One fine night...

Our first open mic night was a lot of fun. We set up the stage in the café area of our store and a nice group gathered, some strangers, and some old friends. The cafe was open and we offered our usual selection of coffees, soft drinks and pastries. There were a lots of families and groups in attendance and the space was great for mingling and making new friends.

We all enjoyed an varied mix of electric and acoustic acts, and some read poetry and prose. One person even wandered off for a few minutes and browsed our shelves, returning to read a poem from our collection. We wee also graced with a great narrative poem by Edna St. Vincent Millay and a few haiku.

We had a guitarist perform some great instrumentals on electric guitar, one gentleman who played the banjo, and a singer-songwriter who surprised us with her beautiful voice, performing two covers and an original song. Another featured duo sang a couple Beatles songs and some nineties hits.

It was a fun night all in all. We’re planning on making it a monthly event, on second Fridays, so come by February 12th at 7pm to join in!

Unfinished Desires

I've never read anything by Gail Godwin before, but I picked up Unfinished Desires because I love books set at schools. The closed environment, cliques (and other adolescent behavior), and bad teachers all make for good drama.

The book had a less dramatic plot than I expected, and the events were all pretty low key. All throughout Unfinished Desires, characters kept referring vaguely to the freshman play by the class of 1951: the class, as headmistress Mother Ravenel puts it, was "toxic," and they did something almost unspeakable that year. Their actions and the result, she admits, were partially her fault, but the events and behaviors leading up to it are so complicated and subtle that we doubt that anyone's at fault. That's the problem at the heart of the book: everyone's forgiven, and no one is in the wrong, but none of the characters can stop confessing and obsessing.

Open Mic Night-- this Friday!

Wellington Square Bookshop Open Mic Night
Friday, January 15th from 6-9pm
Grab your guitar and spend an evening enjoying the talent of the community over a cup of coffee! Performers are also welcome to dazzle us with non-musical acts, so feel free to recite a favorite poem or your original work.
All ages welcome!

This Friday, you’re invited to sing, play an instrument, or read aloud in the cozy café area of our bookshop. Share your talent and your passion with the community!

Like all open mic nights, we embrace musical acts at our event. Since we’re a bookshop, however, we’re also welcoming you to read to us from your favorite book. When else do you get to share the passages or poems that moved you most?

While you’re here, be sure to try one of our delicious coffee drinks and indulge in a pastry from our café.