Secret World Books

Secret World Books Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from Secret World Books, Book shop, 1774 2nd Street, Highland Park, IL.

Owned by author Gayle Brandeis and her husband Michael Brandeis and named for a book Gayle wrote when she was eight years old, Secret World Books offers used and new books, comics, and other wonders.

A used copy of Terry Tempest Williams’ gorgeous When Women Were Birds came in to the store today, and we were delighted ...
08/21/2026

A used copy of Terry Tempest Williams’ gorgeous When Women Were Birds came in to the store today, and we were delighted to find an excerpt from Gayle’s 2012 San Francisco Chronicle review of the book at the top of the back cover. We’ll link to the review in bio. 💖🪶

Books can hold so much—joy, escape, engagement, illumination, learning, connection, transformation. So can bookstores. W...
08/20/2026

Books can hold so much—joy, escape, engagement, illumination, learning, connection, transformation. So can bookstores. We’re grateful that our space can hold all of these things, and are honored to be able to hold events that cover deep and important topics, as well as super fun ones!

Tonight, Thursday, August 20 at 7pm, we hope you can join us when local author and President/Founder of Middle East Peace Network, Dr. Shai Har-El, comes to Secret World to discuss his book Where Islam and Judaism Join Together. His group, Middle East Peace Network (MEPN), is an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit NGO that uses private diplomacy to complement the activities of the Middle Eastern governments in their pursuit of conflict resolution and lasting peace, primarily between Arabs and Israelis and between Muslims and Jews. This promises to be a timely and powerful conversation!

On Saturday, August 22 at 2pm, you can join graphic novelists Steve Horton (Bowie) and Russell Lissau (Little Earthquakes) for a discussion of why music and comic books go so well together. Signed books available for purchase; pre-order with the store to guarantee copies!

We hope to see you soon! 💖

Join graphic novelists Steve Horton (Bowie) and Russell Lissau (Little Earthquakes) next Saturday, August 22 at 2pm for ...
08/16/2026

Join graphic novelists Steve Horton (Bowie) and Russell Lissau (Little Earthquakes) next Saturday, August 22 at 2pm for a discussion of why music and comic books go so well together. Signed books available for purchase; pre-order with the store to guarantee copies! 🎶💥🎨

We hope you can join us Thursday, August 20 at 7pm when local author and President/Founder of Middle East Peace Network,...
08/16/2026

We hope you can join us Thursday, August 20 at 7pm when local author and President/Founder of Middle East Peace Network, Dr. Shai Har-El, comes to Secret World to discuss his book Where Islam and Judaism Join Together. His group, Middle East Peace Network (MEPN), is an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit NGO that uses private diplomacy to complement the activities of the Middle Eastern governments in their pursuit of conflict resolution and lasting peace, primarily between Arabs and Israelis and between Muslims and Jews. This promises to be a timely and powerful conversation!

08/12/2026

Thank you to for dropping off this beautiful cake in celebration of National Book Lover’s Day—we’re so grateful!!! If you’re a book and cake lover, come get a slice and a new read! 💖📚🎂

Our car was hit on the way to the bookstore so we’re opening a bit late today (Gayle is on the way in the back of a poli...
08/11/2026

Our car was hit on the way to the bookstore so we’re opening a bit late today (Gayle is on the way in the back of a police car.) Sorry for any inconvenience—stay safe out there!

08/09/2026

There’s lightning inside and out, but it’s much cozier in here! Come find a rainy day book, comic, or game, or just chill with us!

If the Ink & Blood Dueling Society existed, the pictures would look a little like this, including the dramatic unmasking...
08/09/2026

If the Ink & Blood Dueling Society existed, the pictures would look a little like this, including the dramatic unmasking of the winning writer, novelist Cory O’Brien! Thank you to all four of the amazing masked writers (in case they exist), and to the whole rowdy crowd (if it existed) and to ringleader Captain Jim Blood, who definitely doesn’t exist. If such a group walked the earth, they just might possibly return to Secret World in October for more fun and thrills…Stay tuned! 🎭⚔️✒️🩸📕❤️

Yesterday, we got a call from a lovely customer concerned that a curious masked individual was standing outside the stor...
08/09/2026

Yesterday, we got a call from a lovely customer concerned that a curious masked individual was standing outside the store. They wanted to make sure all was well, and we let them know all was more than well, as it was none other than Captain Jim Blood (who may or may not exist) here to welcome people to the Ink & Blood Dueling Society, which definitely does not exist. 🎭⚔️✒️

We love when Highland Park Poetry fills the house! Thank you to featured poets Olivia Macie and Arlyn Miller, to everyon...
08/09/2026

We love when Highland Park Poetry fills the house! Thank you to featured poets Olivia Macie and Arlyn Miller, to everyone who shared poems during the open mic, to Jennifer Dotson and the rest of the HP Poetry crew for making it happen, and to all who came to soak it in! 💖

Address

1774 2nd Street
Highland Park, IL
60035

Opening Hours

Wednesday 11am - 5pm
Thursday 11am - 5pm
Friday 11am - 5pm
Saturday 11am - 5pm
Sunday 12pm - 4pm

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