Octopus Books

Octopus Books Woman owned, independent, & committed to making the world a better place.

Octopus Books is an anti-oppressive bookstore that supports the liberation of all community members from explicit or implicit violence, colonialism, racism, sexism, ageism, transphobia, whorephobia, cissexism, ableism, fatphobia, sexual harassment, or gender policing. We specifically recognize the right of all people to live without poverty, to gain an economic livelihood, and to work safely and w

ith respect in their chosen field. While Octopus Books believes in promoting and exchanging ideas in support of emancipation and activism, we also reserve the right to assess and manage circumstances and situations within our store as per our collective vision towards liberation for all community members. If you have an experience at our store that does not reflect these values, tell us - please email us at [email protected], or ask to speak to the owner.

Out today! From Marlon James, author of the Booker Prize–winning A Brief History of Seven Killings, a propulsive novel a...
09/01/2026

Out today! From Marlon James, author of the Booker Prize–winning A Brief History of Seven Killings, a propulsive novel about the murder of a gay man in 1980s Jamaica and its tragic consequences. This is one to watch, it’s also on the Booker 2026 Longlist. The Booker Prizes

In The Disappearers, Marlon James has written a riveting and deeply human story of men forced to make compromises to survive that the society they live in demands. It is both a dramatic page-turner and an unflinching exploration of q***r life in Jamaica during the 1980s and 1990s.

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08/31/2026

Lini’s current recommendation is “The Hounding” by Xenobe Purvis, and she really isn’t biased!

Thanks to our friends at Second Story | feminist press we have Pride flags, stickers and pins available for FREE this Fr...
08/27/2026

Thanks to our friends at Second Story | feminist press we have Pride flags, stickers and pins available for FREE this Friday, Saturday and Sunday (while quantities last) in store. Happy Pride, Ottawa! 🌈📚

🚨OCTOPUS BOOKS MERCH ALERT🚨 Brand NEW Octopus Books t-shirts just arrived in store! Inclusive sizing, made ethically and...
08/25/2026

🚨OCTOPUS BOOKS MERCH ALERT🚨 Brand NEW Octopus Books t-shirts just arrived in store! Inclusive sizing, made ethically and available in two unique styles, what better way to show off your love of books and indie bookstores? Come grab yours while they’re fresh! 🐙♥️

Visit from The Merry Dairy until 5pm today. Come on down to Octopus Books!
08/23/2026

Visit from The Merry Dairy until 5pm today. Come on down to Octopus Books!

🍦+ 📚 = 😍 This Sunday afternoon, our friends from The Merry Dairy will be stopping by Octopus Books with their traveling ...
08/23/2026

🍦+ 📚 = 😍 This Sunday afternoon, our friends from The Merry Dairy will be stopping by Octopus Books with their traveling truck of tempting treats. Don't miss it!

116 Third Ave. at Bank St. in the Glebe

In stock! The brand new CBC Massey Lecture by Leilani Farha, Housing, Inc.: A Global Takeover and Our Fight for Home. Wr...
08/21/2026

In stock! The brand new CBC Massey Lecture by Leilani Farha, Housing, Inc.: A Global Takeover and Our Fight for Home.

Writing from the centre of global housing debates, Farha reckons with a crisis four decades in the making, engineered by dictators, presidents, and prime ministers, and perfected by the financial firms that turn homes into sites of extraction. The same logic that justifies dispossessing Indigenous Peoples of their lands and resources now prices out a generation, displaces tenants, destroys communities, and disappears homeless people.

This crisis of humanity plays out in every country in the world. With fierce clarity, Farha argues that the fight for home requires not just better policy, but a different ideology altogether—one rooted in law, humanity, and imagination—where every person counts.

Delgamuukw. Sixties Scoop. Bill C-31. Blood quantum. Appropriation. Two-Spirit. Tsilhqot’in. Status. TRC. RCAP. FNPOA. P...
08/17/2026

Delgamuukw. Sixties Scoop. Bill C-31. Blood quantum. Appropriation. Two-Spirit. Tsilhqot’in. Status. TRC. RCAP. FNPOA. Pass and permit. Numbered Treaties. Terra nullius. The Indian Act. The Great Peace. Are you familiar with these terms? With thousands of copies sold each year, Indigenous Writes by Chelsea Vowel has reached countless readers and become a widely taught, widely read resource for understanding Indigenous realities in Canada. In 31 insightful essays, Vowel explores Indigenous experiences from the time of contact to the present, through five categories: Terminology of Relationships; Culture and Identity; Myth-Busting; State Violence; and Land, Learning, Law, and Treaties. This new second edition of Indigenous Writes features expanded and updated discussions about Métis and Inuk identity, Bill C-31, cultural appropriation, identity fraud and pretendianism, Two-Spirit identity, the Indian Act, and drinking water on reserves, as well as reflections on the current state of Truth and Reconciliation and what has changed, or not, since the book was first published.

Shopping at Octopus Books is kinda chic 💅
08/13/2026

Shopping at Octopus Books is kinda chic 💅

Post 2 of 2. The last four days have been an incredible whirlwind at the 40th IBBY Canada World Conference! We loved con...
08/10/2026

Post 2 of 2. The last four days have been an incredible whirlwind at the 40th IBBY Canada World Conference! We loved connecting with so many inspiring children’s book authors, illustrators, translators and editors who are equally as passionate as we are about making the world a better place for children through the power of books. Swipe to see who stopped by the table. 👀 *Signed copies still available of select titles

Address

116 Third Avenue
Ottawa, ON
K1S2K1

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 6pm
Tuesday 10am - 6pm
Wednesday 10am - 6pm
Thursday 10am - 6pm
Friday 10am - 6pm
Saturday 10am - 5pm
Sunday 11am - 5pm

Telephone

+16132332589

Website

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