Wellesley Books Newsletter
August 20th, 2025
| | Have you been keeping an eye on our rolling staff display? Every 2 weeks a new bookseller curates a display on a subject they're interested in. These next weeks, browse a collection of books that honor Boston and its rich history. What other displays have you enjoyed? | | | |
Wednesday, September 3rd, 7pm
Doug Most—journalist, BU assistant vice president, and author of The Race Underground—joins us to discuss his new book, Launching Liberty: The Epic Race to Build the Ships That Took America to War. Doug will be in conversation with William M. Fowler, author of Commanding Old Ironsides: The Life of Captain Silas Talbot.
Launching Liberty tells the remarkable story of how FDR partnered with private businessmen to begin the production of cargo freighters longer than a football field—ships he affectionately dubbed “ugly ducklings. Out of nothing but the government’s behest, a few bold men conjured a giant ship-building industry in 1940 and launched the ships that took America to war and to victory. This book uncovers the inspiring, untold stories of those who rose to the challenge during one of America’s most tumultuous times.
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Sunday, September 7th, 2pm
Lisa Rogers, author of Beautiful Noise and 16 Words (and former Wellesley Public Schools librarian!), joins us to discuss her new picture book, Woody's Words: Woodrow Wilson Rawls and Where the Red Fern Grows.
When Woody Rawls read The Call of the Wild, a classic novel about a stolen mistreated dog and a kindly man, his life was forever changed. Maybe it was because he loved his own dog, or maybe it was because the story reached deep into his heart and stayed there. From then on, Woody was determined to learn to write and become a teller of tales. This story of hard work creatively presented by author Lisa Rogers and illustrator Susan Reagan will resonate with young readers and adults alike.
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Tuesday, September 9th, 7pm
Joan Silber, author of Secrets of Happiness, joins us to discuss her new novel, Mercy. Joan will be in conversation with Margot Livesey, author of The Road from Belhaven and The Boy in the Field.
Mercy is Silber’s most ambitious and expansive novel yet, proving once again how we are all connected in mysterious and often unknown ways. In the gritty East Village of 1970s New York, Ivan and his best friend, Eddie, a popular local bartender, are dabbling in drugs following a short tour of Europe. One night, as Ivan and Eddie experiment with heroin, things go horribly wrong. In a panic, Ivan rushes Eddie to a crowded local ER and, believing his friend is about to die, makes the awful choice to leave him there.
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Thursday, September 11th, 7pm
Bill Littlefield, former host of NPR's Only A Game, joins us to discuss his charming and hilarious picture book for the whole family, Who Taught That Mouse To Write? Bill will be in conversation with the book's illustrator, Stephen Coren.
Bill Littlefield wrote Who Taught That Mouse To Write? in part to enjoy it with his grandchildren. Light-hearted, surprising, sometimes profound and encouraging, the verses and illustrator Stephen Coren’s engaging drawings will delight readers of all ages on all sorts of levels.
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Tuesday, September 16th, 7pm
Journalist, activist, and pastor Liz Walker joins us to discuss her new book, No One Left Alone: A Story of How Community Helps Us Heal. Liz will be in conversation with journalist Lisa Hughes, anchor for WBZ-TV News.
As the first Black woman to anchor the Boston-area evening news, Liz Walker found herself in an industry that defined the neighborhood of Roxbury largely by violence. But when she became a pastor there, Walker grew close to households marked not only by trauma but by courage--including the family of Cory Johnson, a young father who was murdered. In the wake of their worst nightmare, the family reached out for help. An extraordinary account of a Black church that decided to give neighbors a space to share their grief, No One Left Alone provides a blueprint premised on a simple truth: the wounded heal best together.
| | Find more fall events here | | Bookseller recommendations | |
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Sarah recommends: The Hounding by Xenobe Purvis
Haunting atmosphere. Female rage. Small town antics. Dramatic suspense. All are included in this wonderful debut. I was craving this book when I wasn't reading it, turning the story over in my mind. The illusion of claustrophobia that Purvis creates is a wonderful back drop for this tale of a family targeted by rumors in this small 18th century English town.
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Karen recommends: Wild Thing: A Life of Paul Gauguin by Sue Prideaux
I can’t believe our good fortune! In our own lifetime, astonishing new materials on Gauguin’s life and art surface, and this gifted researcher-storyteller was on hand to unpack them for us with the sharpness and clarity of the finest art historian. This book is a gem, especially for those of us who live so close to the MFA’s top-tier Gauguin (& Van Gogh) holdings. If you do not quite “get” or like European painting, you just might after reading this book. AND it reveals so much about late 19th-century colonial Europe and its occupied peoples, far beyond just about art--through Gauguin's own words and art.
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Jerry recommends: Dark Renaissance: The Dangerous Times and Fatal Genius of Shakespeare's Greatest Rival by Stephen Greenblatt
Pub date 9/8, preorder now!
Was Christopher Marlowe actually the best playwright of the 16th century - not Shakespeare? This interesting biography of Marlowe explores his humble beginnings, unlikely education and mysterious life decisions made all in relation to his writing. His short life was jammed with achievements especially in plays, where he cleverly embedded his own experience and at-time heretical thoughts into popular works that entertained the masses. From Tamburlaine to Doctor Faustus, Marlowe left a legacy that influenced not only Shakespeare but also many works in the succeeding centuries. A fascinating look at a lesser known and influential artist.
| | | | Bookseller recommendations for kids | |
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Bindy recommends: The Forest of a Thousand Eyes by Frances Hardinge, illustrated by Emily Gravett
Pub date 8/26, preorder now!
(Middle Grade)
Complete immersion. Hardinge's unfaltering gift of creating inescapably immersive worlds, where the setting always plays a leading role, makes the reader feel they are along for the chases, escapes, the discoveries, realizations, and thrillingly unrelenting adventure through The Forest of a Thousand Eyes.
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Owen recommends: Into the Bewilderness by Gus Gordon
(Middle Grade)
This wholesome and hilarious adventure follows two life-long friends on a journey to The Big City. As joyful, curious Luis and skeptical, grouchy Pablo go on their trip they will discover plenty about the world and each other, while learning that it's not just about the journey, but who you walk with.
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Kali recommends The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
(Young Adult)
Born into a family of psychics and cursed to kill her true love with a kiss, Blue is no stranger to the supernatural. Add in four prep school boys, a quest for a dead Welsh king, and a Latin-speaking magical forest, and Blue has her work cut out for her. With stunning prose and intriguing characters, Stiefvater tells an immersive story of mystery, mysticism, and possibly doomed romance. Check out the new graphic novel as well!
| | | | | New books for Young Readers | | New books for kids and parents | | New stock alert! These gorgeous lotion and care sets from Heathcote & Ivory and Cloud Nine are sure to be the best finishing touch to a present (for you or a loved one). They're the gift that keeps on giving with decorative tins and practical travel bags as well! | | Nothing brings us more joy than finding you the right book for any occasion, and it is particularly fun to recommend picture books. Below are some of our staff favorites: come talk book to us any time! | | | | |
Hattie
Hattie will be celebrating her 1st birthday this coming March! She is an Australian Shepherd/Terrier mix. She is a loving rescue mutt who grew up in Texas, but has been enjoying the perks of the Northeast. Hattie is a diligent backyard guard dog, keeping the gardens safe from squirrels. She enjoys playing ball almost as much as snuggling her humans.
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Thank you for supporting your community independent bookstore!
Sincerely,
Sarah Cyr
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