Main & Mountain Bookstore held a grand opening celebration in Kernersville, N.C., on Saturday, November 29, the High Point Enterprise News reported.

Located at 103 N. Main St. in Kernersville, Main & Mountain sells general-interest titles with an emphasis on local authors and nonbook items made from local artists and artisans. Owner Danielle Darnell plans to host a variety of community events such as book clubs, poetry slams, and live music, and she hopes the store will become a place where local authors, artists, and readers can meet and connect.

"It’s going to grow into something that really supports the local authors and local artists and help [the] community thrive and grow," Darnell told the High Point Enterprise News. "Not everybody is able to sell their things online or advertise their things online, so it will be nice to really support them and their crafts."

Darnell and her husband were inspired to open a bookstore of their own after Kernersville's previous independent bookstore, Byrdhouse Books, closed. "My husband and I thought it over, and we decided that the town needed to keep a bookstore," Darnell recalled. "I think a lot of people in the town really enjoyed it and a lot of people were sad to see it go. We wanted to make sure that a bookstore would stay here."

No Shelf Control bookstore has opened at 701 Market St., Ste. 104A, in the Palencia neighborhood of St. Augustine, Fla. The Record reported that owner Tally Fischer "has created a haven for anyone looking for a cozy, comfortable and relaxing place to chill and read the latest title or a beloved classic."

"No Shelf Control isn't just any bookstore," she said. "It's a charming boutique reading haven that proudly offers a curated selection of both new releases and gently used books."

Featuring more than 4,000 titles, the "full but not stuffed" bookshop has something for everyone, Fischer said. "We have loads of biographies and fiction books, plus a generous selection of books on religion and spirituality," In addition, the bookshop features a variety of local authors.

"Spacious, neat and organized, No Shelf Control also includes 'bookish' gift items such as pens, tote bags, notebooks, key chains and T-shirts," the Record wrote.

"I've dreamed of owning a bookstore since I was old enough to hold a book," Fischer said. "I even knew I would call it No Shelf Control. Reading is the medication that relaxes my brain. No Shelf Control is the space that transformed me as Pinocchio into a real-life boy. The training wheels and the floaties are now off. Welcome to my dream."

Actual Books, an all-ages, general-interest bookstore, opened earlier this fall in Kenmore, N.Y., Step Out Buffalo reported. 

Located at 2956 Delaware Ave., Actual Books opened in October and spans 1,200 square feet of selling space. It carries new titles alongside zines, cards, tote bags, gifts, and a cooler with coffee drinks. The store held its first children's storytime on November 18, and future event plans include book clubs, readings, and art nights. 

Prior to launching Actual Books, owner Pat Kewly spent 11 years as part of the team behind a now-closed art gallery and music venue called Sugar City and 16 years as a federal worker. He'd long wondered why Kenmore didn't have its own "one-stop, general-interest shop for buying new books," and this year decided to take the plunge and create one himself.

"As the world descends into slop and stupidity, it feels important to keep cultivating spaces where people can not only find good books, but gather to share ideas, support, friendship, and community, and we're hoping Actual Books can be a small part of that in our neighborhood and beyond," Kewly wrote on Instagram when announcing his plans for the store.

Kewly told Step Out Buffalo he "loved being a federal worker, but I honestly feel like I’m doing more good now than I was at the desk job that I left behind. Not a day goes by when someone doesn’t come into the shop and talk about how long they’ve been waiting for a store like this in the neighborhood, and how valuable spaces like this can be for people, particularly in scary and uncertain times. 

"Providing a place for community, ideas, reading, and self-expression--spaces like that are more valuable than ever. Nothing feels better than putting a book in someone’s hand that they are excited to read."

PEN America will honor Ann Patchett, award-winning author and owner of Parnassus Books, Nashville, Tenn., with the PEN/Audible Literary Service Award; and film producer Jason Blum, founder/CEO of Blumhouse, with the Business Visionary award at its annual Literary Gala on May 14, 2026.

Ann Patchett, Jason Blum

PEN America said it will celebrate Patchett's "searing and complex storytelling and her dedication to championing independent bookselling and nurturing a vibrant literary community. Her bookstore, Parnassus Books, which she started in her hometown in Nashville, has evolved into a welcome refuge for readers and a beacon for writers from across the country." Blum is being recognized "for his daring and diverse films that have transformed horror from a niche genre into a driving force of contemporary culture, often with social issues at the core."

Clarisse Rosaz Shariyf, PEN America's interim co-CEO, said: "Ann Patchett distills the essence of the human condition with humor and heart in stories that explore the depth and meaning of family, friendship and morality. At this moment, when writers are being banned, harassed, and threatened for their words, we are honored to recognize the singular and humane voice of a writer who has earned a place as both a literary luminary and a household name. Beyond her own remarkable literary contributions, Patchett has been an extraordinary champion for literary community and a mentor and promoter of emerging writers. Her own bookstore, which she opened in 2011, has evolved into a refuge for readers and writers, as community crises swirled, and fulfilled a critical need that was lost when Nashville's only two booksellers closed."

Interim co-CEO Summer Lopez added: "As moviegoers we have all felt the exhilaration of an unnerving horror story, but until Jason Blum's thoroughly audacious approach, we had never seen this genre electrified with such daring, diverse, and complex storytelling. His work serves as a testament to the idea that great storytelling and fearless vision can both shape and push culture forward. We are, yes, thrilled to honor Blum's body of work."

Porter Anderson, editor-in-chief of Publishing Perspectives since 2016, has died.

Porter Anderson at the Frankfurt Book Fair earlier this year.

As publisher Erin Cox wrote yesterday in Publishing Perspectives, Anderson "traveled the world, moderating industry discussions, reporting on new and established markets, highlighting changes in technology, celebrating publishers and writers doing excellent work, and engaging with an international audience eager to learn more about the publishing industry beyond their borders.

"Just in the last two months, he could be seen on stage or reporting from Frankfurt, Sharjah, and Shanghai, interviewing CEOs, reporting on the future of audio, and sharing insight into markets around the world."

She added, "On a personal note, we are all shocked and saddened by Porter's passing. Whether you knew him personally or simply read his stories, you could tell that he had a passion for news, a desire to protect the trinity of freedoms, and a drive to share important information with readers around the world. We will honor his legacy by continuing the mission he started."

Juergen Boos, director of Frankfurt Book Fair, said, "All of us who have known him personally over the past few years, who admired him for his expertise, his journalistic experience, loved him for his humor and admired his high professional ethics and his seemingly inexhaustible energy--we are all saddened and shocked by this news. There are no words or thoughts that can adequately express our feelings. The void left by his death cannot yet be fully measured."

Before joining Publishing Perspectives, Anderson was associate editor for the FutureBook at the Bookseller; a senior producer and anchor with CNN.com, CNN International, and CNN USA for more than 10 years; and an arts critic for the Village Voice, the Dallas Times Herald, and the Tampa Tribune. He co-founded the Hot Sheet with Jane Friedman. In 2019, he was awarded International Trade Press Journalist of the Year in the London Book Fair's International Excellence Awards.

At Shelf Awareness, we were always impressed by the many panels he moderated and interviews he conducted at the Frankfurt Book Fair. He always showed a mastery of and passion for key topics in the book world and did a great job conversing with a range of fascinating book people from around the world.

People are encouraged to share memories and thoughts about Porter Anderson here. 

Laura Bishop (middle) celebrated the launch of her debut novel, Love Me Stalk Me (Atria), at The New Romantics in Orlando, Fla., alongside some supportive motorcyclists.  

"Oh, the weather outside is frightful, but books are so delightful." That was the seasonal message on the sidewalk chalkboard in front of Protagonist Books & Coffee in Dryden, N.Y., which noted: "Happy snow day! We are open today from 10-8 so you can get your hot beverages in between snowball fights. And I hear some elves decorated the store overnight. Be the first to see!"

Gallery Publishing Group publisher Jennifer Bergstrom has been promoted to executive v-p of Simon & Schuster and will continue to lead the Gallery Publishing Group. She joined the company in 1998 as editorial director of Simon Spotlight. In 2004, she moved to the adult division and launched Simon Spotlight Entertainment. In 2009, she was named editor-in-chief of the newly formed Gallery Books imprint and was promoted to publisher in 2013, overseeing Gallery Books, Scout Press, Gallery 13, Pocket Books, Threshold, and 13A.

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In the Random House Publishing Group, Milena Brown is joining One World as v-p, deputy publisher.

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Matt Warner has joined Cherry Lake Publishing Group as director of marketing. He was formerly marketing director for Baker & Taylor Publisher Services.

Heartland: A Forgotten Place, an Impossible Dream, and the Miracle of Larry Bird by Keith O'Brien (Atria Books).

Tomorrow:
Good Morning America: Tom Colicchio, author of Think Like a Chef, 25th Anniversary Edition (Clarkson Potter, $38, 9798217034888).

Kelly Clarkson Show: Cameron Crowe, author of The Uncool: A Memoir (Avid Reader Press, $35, 9781668059432).

Drew Barrymore Show: Alexis deBoschnek, author of Nights and Weekends: Recipes That Make the Most of Your Time (Union Square & Co., $35, 9781454954989).

Book TV airs on C-Span 2 this weekend from 8 a.m. Saturday to 8 a.m. Monday and focuses on political and historical books as well as the book industry. The following are highlights for this coming weekend. For more information, go to Book TV's website.

Sunday, December 7
11 a.m. Bill Kurtis, author of Whirlwind: My Life Reporting the News (Plainspoken Books, $32.99, 9780700640041). (Re-airs Sunday at 11:20 p.m.)

12 p.m. Nicholas Boggs, author of Baldwin: A Love Story (‎Farrar, Straus and Giroux, $36, 9780374178710), at Politics and Prose in Washington, D.C.

12:55 to 7 p.m. Coverage of the Litquake Festival in San Francisco. Highlights include:

• 12:55 p.m. Daniel Zoughbie, author of Kicking the Hornet's Nest: U.S. Foreign Policy in the Middle East from Truman to Trump.
• 2:30 p.m. Josh Jackson, author of The Enduring Wild: A Journey into California's Public Lands.
• 3:40 p.m. Sarah Goodyear and Doug Gordon, co-authors of Life After Cars: Freeing Ourselves from the Tyranny of the Automobile.
• 4:50 p.m. Tochi Onyebuchi, author of Racebook: A Personal History of the Internet.
• 5:55 p.m. Sarah Schulman, author of The Fantasy and Necessity of Solidarity.

The Thinking Machine: Jensen Huang, Nvidia, and the World's Most Coveted Microchip by Stephen Witt (Viking) has won the Financial Times and Schroders 2025 Business Book of the Year Award. Witt receives £30,000 (about $40,000); the five runners-up each receive £10,000 (about $13,350).

Financial Times editor Roula Khalaf said: "Stephen Witt has written a fascinating account of the making of one of the most consequential companies of our times. In The Thinking Machine, Witt explores brilliantly the motivation of Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, the single-minded entrepreneur who has built one of the AI age's most successful businesses."

Schroders Group CEO Richard Oldfield said in part, "In The Thinking Machine, we have a winner that truly captures the spirit and challenges of our time. It stands out for its rigorous research, outstanding writing, and relevance for anyone looking to understand the world around us. Each shortlisted book offers unique insights into the ways countries, businesses, and technology are shaping our future. Collectively, they help us navigate an era defined by rapid change and increasing complexity."

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To celebrate its 25th anniversary, the Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize for Comic Fiction has been awarded to two winners. Rosanna Pike's "dazzlingly witty" debut novel, A Little Trickerie, won the 2025 prize, while A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian by Marina Lewycka took the Vintage Bollinger Prize, the "Winner of Winners" from 25 previous recipients of the award, the Bookseller reported. 

Pike received a jeroboam and a case of Bollinger Special Cuvée, the complete set of the Everyman's Library P.G. Wodehouse collection, and a pig named after her winning book. Lewycka's family accepted the award on behalf of the author, who died the day after the judges reached their decision. They received a framed picture of the winning book jacket and a specially engraved jeroboam of Bollinger Special Cuvée.

Chair of the judges Peter Florence said that 2025 "gifted us several fabulous contenders for this year's prize, that ran a full spectrum of comic styles and just seemed endlessly entertaining. It was the closest multi-way call we've ever had, and we're delighted by our winner, and by the whole shortlist. Judging the Vintage Bollinger Prize was always going to be a locked-in hoot as we revisited so many fabulously funny winners. It seemed a daunting idea to garland one book among so many as the funniest book of the last 25 years, but actually we came to a book that some people were discovering for the first time and were laughing aloud at and loving."

Selected new titles appearing next Tuesday, December 9:

Spasm by Robin Cook (Putnam, $32, 9798217044931) is the 15th Jack Stapleton and Laurie Montgomery medical thriller.

The Birdwatcher by Jacquelyn Mitchard (Mira, $30, 9780778368670) follows an escort convicted of double murder and her journalist friend.

Tailored Realities by Brandon Sanderson (Tor, $29.99, 9781250410481) contains 10 short works of sci-fi and fantasy, including a new novella. 

The Time Hop Coffee Shop: A Novel by Phaedra Patrick (Park Row, $30, 9780778305675) is magical realism about a woman discovering her ideal life.

Dark Sisters: A Novel by Kristi DeMeester (St. Martin's Press, $29, 9781250286819) is historical horror about a curse spanning three generations of women.

The Sea Captain's Wife: A True Story of Mutiny, Love, and Adventure at the Bottom of the World by Tilar J. Mazzeo (‎St. Martin's Press, $30, 9781250352583) is a history of the first female captain of a merchant ship.

The Most Awful Responsibility: Truman and the Secret Struggle for Control of the Atomic Age by Alex Wellerstein (Harper, $32, 9780063379435) expands on President Truman's decision to use atomic bombs on Japan.

How Not to Die: Revised and Updated: Discover the Foods Scientifically Proven to Prevent and Reverse Disease by Dr. Michael Greger and Gene Stone (Flatiron, $36.99, 9781250363725) updates a popular longevity guide.

A Danger to the Minds of Young Girls: Margaret C. Anderson, Book Bans, and the Fight to Modernize Literature by Adam Morgan (Atria/One Signal, $29, 9781668053645) chronicles a progressive literary review and its 1921 legal troubles.

Groundhog vs. Cupid by Todd Tarpley, illus. by Stephanie Laberis (Little, Brown, $10.99, 9780316584487) is the fourth title in the Festive Feuds series, featuring a fight between Valentine's Day and Groundhog Day.

Ren's Cupcake Mission by Coco Simon, illus. by Manuela López (Simon Spotlight, $6.99 paper, 9781665984720) is the seventh book in the early chapter book Cupcake Diaries series in which Ren and her cupcake friends throw a party for her parents.

Paperbacks:
Everyone in the Group Chat Dies: A Novel by L.M. Chilton (Gallery/Scout Press, $19, 9781668094174).

Seeing Other People by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka (Berkley, $19, 9780593954263).

Her Time Traveling Duke by Bryn Donovan (Berkley, $19, 9780593816615).

From last week's Indie bestseller lists, available at IndieBound.org, here are the recommended titles, which are also Indie Next Great Reads:

Hardcover
Fallen City by Adrienne Young (Saturday Books, $32, 9781250794192). "Absolutely amazed and so, so happy with Adrienne Young's adult fantasy debut! I really think this could be the fantasy book of the Fall season! It's all-consuming, a page turner, and completely overpowering." --Mirna Villeda, Timbre Books, Ventura, Calif.

Son of the Morning: A Novel by Akwaeke Emezi (Avon, $32, 9780063323186). "Hot damn what a novel! This is the angel/demon story I have been thirsting for, for years. Emezi's prose is deeply sensual and dark, a rum-filled bonbon on the tongue exploding as you bite in." --Alicia Jessmon, Left Bank Books, St. Louis, Mo.

Paperback
The Ferryman and His Wife: A Novel by Frode Grytten, trans. by Alison McCullough (Algonquin, $17.99, 9781643757452). "A quiet and moving story of a man on the last day of his life. We encounter the people who touched his life and are reminded that each of us leave lasting impressions with those we meet on our life path." --Betsy Von Kerens, The Bookworm of Omaha, Omaha, Neb.

Ages 4-8
The Snowball Fight by Beth Ferry, illus. by Tom Lichtenheld (Clarion, $19.99, 9780063327078). "I love this joyful book. It reminds me so much of a modern version of The Snowy Day. A wonderful day to embrace the joy of snow and just being a kid." --Nicole Miller, Barbara's Bookstore, Burr Ridge, Ill.

Ages 9-12
Finding Lost by Holly Goldberg Sloan (Rocky Pond Books, $17.99, 9780593530252). "Cordy, never Cordelia, lost her dad in a boating accident over two years ago. She navigates life wearing a cloak of sadness. With the help of a lost dog, her younger brother Geno, her mom, a pink dolphin, and some very kind people, Cordy realizes that moving forward does not mean you cannot look back." --Jennifer Siegel, Otto Bookstore, Williamsport, Pa.

Ages 12+: An Indies Introduce Title
Last Chance Live! by Helena Haywoode Henry (Nancy Paulsen Books, $21.99, 9780593625309). "I have been reeling from the ending of this book since I finished it. We meet Eternity Price, who is on death row for reasons that are unclear at first, as she is given the chance to vie for her life on reality TV in exchange for giving up any chance at future appeals. This debut is stunning, and not just for young adult readers!" --Andrea Richardson, Fountain Bookstore, Richmond, Va.

[Many thanks to IndieBound and the ABA!]

As she's shown in her collections Ex Libris: Confessions of a Common Reader and At Large and At Small: Familiar Essays, Anne Fadiman (The Wine Lover's Daughter) consistently produces essays that are simultaneously erudite and entertaining. The seven pieces in Frog, covering subjects that include a not-so-beloved pet amphibian, the use of pronouns, and a pair of historical excursions, are more of these highly polished gems.

The collection's titular essay relates the hilarious story of Bunky, an African clawed frog Fadiman's son raised from a tadpole and which lived for nearly 17 years in an uncomfortably small aquarium. Fadiman contrasts the family's ambivalent relationship to the amphibian with their greater affinity for "smart, warm-blooded, furry" pets like their "starter mammal" hamster Silkie and guinea pigs Biscuit and Bean. And yet, after six years of keeping Bunky in a Ziploc bag in the freezer following his demise, with their children grown and moved away, Fadiman and her husband gave him a dignified burial beneath their backyard weeping cherry tree. "You... you... you did everything a frog should do," were Fadiman's husband's halting closing words as he consigned Bunky to his eternal home.

Fadiman has been teaching nonfiction writing at Yale since 2005. The essay "Screen Share" recounts her pivot to Zoom instruction at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, while "Yes to Everything" pays tribute to her student Marina Keegan, a brilliant writer who died at age 22 in a car accident. But Fadiman's at her best in "All My Pronouns," where she takes a description of her idiosyncratic method of eating M&Ms as an unlikely departure point. Fadiman, who identifies herself as a prescriptivist--a strict adherent to established the rules of grammar--leads the reader on a charmingly circuitous journey through the forest of issues surrounding the use of the pronoun "they." At its heart, the piece smartly contrasts her relatively easy adoption of the pronoun as a signifier of gender identity with the far more vexing (to her) practice of using it as a gender-neutral singular third-person pronoun.

Some of Fadiman's essays seem utterly casual even as they reflect assiduous research. "South Polar Times" describes Fadiman's fascination with a magazine edited by the famed explorer Ernest Shackleton and published by and for the participants in Robert Falcon Scott's expeditions to the South Pole in the early 20th century.

Though these essays have appeared previously in publications like Harper's and Wired, Fadiman says she's made changes, some of them substantial, since their first publication. In its blend of personal and more academic pieces, it's hard to find fault with this collection, except that one wishes it contained even more of her consistently engaging writing. --Harvey Freedenberg, freelance reviewer

Shelf Talker: Anne Fadiman's gracefully written third essay collection displays her characteristic blend of erudition and entertainment.

The holiday season brings visions of snow and ice for many, but in Australia it's also time for summer reading guides as well as Christmas trees. Potts Point Bookshop in Elizabeth Bay summed it up nicely: "December means beach days, summer gin and tonics, Advent calendars, present shopping, family time."

BookPeople's Susannah Bowen and Robbie Egan

For BookPeople, the Australian booksellers association, this has been a season of change as well as celebration. In October, the organization announced it had named Susannah Bowen as the new CEO, succeeding Robbie Egan, who has held the position since 2018 and is stepping down at the end of the year.

In his end-of-year letter, Egan wrote: "I look forward to seeing Susannah Bowen, the incoming CEO, lead BookPeople in representing Australia's mighty bookshops. It is a job that is all in the doing, a job never done, and Susannah will do a brilliant job. Please give her all the support you can to help BookPeople grow and evolve. Suffice it to say, you are in supremely competent hands. 

"I won't be going out with a bang, just a quiet exit stage left. Remember, we are comprised of people, and while the universe may be a cold and indifferent place, we are the warmth within it."

Booksellers in Western Australia celebrate the season.

He also noted that BookPeople's annual Christmas party season had just concluded, "with food and drink shared amongst many booksellers and publishers.... Celebrations are important and we take pleasure in organizing these and bringing so many of us together before the most important trading period. All credit goes to the wonderful team at BookPeople who make the magic happen. I have great admiration for their application and output, and think I can speak for all of us at BookPeople in saying that we really do appreciate you all."

BookPeople's newsletter featured a wrap-up of the Christmas parties, where "each gathering was a relaxed chance to catch up, celebrate our hard-working reps, and enjoy the spirit of collaboration that keeps our industry thriving." 

The parties were held in Brisbane ("enjoying the opportunity to catch up outside the bookshop"), Sydney ("a lively night of celebrating our industry and recognizing the hard work of our reps"), Melbourne ("The atmosphere was warm and happy, and it was lovely to see newer members chatting with long-standing ones, swapping stories, tips, and the small joys of the trade."), Adelaide ("Booksellers came together and a fabulous night was had by all!"), and Fremantle ("a warm and collegial group of WA's thriving book industry gathered").

The afterparty retail holiday preparations are now ramping up several notches as Australian booksellers get their stores ready for the all-important holiday rush: 

Erica at Readings Books

Readings Books, Melbourne: "You'd better watch out, you'd better not cry, you'd better not genre shame, and our Chadstone bookseller Erica is here to tell you why."

Hill of Content, Melbourne: "The elves have visited and the store is teeming with festive cheer! We're thrilled to be celebrating our first Christmas in our new home."

Potts Point Bookshop, Elizabeth Bay: "It's all systems go at the bookshop. Ready to recommend, wrap and get you sorted for Christmas. See you soon!"

Paperhouse Books, Perth: "Christmas has officially arrived in store--shelves filled with gift-worthy reads, cozy classics, and little treasures for every kind of book lover. Visit us in Applecross to find the perfect Christmas gift for someone special (or yourself)."

Where the Wild Things Are Bookshop, Brisbane: "Next week is... December. Which means Advent calendar season is upon us! We have lots of precious bookish Advent calendars... for a variety of ages. Come have a little browse."

The Bookshop Bowral: "Hard launch: it's officially Christmas in the bookshop! We love this time of year, and we can't wait to see you for festive shenanigans, the books we're obsessed with, gift wrapping, personal recommendations and good vibes."

The Mary Who? Bookshop, Idalia: "This Christmas... Choose Small. Choose Local. Choose Community. As a small family-run bookshop, every single purchase means the absolute world to us. When you shop with a local business, you're not just ticking something off your Christmas list--you're helping real families, real dreams, and real community stay alive and thriving.... Thank you for choosing to shop small this festive season. It matters more than you know."

At Verso Books in Healesville, Victoria, Australia.

For any booksellers needing a pre-holiday season dose of inspiration, last month BookPeople put out a call ("We want to hear from you!") for reasons readers love their bookstores, noting: "We've been championing bookshops for over 100 years and the list of reasons why we do what we do, is endless. Now, we want to know why YOU support local Australian bookshops. Write your answer in the comments below or send us a DM."

The responses have been coming in and the association is sharing them on its social media pages. "We asked and you answered! Supporting bookshops is at the core of what we do and hearing responses from the book community on why you support your local bookshops, warmed our hearts. Swipe to see some of the great responses. Let's keep the love going! This month, we see lots of posts from giant retailers having big sales, which local bookshops simply can't compete with. The value of bookshops goes way beyond the RRP or sale price of a book. These answers show that, and we want to spread the message far and wide.... You can shout out your local bookshop or keep it general, to show your support for all bookshops."

Even in the midst of early summer heat and stiff holiday season retail competition, Australian booksellers are in the mood to celebrate.