finds herself judging an adolescent boys' leg contest while on exchange in Hungary. I laughed so much the first time I read it, I had to get off the bus. I'd probably explode if I ever met her.

James Baldwin. For his intelligence, his melancholy, his courage, the beautiful sonorous way he puts sentences together. I count myself so lucky to have lived after Baldwin.

Janet Malcolm. I'm so jealous of Malcolm's voice--her piercing insight, her ironic edge--and her formidable skill as a journalist.

Shakespeare. Is this a cop-out? I hope not. It would feel false not to include him in this list; early encounters with his wild, sumptuous language were so much a part of the reason I wanted to write at all.

Book you've faked reading:

At one point I pretended to read Rabbit, Run by John Updike to impress a boy. I found it unreadably male... this should have been a sign.

Book you're an evangelist for:

All Our Yesterdays by Natalia Ginzburg. I read this for the first time last year and was stunned by its rolling, musical, wry voice, telling the story of a family doing its best to survive the Second World War in Fascist Italy. So many profound asides: "Cenzo Rena said that no one found himself with courage ready-made, you had to acquire courage little by little, it was a long story and it went on almost all your life." I wished it would never end.

Book you've bought for the cover:

Pure Colour by Sheila Heti. I mean...!

Book you hid from your parents:

I'm not sure there's a book in this category! I was very lucky to have big readers for parents, who encouraged me to read widely.

Book that changed your life:

Mrs Dalloway by Virginia Woolf. When I first read this novel, for an undergraduate English paper, it changed the whole way I thought about books. I thought it was crazily beautiful; I still do. In turn, the paper was taught by an American professor whose radiance and intelligence were totally glamorous to me. Her example was what set me on a path towards graduate study in literature, which is what sent me to England, which is what led me to journalism, and then essays, and wanting to write prose at all.

Favorite line from a book:

"If I loved you less, I might be able to talk about it more," from Jane Austen's Emma.

Five books you'll never part with:

Howards End by E.M. Forster. This is by no means a flawless novel, and I agree with many of the accusations lobbied against it about class snobbery, but I also love it more than I can ever reasonably explain. More (if only just) than Middlemarch or Tess of the d'Urbervilles, more than The Portrait of a Lady or Persuasion or Jane Eyre. Something to do with its voice, I think--the impossible Englishness of the diction and syntax, the way it offers its deepest observations with lightness and wit, its warmth.

Lucy by Jamaica Kincaid. This novel tells a story I'll never tire of hearing: a young woman leaves her home country and is forced to reflect on her race, sexuality, and family in a new context. But it tells it so exquisitely--there's not one word out of place.

The Book of Delights and the follow-up The Book of (More) Delights by Ross Gay. I'm always dipping into these books of "essayettes" about joy. I love Gay's earnestness and curiosity, and his resistance to being embarrassed by those qualities. And the sheer maximalist fun of some of the language! About El DeBarge's Tiny Desk performance: "though I am hyperbolic by nature and design, [it] is unhyperbolically one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen." About a fly: "its wings hauling all the light in the room." About the flared handle of a cup: "as though designed for the romance between the thumb and index finger that holding a cup can be."

The Red Tenda of Bologna by John Berger. This short book follows a man wandering through the city of Bologna after his beloved uncle, who adored the city of Bologna, has died. In every particular it is a perfect text. I think about it all the time.

Zami by Audre Lorde. God, this is a beautiful and generous book. I'll be rereading it all my life.

Book you most want to read again for the first time:

Minor Feelings by Cathy Park Hong. Reading this book was the first time I'd seen certain ideas about the Asian immigrant experience articulated--for example, the sense that writers of colour had to "behave better in their poetry and in person" so white people would feel comfortable enough to sympathise; or the idea that "one characteristic of racism is that children are treated like adults and adults are treated like children." I felt so seen, which made me realise I usually don't. The conversation has progressed a lot since 2020, but I think I remain indebted to this book for much of my scaffolding.

Katrina Leno (Summer of Salt) lyrically brings together the hallmarks of myth, gothic narratives, and the enduring bildungsroman of Little Women in Persephone's Curse, a retelling of the Persephone legend that takes place in a spellbound New York City.

"They say Persphone came to Manhattan before it was even Manhattan. That she planted a jasmine bush on a plot of bare land. They say her descendants would forever be drawn to it, like moths to a flame."

The Farthing sisters are descendants of Persephone: "the children of the in-between, one foot in this world and one foot in another." They know their lineage is a gift: brunette Bernadette, the eldest sister, is a talented writer; blonde Evelyn, the second eldest, is an excellent musician; blonde Clara, the youngest sister, paints beautiful works; and brunette Winnie, the third sister, can see the ghosts of Farthing women. But all four sisters can see Henry, the ghost who lives on the fourth floor of their Upper West Side brownstone. Henry, who appears to be about 15 years old, has played with each girl since she was a child and is an immutable part of the girls' life and home. When Evelyn, now a junior in high school, falls in love with Henry and seems to lose hope in the world, Winnie tries to save her sister's feelings but instead accidentally banishes Henry. Evelyn, desperate to bring him back, disappears herself, finding one of Persephone's "fragile places in the earth." As in the myth, Evelyn travels to the Underworld. And, like the myth, there are consequences.

Winnie's first-person narration is like an impressionist painting, slowly coming into focus. She describes the enchantment of New York's parks, museums, and communities, slowly revealing the depth of the mystical events that affect her family. The beauty of Leno's narrative is in how the magic becomes the backdrop and the relationships between Farthing sisters become the foreground. While the sisters' special gifts may come from the Greek goddess of death, it is their connections with one another, and the kinship with their mother, their aunt, and their father that allow them to grow and learn through grief and joy. Fans of Greek myth, Charles de Lint's The Blue Girl, or authors like Louisa May Alcott, Jane Austen, and Alice Hoffman are almost certain to find a new favorite in Persephone's Curse. --Michelle Anya Anjirbag, freelance reviewer

Shelf Talker: Katrina Leno infuses New York City with the chthonic energy of the underworld in a distinctive Persephone retelling featuring inspiration from Louisa May Alcott.