Andrew Pettegree

Arthur der Weduwen

Dustjacket is bent and slightly ripped in the top right corner. Spine is also broken from reading. But book is overall in good shape. 

Heavy Hardcover (2 to 4 lbs)

Massachusetts

A Fragile History

Perfect for book lovers, this is a fascinating exploration of the history of libraries and the people who built them, from the ancient world to the digital age.

 

Famed across the known world, jealously guarded by private collectors, built up over centuries, destroyed in a single day, ornamented with gold leaf and frescoes, or filled with bean bags and children's drawings--the history of the library is rich, varied, and stuffed full of incident. In The Library, historians Andrew Pettegree and Arthur der Weduwen introduce us to the antiquarians and philanthropists who shaped the world's great collections, trace the rise and fall of literary tastes, and reveal the high crimes and misdemeanors committed in pursuit of rare manuscripts. In doing so, they reveal that while collections themselves are fragile, often falling into ruin within a few decades, the idea of the library has been remarkably resilient as each generation makes--and remakes--the institution anew. 

 

Beautifully written and deeply researched, The Library is essential reading for booklovers, collectors, and anyone who has ever gotten blissfully lost in the stacks. 

The Library

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Danie Stirling

Spine is broken and a couple of pages are loose (see pictures). 

Heavy Paperback (2 to 4 lbs)





An IndieBound Bestseller

Falling in love just got sweeter in this charming, romantic YA graphic novel from WEBTOON, the #1 digital comic platform. Ray, a young seer struggling with her powers, discovers first love and friendship in her town's magic bakery.

In a very special town, there's an even more unusual bakery with a selection of baked treats hand-crafted to help your dreams come true. For Ray, a quiet young woman with special powers of her own, the order is always the same: a hot tea with a delicious side of romance.

When Ray meets Laurie, the kind barista who aspires to be a professional musician, she gets a real taste of love for the first time. But even with a spark of magic, romance isn't so simple. Both Ray and Laurie are chasing their own dreams and even when Ray starts to see the future, she can't predict her fate with Laurie.

Based on the beloved webcomic from WEBTOON, this sweet coming-of-age story of friendship and first love comes to life in graphic novel format with gorgeous illustrations and exclusive content.

Crumbs

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Jennifer Dugan

Read once. The spine is slightly broken, but book is almost like new condition. 

Paperback (1 to 2 lbs)

In this queer, paranormal YA graphic novel debut from the author of Some Girls Do and the illustrator of Wonder Woman: Warbringer, a young witch races to solve the grisly supernatural murders of her coven members before the killer strikes again.

"[This] gorgeously illustrated tale mashes together murder mystery and witchcraft." --Nerdist

Emsy has always lived in sunny California, and she'd much rather spend her days surfing with her friends or hanging out with her girlfriend than honing her powers as a fire elemental. But when members of her family's coven back east are murdered under mysterious circumstances that can only be the result of powerful witchcraft, her family must suddenly return to dreary upstate New York. There, Emsy will have to master her neglected craft in order to find the killer . . . before her family becomes their next target.

Coven

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Sweeney Boo

Read once, spine might be bent, but overall book is in excellent shape. 

Fans of Chilling Adventures of Sabrina will love diving into the mysterious and witchy world of award-nominated creator Sweeney Boo. Enchanting full-color illustrations will be sure to charm readers as they explore the halls of Younwity's Institute of Magic and the forbidden forest that lies beyond.

In the days leading up to Samhain, the veil between the world of the dead and the living is at its thinnest.

One day, everything was exactly as it was supposed to be. And the next, the closest thing Abby ever had to a sister, Noreen, was just... gone.

Distracted by the annual preparations for the Samhain festival, Abby's classmates are quick to put Noreen's disappearance aside. The Coven will find her, Abby's friends say. They have it under control.

But Abby can't let it go. Soon a search for answers leads her down a rabbit hole that uncovers more secrets than Abby can handle. As mounting evidence steers her toward the off-limits woods that surround the academy, she begins to see that Noreen's disappearance mysteriously has a lot in common with another girl who went missing all those years ago...

Over My Dead Body

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Jarrett J. Krosoczka

Spine is bent from reading, but book is in good condition. 

The powerful, unforgettable graphic memoir from Jarrett Krosoczka, about growing up with a drug-addicted mother, a missing father, and two unforgettably opinionated grandparents.

Hey, Kiddo

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Jen Wang

Spine is slightly broken from reading and the cover is worn in the corners. But book is otherwise in good condition. 

Paris, at the dawn of the modern age: Prince Sebastian is looking for a bride—or rather, his parents are looking for one for him. Sebastian is too busy hiding his secret life from everyone. At night he puts on daring dresses and takes Paris by storm as the fabulous Lady Crystallia—the hottest fashion icon in the world capital of fashion! Sebastian’s secret weapon (and best friend) is the brilliant dressmaker Frances—one of only two people who know the truth: sometimes this boy wears dresses. But Frances dreams of greatness, and being someone’s secret weapon means being a secret. Forever. How long can Frances defer her dreams to protect a friend? Jen Wang weaves an exuberantly romantic tale of identity, young love, art, and family. A fairy tale for any age, The Prince and the Dressmaker will steal your heart.

The Prince and the Dressmaker

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Hazel Gaynor

Heather Webb

I bought this book in a gently used condition. Since reading it, the spine is broken and the edges are worn. But the book is otherwise in ok condition. 

Light Paperback (1 lb or less)

A Novel of World War I

New York Times bestselling author Hazel Gaynor has joined with Heather Webb to create this unforgettably romantic novel of the Great War. August 1914. England is at war. As Evie Elliott watches her brother, Will, and his best friend, Thomas Harding, depart for the front, she believes—as everyone does—that it will be over by Christmas, when the trio plan to celebrate the holiday among the romantic cafes of Paris. But as history tells us, it all happened so differently… Evie and Thomas experience a very different war. Frustrated by life as a privileged young lady, Evie longs to play a greater part in the conflict—but how?—and as Thomas struggles with the unimaginable realities of war he also faces personal battles back home where War Office regulations on press reporting cause trouble at his father’s newspaper business. Through their letters, Evie and Thomas share their greatest hopes and fears—and grow ever fonder from afar. Can love flourish amid the horror of the First World War, or will fate intervene? Christmas 1968. With failing health, Thomas returns to Paris—a cherished packet of letters in hand—determined to lay to rest the ghosts of his past. But one final letter is waiting for him…

Last Christmas in Paris

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Trung Le Nguyen

Spine is slightly bent from reading, but book is otherwise in good condition. A very good book, but one I’m unlikely to reread. Would rather pass it on. 

(a Graphic Novel)

"It's hard enough trying to communicate with your parents as a kid, but for Tiâãen, he doesn't even have the right words because his parents are struggling with their English. Is there a Vietnamese word for what he's going through? Is there a way to tell them he's gay?"--

The Magic Fish

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Sherman Alexie

This is what you would call a “well loved book.” The spine is broken it, the pages slightly yellow, and the corners have been taped upon at least twice. I’ve read this book 5 times since high school. This last reread made me realize that being inside a 14 year old boy’s head isn’t comfy as a 31 old year old woman. While it breaks my heart to part with a book that represents so much to me, I know I will never reread it. Besides, there might be someone else out there who really needs a book like this. I would rather pass it on. 

Budding cartoonist Junior leaves his troubled school on the Spokane Indian Reservation to attend an all-white farm town school where the only other Indian is the school mascot.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

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Kim Culbertson

I won this in a giveaway many years ago. I tried to read it but didn’t finish. I thought I would go back to it, only now I’m not so sure. I would rather pass it on now. Book is almost like new, the spine barely even bent. 

Hardcover (1 to 2 lbs)

Frustrated by the disruptive production of a Hollywood film in her once-quiet California town, Carter Moon reluctantly accepts a high-paying job to pose as a disgraced former child actor's girlfriend to improve his image.

Catch a Falling Star

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Katie Alender

Attempted to read this book years ago and held onto it thinking I would read it eventually. But there are others I want to read more than this. As such, it makes more sense to pass it on. Book is a little worn, though no damage. 

Heads will roll!

Paris, France: a city of fashion, chocolate croissants, and cute boys. Colette Iselin is thrilled be there for the first time, on her spring break class trip.

But a series of gruesome murders are taking place around the city, putting everyone on edge. And as she tours the sights, Colette keeps seeing a strange vision: a pale woman in a ball gown and powdered wig, who looks like Marie Antoinette.

Colette knows her status-obsessed friends won't believe her, so she seeks out the help of a charming French boy. Together, they discover that the murder victims are all descendants of people who ultimately brought about Marie Antoinette's beheading. The queen's ghost has been awakened, and now she's wreaking her bloodthirsty revenge.

And Colette may just be one of those descendants . . . which means she might not make it out of this trip alive.

Acclaimed author Katie Alender brings heart-stopping suspense to this story of betrayal, glamour, mystery, history--and one killer queen.

Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer

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Jasmine Warga

Spine is slightly cracked, but book is overall in good condition. Like this book, only it’s not one I feel attached to. Would rather pass it on. 

A stunning novel about the transformative power of love, perfect for fans of Jay Asher and Laurie Halse Anderson. Sixteen-year-old physics nerd Aysel is obsessed with plotting her own death. With a mother who can barely look at her without wincing, classmates who whisper behind her back, and a father whose violent crime rocked her small town, Aysel is ready to turn her potential energy into nothingness. There's only one problem: she's not sure she has the courage to do it alone. But once she discovers a website with a section called Suicide Partners, Aysel's convinced she's found her solution—Roman, a teenage boy who's haunted by a family tragedy, is looking for a partner. Even though Aysel and Roman have nothing in common, they slowly start to fill in each other's broken lives. But as their suicide pact becomes more concrete, Aysel begins to question whether she really wants to go through with it. Ultimately, she must choose between wanting to die or trying to convince Roman to live so they can discover the potential of their energy together.

My Heart and Other Black Holes

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Suzanne Collins

Dustjacket is slightly bent, but book is otherwise in great shape. I loved this series, but I’m unlikely to reread anytime soon. Would rather pass it on. 

Mockingjay

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Book is in very good shape. Really loved this series, but I’m unlikely to reread it anytime soon. Would rather pass it on. 

Suzanne Collins continues the amazing story of Katniss Everdeen in the phenomenal Hunger Games trilogy.Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has won the annual Hunger Games with fellow district tribute Peeta Mellark. But it was a victory won by defiance of the Capitol and their harsh rules. Katniss and Peeta should be happy. After all, they have just won for themselves and their families a life of safety and plenty. But there are rumors of rebellion among the subjects, and Katniss and Peeta, to their horror, are the faces of that rebellion. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge.

Catching Fire

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Read this years ago and I really love this series. But I don’t think I will ever reread them, at least not anytime soon. As such, I would rather pass it on. Besides front cover being slightly worn, book is still in good shape. 

In a future North America, where the rulers of Panem maintain control through an annual televised survival competition pitting young people from each of the twelve districts against one another, sixteen-year-old Katniss's skills are put to the test when she voluntarily takes her younger sister's place.

The Hunger Games

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Alex Michaelides

Being brutally honest with myself and unhauling this book. I liked it well enough and thought it was cool, but I’m unlikely to reread. If I did, it would be as an audiobook. As such, I would rather pass it on. 

A masterfully paced thriller about a reclusive ex–movie star and her famous friends whose spontaneous trip to a private Greek island is upended by a murder — from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Silent Patient This is a tale of murder. Or maybe that’s not quite true. At its heart, it’s a love story, isn’t it? Lana Farrar is a reclusive ex–movie star and one of the most famous women in the world. Every year, she invites her closest friends to escape the English weather and spend Easter on her idyllic private Greek island. I tell you this because you may think you know this story. You probably read about it at the time ― it caused a real stir in the tabloids, if you remember. It had all the necessary ingredients for a press sensation: a celebrity; a private island cut off by the wind...and a murder. We found ourselves trapped there overnight. Our old friendships concealed hatred and a desire for revenge. What followed was a game of cat and mouse ― a battle of wits, full of twists and turns, building to an unforgettable climax. The night ended in violence and death, as one of us was found murdered. But who am I? My name is Elliot Chase, and I’m going to tell you a story unlike any you’ve ever heard.

The Fury

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F. Scott Fitzgerald

While one of my all time favorite classics, I’ve read it at least twice and I’m unlikely to reread it again anytime soon. Would rather pass it on. Dustjacket is slightly worn and there is a tear in the bottom right corner. But book is otherwise in good shape. 

The Only Authorized Edition

The Great Gatsby

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Joshua Hammer

Besides the corner being taped up (cover slightly ripped while reading), book is otherwise in very good condition. I barely cracked the spine while reading because I didn’t get beyond 70 pages. Not for me, so I would rather pass it on to someone else interested in this subject. 

And Their Race to Save the World's Most Precious Manuscripts

In the 1980s, a young adventurer and collector for a government library, Abdel Kader Haidara, journeyed across the Sahara Desert and along the Niger River, tracking down and salvaging tens of thousands of ancient Islamic and secular manuscripts that were crumbling in the trunks of desert shepherds. His goal: to preserve this crucial part of the world's patrimony in a gorgeous library. But then Al Qaeda showed up at the door. Joshua Hammer writes about how Haidara, a mild-mannered archivist from the legendary city of Timbuktu, became one of the world's greatest smugglers by saving the texts from sure destruction. With bravery and patience, Haidara organized a dangerous operation to sneak all 350,000 volumes out of the city to the safety of southern Mali. His heroic heist is a reminder that ordinary citizens often do the most to protect the beauty of their culture. His story is one of a man who, through extreme circumstances, discovered his higher calling and was changed forever by it.

The Bad-Ass Librarians of Timbuktu

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Beth Revis

Never read. I bought a copy after reading it from the library. Was a good book, but I realize I don’t feel attached to it. As such, would rather pass it on. 

Light Hardcover (1 lb or less)

"After the unexpected loss of his girlfriend, a teenage boy suffering from delusions is convinced that he can travel through time to save her"--

A World Without You

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Kasie West

A very, very cute book I really enjoyed. But I don’t think about it often nor am I unlikely to reread it anytime soon. Would rather pass it on. 

Every day in chemistry class, high school student and aspiring songwriter Lily Abbott is finding notes left to her by a mystery boy, love letters really, and she hopes they are from Lucas, a boy she is attracted to--so when she finds out they are really from, she is shocked and unsure about how to respond.

P. S. I Like You

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Anne Blankman

A very good book and will likely read more by this author. But I do not feel compelled to keep, so I would rather pass it on. 

A romantic and exhilarating historical adventure about a girl who must unlock the secrets within Paradise Lost to save her father—perfect for fans of Revolution and Code Name Verity—from acclaimed author Anne Blankman, whose debut novel, Prisoner of Night and Fog, was a Sydney Taylor Notable Book for Teens in 2015 Six years have passed since England’s King Charles II returned from exile to reclaim the throne, ushering in a new era of stability for his subjects. Except for Elizabeth Milton. The daughter of notorious poet John Milton, Elizabeth has never known her place in this shifting world—except by her father’s side. By day she helps transcribe his latest masterpiece, the epic poem Paradise Lost, and by night she learns languages and sword fighting. Although she does not dare object, she suspects that he’s training her for a mission whose purpose she cannot fathom. Until one night the king’s men arrive at her family’s country home to arrest her father. Determined to save him, Elizabeth follows his one cryptic clue and journeys to Oxford, accompanied by her father’s mysterious young houseguest, Antonio Viviani, a darkly handsome Italian scientist who surprises her at every turn. Funny, brilliant, and passionate, Antonio seems just as determined to protect her father as she is—but can she trust him with her heart? When the two discover that Milton has planted an explosive secret in the half-finished Paradise Lost—a secret the king and his aristocratic supporters are desperate to conceal—Elizabeth is faced with a devastating choice: cling to the shelter of her old life, or risk cracking the code, unleashing a secret that could save her father . . . and tear apart the very fabric of society.

Traitor Angels

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Natalie C. Anderson

Never read. I originally read from the library and later bought my own copy. Unlikely to reread and I don’t feel any attachment, so I would rather pass it on. 

Sixteen-year-old Tina and two friends leave Kenya and slip into the Congo, from where she and her mother fled years before, seeking revenge for her mother's murder but uncovering startling secrets.

City of Saints and Thieves

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Laurie Halse Anderson

Read this book twice, but it’s not my favorite by the author. Would rather pass it on to someone else. 

"Hayley Kincaid and her father move back to their hometown to try a "normal" life, but the horrors he saw in the war threaten to destroy their lives"--

The Impossible Knife of Memory

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Susan Orlean

Ever love a book so much you want to share it with others? Really enjoyed this book, but would rather pass it on since not a huge nonfiction reader and I want others to develop a love for libraries. 

A REESE WITHERSPOON x HELLO SUNSHINE BOOK CLUB PICK A WASHINGTON POST TOP 10 BOOK OF THE YEAR * A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER and NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOK OF 2018 “A constant pleasure to read…Everybody who loves books should check out The Library Book.” —The Washington Post “CAPTIVATING…DELIGHTFUL.” —Christian Science Monitor * “EXQUISITELY WRITTEN, CONSISTENTLY ENTERTAINING.” —The New York Times * “MESMERIZING…RIVETING.” —Booklist (starred review) A dazzling love letter to a beloved institution—and an investigation into one of its greatest mysteries—from the bestselling author hailed as a “national treasure” by The Washington Post. On the morning of April 29, 1986, a fire alarm sounded in the Los Angeles Public Library. As the moments passed, the patrons and staff who had been cleared out of the building realized this was not the usual fire alarm. As one fireman recounted, “Once that first stack got going, it was ‘Goodbye, Charlie.’” The fire was disastrous: it reached 2000 degrees and burned for more than seven hours. By the time it was extinguished, it had consumed four hundred thousand books and damaged seven hundred thousand more. Investigators descended on the scene, but more than thirty years later, the mystery remains: Did someone purposefully set fire to the library—and if so, who? Weaving her lifelong love of books and reading into an investigation of the fire, award-winning New Yorker reporter and New York Times bestselling author Susan Orlean delivers a mesmerizing and uniquely compelling book that manages to tell the broader story of libraries and librarians in a way that has never been done before. In The Library Book, Orlean chronicles the LAPL fire and its aftermath to showcase the larger, crucial role that libraries play in our lives; delves into the evolution of libraries across the country and around the world, from their humble beginnings as a metropolitan charitable initiative to their current status as a cornerstone of national identity; brings each department of the library to vivid life through on-the-ground reporting; studies arson and attempts to burn a copy of a book herself; reflects on her own experiences in libraries; and reexamines the case of Harry Peak, the blond-haired actor long suspected of setting fire to the LAPL more than thirty years ago. Along the way, Orlean introduces us to an unforgettable cast of characters from libraries past and present—from Mary Foy, who in 1880 at eighteen years old was named the head of the Los Angeles Public Library at a time when men still dominated the role, to Dr. C.J.K. Jones, a pastor, citrus farmer, and polymath known as “The Human Encyclopedia” who roamed the library dispensing information; from Charles Lummis, a wildly eccentric journalist and adventurer who was determined to make the L.A. library one of the best in the world, to the current staff, who do heroic work every day to ensure that their institution remains a vital part of the city it serves. Brimming with her signature wit, insight, compassion, and talent for deep research, The Library Book is Susan Orlean’s thrilling journey through the stacks that reveals how these beloved institutions provide much more than just books—and why they remain an essential part of the heart, mind, and soul of our country. It is also a master journalist’s reminder that, perhaps especially in the digital era, they are more necessary than ever.

Browse by categories

Andrew Pettegree; Arthur der Weduwen

The Library

Danie Stirling

Crumbs

Jennifer Dugan

Coven

Sweeney Boo

Over My Dead Body

Jarrett J. Krosoczka

Hey, Kiddo

Jen Wang

The Prince and the Dressmaker

Hazel Gaynor; Heather Webb

Last Christmas in Paris

Trung Le Nguyen

The Magic Fish

Sherman Alexie

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

Kim Culbertson

Catch a Falling Star

Katie Alender

Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer

Jasmine Warga

My Heart and Other Black Holes

Suzanne Collins

Mockingjay

Suzanne Collins

Catching Fire

Suzanne Collins

The Hunger Games

Alex Michaelides

The Fury

F. Scott Fitzgerald

The Great Gatsby

Joshua Hammer

The Bad-Ass Librarians of Timbuktu

Beth Revis

A World Without You

Kasie West

P. S. I Like You

Anne Blankman

Traitor Angels

Natalie C. Anderson

City of Saints and Thieves

Laurie Halse Anderson

The Impossible Knife of Memory

Susan Orlean

The Library Book

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