Porter Square Books in Cambridge & Boston
@portersqbooks.bsky.social
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www.portersquarebooks.com
Oh! We need to do a pinned intro post! OK, here goes.
We're a fiercely independent bookstore with locations in Cambridge & Boston. On BlueSky we focus on introducing you to books & authors you're unlikely to encounter otherwise. Here are the books we're excited about at the moment!
We're a fiercely independent bookstore with locations in Cambridge & Boston. On BlueSky we focus on introducing you to books & authors you're unlikely to encounter otherwise. Here are the books we're excited about at the moment!
Reposted by Porter Square Books in Cambridge & Boston
my rec based on your post is this, which is also kind of my strategy (make friends with booksellers and let them do their job at me): bsky.app/profile/port...
Katherine, who you may remember from when Josh was on vacation, has a queer Sci Fi/Fantasy bundle! If you liked Narnia but prefer to be out of the closet, if you're still mad Poe & Finn never kissed, if you've recognized the biggest fantasy of all is that gender is binary, this is your bundle! 4/7
Katherine's Queer SFF Bundle
portersquarebooks.com
November 22, 2025 at 5:38 PM
my rec based on your post is this, which is also kind of my strategy (make friends with booksellers and let them do their job at me): bsky.app/profile/port...
Just quick holiday shopping tip: DO IT NOW & if you can during a store's off hours. You'll get better service & have more selection than when it gets crazy later AND making the crazy times a little less crazy means better service then too!
November 22, 2025 at 5:33 PM
Just quick holiday shopping tip: DO IT NOW & if you can during a store's off hours. You'll get better service & have more selection than when it gets crazy later AND making the crazy times a little less crazy means better service then too!
Has an apple cider doughnome ever steered you wrong?
November 22, 2025 at 3:32 PM
Has an apple cider doughnome ever steered you wrong?
Light from Uncommon Stars: portersquarebooks.com/book/9781250...
and
Automatic Noodle portersquarebooks.com/book/9781250...
and
Automatic Noodle portersquarebooks.com/book/9781250...
Constantly searching for things that feel like T Kingfisher's fantasy and Becky Chambers's ScFi. Any recs would be much appreciated!
November 22, 2025 at 3:16 PM
Light from Uncommon Stars: portersquarebooks.com/book/9781250...
and
Automatic Noodle portersquarebooks.com/book/9781250...
and
Automatic Noodle portersquarebooks.com/book/9781250...
Josh is spending this rainy Saturday morning managing the stock in Sci Fi/Fantasy, so if you need a rec or an opinion from those genres, now's the time!
November 22, 2025 at 2:41 PM
Josh is spending this rainy Saturday morning managing the stock in Sci Fi/Fantasy, so if you need a rec or an opinion from those genres, now's the time!
Related: My most unhinged bookish prediction is that Alecto is somehow going to turn the entire series into totally realistic hard sci fi (maybe hologram universe?) that will just be brain shattering as all the wild pieces fall into perfect order.
Having loved all 3 this is a tough question but my best GUESS is that where you were into Gideon's bullshit, you are not into Harrow's. Maybe try Nona & then circle back. (Or don't. It's not like Tamsyn is in your house making you read.)
Also, why did I like Gideon the Ninth so much I fell off the couch out of joy at least twice, but I can’t even make myself start the second chapter of Harrow the Ninth?
November 21, 2025 at 11:54 PM
Related: My most unhinged bookish prediction is that Alecto is somehow going to turn the entire series into totally realistic hard sci fi (maybe hologram universe?) that will just be brain shattering as all the wild pieces fall into perfect order.
Having loved all 3 this is a tough question but my best GUESS is that where you were into Gideon's bullshit, you are not into Harrow's. Maybe try Nona & then circle back. (Or don't. It's not like Tamsyn is in your house making you read.)
Also, why did I like Gideon the Ninth so much I fell off the couch out of joy at least twice, but I can’t even make myself start the second chapter of Harrow the Ninth?
November 21, 2025 at 11:34 PM
Having loved all 3 this is a tough question but my best GUESS is that where you were into Gideon's bullshit, you are not into Harrow's. Maybe try Nona & then circle back. (Or don't. It's not like Tamsyn is in your house making you read.)
We actually do really well online compared to a lot of other bookstores (Thank you, BlueSky!), but even then it's like...10-1, 8-1 maybe in store vs From the Great Beyond. It seems obvious but nothing sells books quite like a real life physical bookstore.
What’s the breakdown of your sales in terms of in-person purchases vs mail orders?
November 21, 2025 at 11:33 PM
We actually do really well online compared to a lot of other bookstores (Thank you, BlueSky!), but even then it's like...10-1, 8-1 maybe in store vs From the Great Beyond. It seems obvious but nothing sells books quite like a real life physical bookstore.
ALWAYS judge a book by the cover! Book design essentially tells you a story of the story in the actual text & can convey tone, vibes, etc all to help you know if the book you're holding might be right for you! (After it's gotten you to pick up the book in the 1st place.)
Kindly wax poetically about the role of the book designer.
November 21, 2025 at 11:30 PM
ALWAYS judge a book by the cover! Book design essentially tells you a story of the story in the actual text & can convey tone, vibes, etc all to help you know if the book you're holding might be right for you! (After it's gotten you to pick up the book in the 1st place.)
A mix of sales day, industry data, info from the publisher, customer special orders, and intuition all smashed together to try to find books with think our customers will be looking for AND books our customers will be grateful to have discovered on your shelves.
How do you pick the books you stock?
November 21, 2025 at 11:16 PM
A mix of sales day, industry data, info from the publisher, customer special orders, and intuition all smashed together to try to find books with think our customers will be looking for AND books our customers will be grateful to have discovered on your shelves.
Good question! If you have a local store that does online sales, link to them! Many stores can set up an affiliate account so you can earn commission. If you don't have a local, you can get an affiliate from @bookshop.org They directly support indie bookstores!
As a book blogger, how can I best support indie bookstores?
November 21, 2025 at 11:13 PM
Good question! If you have a local store that does online sales, link to them! Many stores can set up an affiliate account so you can earn commission. If you don't have a local, you can get an affiliate from @bookshop.org They directly support indie bookstores!
Ok #BookSky It's Friday night and we're a bookstore gearing up for the holiday shopping season, AMA about bookstores, publishing, books, whatever.
November 21, 2025 at 11:08 PM
Ok #BookSky It's Friday night and we're a bookstore gearing up for the holiday shopping season, AMA about bookstores, publishing, books, whatever.
Wait, what if this were written by Thomas Bernhardt?
Who's writing a hyper-modernist novel that goes relatively far into the future and set in the mind of the frog from Tuck Everlasting?
November 21, 2025 at 9:19 PM
Wait, what if this were written by Thomas Bernhardt?
Reposted by Porter Square Books in Cambridge & Boston
Then January 24 at @portersqbooks.bsky.social with Mirai Nagasu! Registration is required for this one: portersquarebooks.com/event/2026-0... 2/4
Story Time with Sarah Brannen, author of Lolly on the Ice, in conversation with Mirai Nagasu
This event will take place at our CAMBRIDGE store. We offer validated parking in the lot on Roseland St. behind Lesley's University Hall. See parking details below.
portersquarebooks.com
November 21, 2025 at 8:48 PM
Then January 24 at @portersqbooks.bsky.social with Mirai Nagasu! Registration is required for this one: portersquarebooks.com/event/2026-0... 2/4
Ooooooo this is a tough one! Automatic Noodle for something newer: portersquarebooks.com/book/9781250... The Monk & Robot novella's from Becky Chambers are also great starting with portersquarebooks.com/book/9781250...
November 21, 2025 at 8:45 PM
Ooooooo this is a tough one! Automatic Noodle for something newer: portersquarebooks.com/book/9781250... The Monk & Robot novella's from Becky Chambers are also great starting with portersquarebooks.com/book/9781250...
Who's writing a hyper-modernist novel that goes relatively far into the future and set in the mind of the frog from Tuck Everlasting?
November 21, 2025 at 8:36 PM
Who's writing a hyper-modernist novel that goes relatively far into the future and set in the mind of the frog from Tuck Everlasting?
The Very Short Introduction series is really good BUT after doing some research this is a great question for your local librarian since so many books on the Etruscans are textbooks, out of print etc. portersquarebooks.com/book/9780199...
November 21, 2025 at 8:32 PM
The Very Short Introduction series is really good BUT after doing some research this is a great question for your local librarian since so many books on the Etruscans are textbooks, out of print etc. portersquarebooks.com/book/9780199...
Tonight's Private Bookstore is still available! portersquarebooks.com/event/2025-1...
Your Own Private Bookstore 11_21_25
Take a friend on a book buying binge. Have a party. Enjoy the quiet of a bookstore all to yourself. (Well, all to yourself plus a few great booksellers.)
portersquarebooks.com
November 21, 2025 at 2:54 PM
Tonight's Private Bookstore is still available! portersquarebooks.com/event/2025-1...
Reposted by Porter Square Books in Cambridge & Boston
Huzzah! Strange and Perfect Account from the Permafrost is a @washingtonpost.com 2025 notable work of fiction! Thanks to @themountaingoats.bsky.social @portersqbooks.bsky.social @bseitz.bsky.social @leviathanbookstore.bsky.social @jamesfolta.com for championing this book from the jump!
November 21, 2025 at 12:42 PM
Huzzah! Strange and Perfect Account from the Permafrost is a @washingtonpost.com 2025 notable work of fiction! Thanks to @themountaingoats.bsky.social @portersqbooks.bsky.social @bseitz.bsky.social @leviathanbookstore.bsky.social @jamesfolta.com for championing this book from the jump!
Reposted by Porter Square Books in Cambridge & Boston
There's other great stuff too, but still trying to wrap my head around all three of these coming out within a few months of each other
Got a minute so just a quick thread for #BookSky to get you just beside yourself with excitement for 2026 because you have all three of these books to look forward and I don't know how my brain will survive them. Let's goooooooo.....
November 21, 2025 at 1:18 AM
There's other great stuff too, but still trying to wrap my head around all three of these coming out within a few months of each other
Reposted by Porter Square Books in Cambridge & Boston
If someone wants a displaced Somerville/Boston organizer as a virtual co-facilitator I’m available.
We've got Be the Change workshops in the, uh, works for February & April of 2026, but we're looking for more proposals! Info & to submit here: portersquarebooks.com/be-change-wo...
Be the Change Workshops
In response to feedback about how Porter Square Books can better serve our community we are launching Be the Change Workshops
portersquarebooks.com
November 21, 2025 at 1:08 AM
If someone wants a displaced Somerville/Boston organizer as a virtual co-facilitator I’m available.
Got a minute so just a quick thread for #BookSky to get you just beside yourself with excitement for 2026 because you have all three of these books to look forward and I don't know how my brain will survive them. Let's goooooooo.....
November 21, 2025 at 1:15 AM
Got a minute so just a quick thread for #BookSky to get you just beside yourself with excitement for 2026 because you have all three of these books to look forward and I don't know how my brain will survive them. Let's goooooooo.....
Reposted by Porter Square Books in Cambridge & Boston
This is a wonderful initiative. More bookstores should do it…
We've got Be the Change workshops in the, uh, works for February & April of 2026, but we're looking for more proposals! Info & to submit here: portersquarebooks.com/be-change-wo...
Be the Change Workshops
In response to feedback about how Porter Square Books can better serve our community we are launching Be the Change Workshops
portersquarebooks.com
November 20, 2025 at 11:03 PM
This is a wonderful initiative. More bookstores should do it…
Frederic Dard! Though with their availability we'd need to process the order over the phone or in store portersquarebooks.com/search?type=...
November 20, 2025 at 11:29 PM
Frederic Dard! Though with their availability we'd need to process the order over the phone or in store portersquarebooks.com/search?type=...