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Dear ,
Does holding a 3-D book in your hands help you to feel grounded? How about reading aloud to your kid, parent, lover, friend? Do you want to put down your phone, for a little bit, so you can turn the pages in Oxford’s Atlas of the World? (page 29 features Montevideo, Uruguay and turns to page 30, with Chongqing, China). Want to take a peek inside memoirs by Neko Case and Jenifer Lewis, plays by Suzan-Lori Parks, copies of Sunita Kumar Nair’s homage to Carolyn Bessette Kennedy’s style legacy, and collector’s editions of The Velveteen Rabbit and Goodnight Moon you can touch with your own hands and share with someone you care about?
We got you!
We’ve also got chances for you to meet and learn from authors! We are hosting Injustice Watch co-founder Rick Tulsky on Injustice Town in conversation with politics journalist Peter Slevin, co-authors Tamara Gaumond and Jean O’Brien Gibbons on all things Door County, acclaimed author Cara Tanamachi leading a Bookends University workshop on writing romance, and more…
See you soon Bookworms!
Yours,
Ana
Events and Marketing Manager
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STORE NEWS
NEW STORE HOURS: Beginning on Monday, February 2, we moved to a new store opening time of 10:30AM. This means we are open 7 days a week, Monday-Sunday, from 10:30AM - 6:00PM.
HAPPY HOUR WITH BOOKENDS: Join us for the Write-On Happy Hour, every Friday, 4-6PM with drink discounts, popcorn on the house, and conversation sparked by writing prompts from Bookends University program director, Jeremy Wilson, and our events and marketing manager, Ana Croegaert.
BOOK CLUB OPPORTUNITY! Is your book club looking to RESIST AMAZON? We can help! If your group dedicates a meeting to Danny Caine's (Raven Book Store in Lawrence, KS) book HOW TO RESIST AMAZON AND WHY, you will receive a 25% discount on the book AND Bookends founder and owner, Nina Barrett (who also appears in Caine's book), will speak to your group about how to kick the corporate bookstore habit and keep your beloved IRL independent bookstores in business! If you are interested, place your request through events@bookendsandbeginnings.com
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Bookseller Profile: Meet ELI!
Eli is a non-binary bookseller who has worked in the field since 2016. At Bookends & Beginnings, they serve as Inventory Specialist and specialize in technical troubleshooting. Eli is also an artist and writer focused on expressing undefinable emotions through visual and written forms. They love science, especially neurobiology, and are curious about how people think and how lived experiences shape perspective. Eli also spends hours discovering new music and building playlists. They enjoy cultural and informational books on death and funeral rites, along with thrillers and darkly comedic fiction.
Favorite nonfiction: From Here to Eternity Favorite fiction: Vigil
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February 25 | In-Store | Bookends U| 6:00 PM
Writing the Romance Novel:
From Meet Cutes to Happily-Ever-Afters
Romance is the bestselling fiction genre by far, and accounts for more than a billion dollars in book sales a year. There's never been a better time to write your own romance novel. In this workshop, best-selling author Cara Tanamachi will teach you everything you need to get started. Sign-Up Here.
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March 5 | In-Store | 6:00 PM
Injustice Town: An evening with Rick Tulsky in conversation with Peter Slevin
Join Rick in conversation with Peter as the two renowned Evanston-based journalists discuss Rick’s new book, INJUSTICE TOWN (Pegasus Books). This powerful story of a falsely imprisoned man and sweeping indictment of a city and the criminal justice system opens up pressing questions about justice, inequality, racism, and the significance of careful, unyielding investigative journalism in facing our present moment. This is a free, ticketed event followed by a book signing: RSVP HERE.
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March 7 | In-Store | 4:00 PM
100 Things To Do In Door County Before You Die
Authors Tamara Gaumond and Jean O’Brien Gibbons will discuss their new book 100 Things To Do In Door County Before You Die (Reedy Press) about vacationing in beloved Door County, Wisconsin. Boasting miles of Lake Michigan and Green Bay shoreline, picturesque villages, and nautical flair, Door County is an idyllic Wisconsin vacation destination. With pristine beaches, natural wonders, robust art and theater scene, all-season sporting opportunities, unique restaurants, breweries and wineries, and activities for kids, Door County truly offers something for everyone. This is a free, ticketed event. RSVP HERE.
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February 10 - March 8 | Off-Site
Royal Shakespeares Company's HAMNET in Chicago
Attention Bookenders! This winter at Chicago Shakespeare, catch the US Premiere of Hamnet, the “elegant & beguiling” adaptation of Maggie O’Farrell’s novel about Agnes and William Shakespeare. Playing February 10-March 8. Bookends & Beginnings customers can save 20% off tickets using code AGNES at www.chicagoshakes.com/hamnet
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COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT
Evanston Arts Center and Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre
“THAT ART THING WE DO”
PART 3 : A CONVERSATION WITH BLACK EVANSTON ARTISTS
Join us for an exciting in-person event at 927 Noyes Street, Evanston, IL, USA! Immerse yourself in a captivating conversation with talented Black Evanston artists. Explore their artistic journeys, inspirations, and unique perspectives. Get ready to be inspired, enlightened, and amazed by their incredible creations. Don't miss out on this one-of-a-kind opportunity to connect with the thriving artistic community of Evanston. This is a free, ticketed event. RSVP HERE.
Date: Saturday February 21, 2026
Time: 7pm - 9pm
Location: Fleetwood Jourdain Theatre, 927 Noyes Street, Evanston, IL
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BOOKTRADE IS BACK AT MIDDLES!
Trade in your gently used books for store credit (by appointment only).
Appointments are taken from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM.
(Saturday appointments are currently unavailable.)
We are unable to accommodate same-day appointment requests.
Please inquire for availability.
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Bookends & Beginnings is a community-centered and community-sustained, full-service, general-interest independent bookstore, now in our eleventh calendar year. We are a member of the Chicago Independent Bookstore Alliance (ChIBA), the Great Lakes Independent Bookstore Association (GLIBA), and the American Booksellers Association (ABA). Show your support by shopping in our store (and other Chicago-area independent bookstores), by bringing your local and out-of-town friends and family to shop with us, by attending our events, by following us on Facebook and Instagram, and by posting reviews on Google and other social media. You can also follow us on Eventbrite to be the first to hear about new events.
Above all, keep reading good books!
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