If you’re looking to kick off your 2021 reading goals with some highly recommended reads, look no further. We checked in with our amazing team of booksellers and staff to find out some of their top book picks from 2020.
Read MoreHow do your childhood favorites lineup with what you're currently reading? Check out our suggestions below and try a new favorite, or revisit an old friend!
Read MoreMy name is Meaghan Foran and I own and operate the local jewelry atelier Alexandria & Company with my husband, Tim Shaheen. I'll be totally honest; I was thrilled when I was asked to provide my thoughts on reading for Old Town Books because I am a complete fangirl of this shop and am so thrilled to have them in our town.
Read MoreToday, we asked our team to share some of their favorite fall and winter reads and activities. Check these out as you play the fun Virginian game: “Which season is it outside today?”
Read MoreGreetings, goblins, ghouls, and other ghastly creatures. The spookiest night of the year draws ever nearer. While Halloween this year won’t look precisely the same as one would usually expect, there’s still plenty you can do to celebrate this silly and/or spooky holiday. Not sure which mystery to add to your TBR pile? Fear not, mere mortals. Our staff has some scary-good recommendations, so read on…if you dare!
Read MoreOne might think that having a completed (or at least written) novel at the conclusion of a month would be motivation enough for the author. Alas, I, similar to a small child or lovable shop dog Scout, greatly enjoy external incentives to complete my tasks. In the case of NaNoWriMo, this involves self-awarded prizes for reaching certain word count goals. If I want the prize, I’d better write faster, see?
Read MoreToday we’re checking in with our team to hear what they’ve been watching and reading to keep themselves occupied during lockdown this year. Tune it, check out the reads, and enjoy!
Read MoreWith Halloween just around the corner, you may be searching for other ways to celebrate the change of the seasons with your family. Please enjoy our list of recommendations for several age groups below. We hope these books help get you in the spooky spirit, celebrate thankfulness, or even give you some fun at-home costume ideas.
Read MoreHappy National Coming Out Day from Team OTB! We are so happy to call you a part of our amazing community of booklovers, wherever you may find yourself on your journey. We believe that love is love, that trans lives are valid and matter, and that every person is deserving of kindness, empathy, joy, and so much more.
Read MoreThis Monday, October 12, is Indigenous Peoples’ Day! Rather than feeding into the false narrative of Columbus Day, we're celebrating Indigenous Peoples' Day to honor the past, present, and futures of Native peoples in the United States. Pick up one of our Indigenous Lit staff picks and read along with us!
Read MoreAssigned Old Town Books blog’s first community recommendation, I wanted to find someone deeply enmeshed in the goings-on of the city. Who better to ask than Alexandria’s own mayor, Justin Wilson? Even before his tenure as mayor, he was heavily involved with the city council, and as mayor, he works tirelessly (he sent me his post at 2 AM) to stay atop of all the issues that affect our community.
Read MoreToday concludes 2020’s Banned Books Week, an annual event coordinated by the American Library Association (ALA) to celebrate works that have historically been censored in school and public library environments.
Read MoreLatinx Heritage Month is an annual celebration from September 15-October 15 recognizing the positive influence and contributions that Latin Americans and Latin American culture have had in the United States!
Read MoreGet a sneak peak at September’s With Love selection and a glimpse into why our Program & Partnerships Coordinator Amanda loves it so!
Read MoreThis week was major for book award news. Read on to hear Floor Manager Abby’s thoughts and predictions for the 2020 Booker Prize and National Book Award winners.
Read MoreWe want to take this opportunity to introduce our new faces and share some comfort picks from our whole staff. We asked our team to share the following:
Your top book(s) from quarantine (March - August/Sept)
A "comfort item" that’s…
Like all great works of literature, Twilight snuck up on me. When I purchased my first copy (the same I own to this day, tattered and worn and annotated as it is), I cannot recall how old I actually was.
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