A little bookstore with a whole lot of literature. We're here to support your reading needs.
Here are some thought provoking books that we’ve been loving at Bay Books. Check these titles out, let us know what you think. If there are other titles you’ve recently found thought provoking or strongly standout to you, let us know. We’d love to feature more great books.
âSanitoriumâ by Sarah Pearse
A Cross between âThe Shiningâ and our own Traverse City State Hospital.
âThe Lost Apothecaryâ by Sarah Penner
Hidden in eighteenth-century London, a secret apothecary shop caters to an unusual kind of clientele: Â Women who buy well-disguised poisons to use against the oppressive men in their lives. Exposure, mystery, historical referencesâall the good stuff.
âConsentâ A Memoirâ by Vanessa Springora
Exposes the hypocrisy of a French culture 30 years ago that allowed the sexual abuse of minors to occur unchecked. Sometimes, all it takes is a single voice to shatter the silence of complicity, Springora does that.
âThe Liarâs Dictionaryâ by Eley Williams
Turns out the dictionary is seeded with invented words and it is Malloryâs job to ferret them out—-all the while someone is calling the office issuing bomb threats due to the dictionary changing its 1899 definition of marriage from âunion between man and womanâ to âbetween ⌠personsâ. Working under pressure has taken on a new meaning for Mallory indeed!
âThe Echo Wifeâ by Sarah Gailey
Artificial Intelligence takes on a new twist when a clone for an ex-wife becomesâŚ..pregnant.
âIsland on Fireâ by Tom Zoellner
Ever wonder what began the end of slavery in Great Britain? Five weeks after Christmas in 1831 saw an uprising of the enslaved people of Jamaica and things began to have motion. Horrific but a story told with skill and accuracy. If you like this, look out for âIsland Queenâ coming out this July 2021.
âGroupâ by Christie Tate
Honest, raw, and sometimes humorous, this is a memoir that is a true learning experience as Tate opens herself up to highly unconventional psychological methods involving group therapy in which radical honesty is the rule and shares it with us. Non-fiction that reads like fiction.
“The Hill We Climb: An Inaugural Poem for the Country” by Amanda Gorman (arriving March 30th—pre-order now for 15.99)
Amanda Gorman’s powerful and historic poem “The Hill We Climb,” read at President Joe Biden’s inauguration, is now available as a collectible gift edition.”Stunning.” –CNN
“Dynamic.” –NPR
“Deeply rousing and uplifting.” —Vogue
On January 20, 2021, Amanda Gorman became the sixth and youngest poet to deliver a poetry reading at a presidential inauguration. Taking the stage after the 46th president of the United States, Joe Biden, Gorman captivated the nation and brought hope to viewers around the globe. Her poem “The Hill We Climb: An Inaugural Poem for the Country” can now be cherished in this special gift edition. Including an enduring foreword by Oprah Winfrey, this keepsake celebrates the promise of America and affirms the power of poetry.
Think that Anti-Racist writings are new in the last few years? We need to think again and keep reading, as we learn in this article by Sarah McEachern “The Creation, Innovation, and Evolution of Early Anti-Racism Writing” which shows writings as early as 1789 (“The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, The African” by Olaudah Equiano) by those who were enslaved and later gained their freedom. Informative and thought provoking article—well worth the read. You’ll come across a new term (at least to me), bildungsroman which means: a novel dealing with one person’s formative years or spiritual education. This is exactly what Olaudah’s novel is about and it is riveting. Once destined to be a prince and from royal blood, he seeks to regain the dignity that once was his as a man. This article put me in the mind of another book we read in our Books & Wine club, “The Small Island” by Andrea Levy. If you haven’t read this one, please do. You won’t be sorry.
We’re super excited to be partnering with PoWeR Book Bags. PoWeR Book Bags distributes books and bags of literacy materials to children across Northwestern Michigan at participating food and baby pantries and schools. Children choose the book bags and free new books to keep and read over and over again. A homemade bag of literacy supplies (books, blank writing booklets, and crayons) are given to children in book bags at the Leelanau Christian Neighbors’ food and baby pantries in Suttons Bay and Northport. Each time a child comes back, they bring their bag and receive more books and writing supplies. Research shows a strong relationship between the number of books a child owns and their success in school, friendships, and overall life achievements. Each book, notebook or package of colored pencils that you purchase to donate will be discounted 20% and more children will have the ability to raise their own personal level of literacy. We appreciate you!
To find out more information or how to volunteer visit PoWeR Book Bags. You can also follow them on Facebook to stay updated.
Amanda Gorman, our Youth Poet Laureate, showed us the power of poetry on January 20th and we are proud to offer a special pre-order to secure a copy of Amanda’s book, which will be published on September 21, 2021.
NOW ACCEPTING PREORDERS: THE HILL WE CLIMB WILL BE PUBLISHED ON SEPTEMBER 21, 2021. The debut poetry collection by inaugural National Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman. Including “The Hill We Climb,” the stirring poem read at the inauguration of the 46th President of the United States, Joe Biden, this debut collection of the same name reveals an energizing and unforgettable new voice in American poetry. (15.99) Pre-order by calling 231-944-6809, emailing us at baybooksmi.com or by ordering online.
“For there is always light,
if only we’re brave enough to see it.
If only we’re brave enough to be it.”
The Hill We Climb
By Amanda Gorman
The debut poetry collection by inaugural National Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman.
Including âThe Hill We Climb,â the stirring poem read at the inauguration of the 46th President of the United States, Joe Biden, this debut collection of the same name reveals an energizing and unforgettable new voice in America Poetry.
Want to pre-order your copy online? You can order here and we will ship it to you when it comes in.
We have something new to offer at Bay Books for the book lovers on your gift, anniversary, or just for the heck of it list: Book Bundles! There is a full description on our website under the âBooks & Moreâ tab but briefly, we have curated three books that fall under a specific category to make your shopping easier. Need it shipped? No additional cost. Check them out at Bay Books or order yours today right here. Get free shipping with code baybooks at the checkout.
For your aunt who always says, âI should write a book!â
Does your aunt, mother, or other family member enjoy reading memoirs and fiction? Do they feel like they have a story to tell? Do they enjoy relatable, down-to-earth, and funny books? We have the holiday bundle for you!
Busy Sibling: For your sibling whoâs got a lot going on but still wants to read a bit at a time.
For Your Busy Sibling: For your sibling whoâs got a lot going on but still wants to read a bit at a time.
Does one of your parents enjoy getting lost in a good novel? Do they power through several books a month (or even a week)? Are you sick of trying to keep up with them? We have the holiday bundle for you!
Recognizes the name Jane Austen all the while shooting some hoops or running that 25K? A buddy who understands the emotional aspect of holding up a conversation with someone you care about and can empathize with you?
Happy New Years! We can’t think of any better way to kick off the new year by staying true to our commitment of being community advocates. That’s why we’re super excited to announce Bay Books’ partnership with Remain in Touch.
If you haven’t heard of Remain in Touch here’s the details, they’re an awesome 501(c)(3) non-profit literature program. This is a program offered here in Leelanau Benzie County jails. They focus on giving inmates an opportunity to choose a free book for their children. The age range for the free book is 0 to 12 years old. Once the book is selected, the inmate will be recorded reading the book out loud. Then the book and recording will be sent to their child. This allows the parent to Remain in Touch with their child, which meets the goal of bridging the gap that’s created during the incarceration period.
We think this is an amazing program because it ensures that neither child nor parent has been forgotten. The benefits of this program are priceless. The children will be able to read/listen to their parent’s reading to them as many times as they wish. Both the book and recording will be theirs to keep. If you’d like to learn more check out Remain in Touch’s Facebook page.
Hold tight, a list of books for this program is on its way!
Come on in and visit us. We’re so excited to see you. You can’t see it but we’re smiling underneath our masks. Our new store is located where Nifty Things used to be.
Itâs official, we love our new location. If you havenât checked it out yet, come on in! We promise youâll love it as much as we do. Itâs perfectly cozy and there is more room to browse your favorite literature or find the your new âcanât put it downâ read. Youâre sure to find a cozy atmosphere you donât want to leave when you visit our new store. We set it up with some comfortable seats and even have a kidâs corner for your little ones to check out. We offer a wide selection that is sure to cover any book enthusiastsâ needs. Weâre super excited to share this space with you.
âI love the little nooks in the shop that you can cozy up in. The variety in books on the shelves is also such a treat; I love the mix of popular titles along with lesser known gems.â -Patron
We want all of our patrons to feel comfortable shopping. If youâre not ready to shop in person yet, we offer curbside, local delivery, and shipping. Weâre here to assist you in whichever way you need. Just give us a call or shoot us an email.
