Commonwealth Books

08/23/2026

We did it once before & we're doing it again: Thursday August 27 we'll be staying open late & our good friend Billy Squire will provide live music for your listening & browsing pleasure. 6-8 pm. Come on by & enjoy the summertime scene!

07/03/2026

We hope everyone is keeping cool this long holiday weekend.

Both locations will be OPEN today and tomorrow, July 3rd and 4th. We'll be open our normal hours today in Newport and Boston.

Tomorrow, the Newport shop will be closing at 5 pm. The Boston shop will be open until at least 3 pm but call ahead after that as we may or may not close early depending on crowds.

(Pictures from "The Flower of Liberty.")

06/27/2026

We're exhibiting today at the Cooperstown Antiquarian Book Fair in Cooperstown, NY. The fair is open 10 am - 4 pm, taking place at the Clark Sports Center. More information here:

Cooperstown Antiquarian Book Fair Date Jun 27 2026 Time 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Organizer More Information: Willis Monie Books Phone (607) 547-8363 Email [email protected] Website https://www.wilmonie.com/ Location Clark Sports Center 124 County Highway 52, Cooperstown, NY, 13326 Category Community E...

05/29/2026

Our booth is set up and ready for tonight's opening night preview at the Capital Rare Book Fair. Come join us at the University Club, 1135 16th St. NW, in Washington, DC. Tickets for tonight's event are $60 and include unlimited wine and canapes as well as first crack at the books!

More information at the link.

https://finefairs.com/capital-rare-book-fair

05/28/2026

If you are in the DC area this coming weekend, come join us at the Capital Rare Book Fair, taking place at the University Club 1135 16th St. NW.

Friday, May 29th will be a preview night from 5-8:30. $60 gets you wine, canapes, and early access to the books. The fair continues Saturday 11-6 and Sunday 11-6, with $15 tickets ($10 for students) good for the weekend.

More information at the link. We hope to see you there!

Established in 1904 simply as the University Club, its first president was then Secretary of War and future United States President William Howard Taft. In 1936, it merged with the Racquet Club of Washington, and moved to its current location at 1135 Sixteenth Street NW, approximately three blocks n...

03/20/2026

For all the paper-philes out there, we're exhibiting this weekend at Ephemera 46, the Ephemera Society of American's annual conference and fair, taking place at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Old Greenwich, CT.

Tonight is preview night from 5:30-7:30. The fair is open to the public from 10-5 on Saturday and 11-4 Sunday.

More information at the link below.

https://www.ephemerasociety.org/ephemera-46/

03/07/2026

Come join us at the Florida Antiquarian Book Fair, taking place today (10-5) and tomorrow (10-4) at the Coliseum in Saint Petersburg. You'll find us in booth 34.

03/03/2026

Join us this coming weekend, March 7th and 8th, at the Florida Antiquarian Book Fair, taking place at the Coliseum in Saint Petersburg. (You'll find us under the name of our sister store, A. Parker's Books.) More info at the link.

Florida Antiquarian Book Fair is the oldest and largest book fair of its kind in the southeastern United States. It is the third largest in the nation.

02/24/2026

I assure you, we're open! If you're downtown in spite of the snow come on by for some fresh reading material. 20% off purchases in-store today!

12/20/2025

A few Christmas-adjacent items for your holiday shopping needs. First edition of Chris Van Allsburg's Polar Express, $195. Facsimile first edition of Charles Dickens's Christmas Carol, $125. And a first edition of Clement Clark Moore's (of 'Visit from St. Nicholas' fame) Compendious Lexicon of the Hebrew Language, *inscribed by Moore*. (That one is a little pricier at $1850.)

*EDIT* We will be on a short schedule Monday, Dec 22 due to staff shortage. Probably 11-4:30 but call ahead to make sure. We'll be open as usual Tuesday, 12/23 (10-6). On Wednesday the 24th, we will be here at least until 4 p.m., but after that call ahead to see if we're still around. We will be closed Christmas Day and open again our normal hours on Dec. 26.