November Bestsellers
1. A Promised Land by Barack Obama
2. How to Pronounce Knife by Souvankham Thammavongsa
3. War by Margaret MacMillan
4. The Company We Keep by Frances Itani
5. Extraordinary Canadians by Peter Mansbridge
6. The Pull of the Stars by Emma Donoghue
7. The Fight for History by Tim Cook
8. Indians on Vacation by Thomas King
9. The Forgotten Daughter by Joanna Goodman
10. Moonflower Murders by Anthony Horowitz
Greetings Book Lovers!
Happy December! Well, we’ve made it to the last month of the year and it’s hard to believe that so much (and yet so little) has happened over the last ten months. There’s no doubt that this past year has been a tough one for all of us, but now that we’ve reached December and Christmas is just around the corner, it’s a little easier to see the light at the end of the very long, dark tunnel we’ve been traveling. Hopefully, that light will just get brighter and brighter as the days go by, and soon we may be able to enjoy our days (and our books) without having shadows cast across them.
As surely as the snow and cold wind have settled into all our city’s nooks and crannies, the spirit of the season has also swept in and permeated the store! Things have really ramped up here and we’re so excited to see all the wonderful new books you’re planning on gifting this season. Our last day for guaranteed Christmas orders has now passed, but we still have lots of great titles in the store, all vying for a coveted spot in your shopping bags (and under your tree).
Our store hours will remain the same throughout the holiday season and our in-store numbers remain capped at 4 customers at a time. On days when we’re at capacity and you’re waiting to get in, we ask that you form a line out on the sidewalk in order to keep our vestibule clear so that our couriers (carting all your lovely special orders) can safely get inside and so we’re not impeding access to the SconeWitch. We know this may not be much fun on snowy, cold, or rainy days, so please be sure to dress for the weather, and we’ll try to monitor the line closely so that no one is waiting too long. If coming by to shop between 10:00am and 5:00pm Monday through Friday, and 10:00am to 4:00pm on Saturdays doesn’t work for you, you can still book a semi-private shopping appointment either before we open or after we close. The hours of 9:00am to 10:00am and 5:00pm to 6:00pm Monday to Friday are being made available to any customers who would like to take a leisurely hour-long browse through the store, so they can complete their Christmas shopping without the added pressure of knowing there’s a cue outside. There are four slots available per hour and they can be booked by phone only. Please note that if you’re shopping as a couple, that counts as two spots.
One little piece of Christmas that’s coming back to the shop this year is our 12 Days of Penguin Random House Christmas promotion! From December 11 to December 24 (excluding Sundays), we’ll be counting down the days until Christmas by featuring one Penguin Random House book per day at 30% off. The discount for each book is available on its given day only and just as long as supplies last. We’ll be kicking things off on Friday, December 11 with Yotam Ottolenghi‘s beautiful new cookbook, Ottolenghi Flavor! Keep an eye on your inbox and our social media pages for each day’s new feature!
There are lots of new goodies still arriving in the store every day and we’re busily trying to keep our shelves stocked with all your top Christmas picks. Although the deadline for guaranteed Christmas orders has now passed, we will still be receiving shipments of both books and gifts between now and December 24. That being said, due to the extremely high volume of shipping that’s going on across the country this year, our couriers are a bit swamped, so we have been experiencing some delivery delays with our expected shipments. Rest assured though that things are still moving, albeit a little more slowly than usual. Mixed in among our normal store orders, are all the lovely books you’ve requested in recent days and weeks that we know you’re eager to get them wrapped and ready for the big day. We’re making out way through them as quickly as we can and will hopefully be notifying you shortly that your Christmas goodies have arrived! Thank you so much for being patient with us!
In a year that’s been unlike any other, books have served as a distraction, a comfort, and reliable friends when we needed them most. Despite not having as much time to read over the last ten months as we normally would, we know that we wouldn’t have made it this far without the stories we did read. Take a peek below to see some of our staff posing with their favourites from the past year!
Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy Holiday Season!
May the New Year bring you health, happiness, and more books than you can shake a stick at!
Happy Reading!
— The Staff at Books on Beechwood
Thursday, December 24: OPEN 10:00am to 3:00pm
We will be CLOSED from December 25 to January 3 in order to give our staff a much needed break.
Monday, January 4: OPEN 10:00am to 5:00pm
(*regular hours resume)
On the 1st Day of Penguin Random House Christmas, my bookstore discounted for me…Ottolenghi Flavor by Yotam Ottolenghi!
On Friday, December 11 only, pick up your copy of this beautiful new cookbook at 30% off!