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Celia Bookshop

Nov13
Poetry & Soup Potluck with Major Jackson and Airea D. Matthews
PastAuthor EventPoetrySwarthmore, PA

Poetry & Soup Potluck with Major Jackson and Airea D. Matthews

7:00 PM • Friday, November 13, 2026Celia Bookshop$0–$27

Join us for an evening of poetry, conversation, and something warm to share as we celebrate Major Jackson’s anthology A Bowl of Goodness . Major will be joined in conversation by poet Airea D. Matthews for a discussion of poetry, A Bowl of Goodness , and what nourishes and comforts us in difficult times. Afterward, we’ll gather around the table for a community soup potluck! Bring a pot of your favorite soup to share and your admission to the event is free. Ticket options: Event Only: $5 Book + Event: $27 Bring a Pot of Soup: FREE admission ("purchasing" the $0 ticket is required for planning purposes) Come for the poetry, stay for the soup and community!

Nov12
Author Talk & Q+A with Seth Fleisher
PastAuthor EventSwarthmore, PA

Author Talk & Q+A with Seth Fleisher

7:00 PM • Thursday, November 12, 2026Celia Bookshop$5–$22

Join us to celebrate The Farther Shore with author and Swarthmore College alumnus Seth Fleisher, in conversation with novelist Janet Benton. Together, they’ll discuss Fleisher’s novel, its exploration of love and loss, of race and the ways science can be weaponized, and of the unexpected paths that shape our lives. The conversation will be followed by an audience Q&A, book signing, and wine and cheese reception.

Nov8
What Now? An Evening of Joyful Abundance
PastMusicPoetrySwarthmore, PA

What Now? An Evening of Joyful Abundance

5:00 PM • Sunday, November 8, 2026Celia BookshopFree

Joyful Abundance is a new choral project featuring five original works by emerging Philadelphia composers and poets, performed by the Mendelssohn Chorus of Philadelphia. Join the mentors and poets who created the librettos for an intimate conversation about the project and their creative process. Hear them read from their work and get a behind-the-scenes look at how these new choral pieces came to life. At the heart of Joyful Abundance is a simple question: What now? Come explore the question through poetry and conversation. Joyful Abundance was originally commissioned by ArtPhilly as part of the What Now: 2026 festival with lead support provided by the William Penn Foundation.

Nov7
Author Talk + Q&A with Jaclyn Gilbert
PastAuthor EventFictionSwarthmore, PA

Author Talk + Q&A with Jaclyn Gilbert

7:00 PM • Saturday, November 7, 2026Celia Bookshop$5–$24

Join us for an evening with Jaclyn Gilbert, author of Butter Road , in conversation with Cara Blue Adams. At the heart of Butter Road are questions of identity and home: what makes a place ours, what we carry with us, and how we create homes for ourselves outside of traditional expectations. In the spirit of the book, attendees are encouraged to bring a small piece of home with them, whether it’s a quilt scrap, photograph, garden clipping, or another meaningful object. Together, we’ll explore the stories and connections that shape our sense of belonging. The event includes an author signing and wine + cheese reception.

Nov3
Author Talk + Q&A with Evan Brooke
PastAuthor EventSwarthmore, PA

Author Talk + Q&A with Evan Brooke

7:00 PM • Tuesday, November 3, 2026Celia Bookshop$5–$31

Join us for an evening with Evan Brooke, author of Madeline McKnight Signs Off, in conversation with Beyond the Bookends. What begins as an unusual arrangement becomes a moving intergenerational friendship and a story about ambition, loyalty, redemption, and coming of age at any age. In a nod to fly fishing's role in Madeline McKnight Signs Off, there will be a live fly tying demonstration featuring the signature fly from the cover. The event includes an author signing and wine + cheese reception.

Nov3
Dog Man Release Party
PastBook ReleaseSwarthmore, PA

Dog Man Release Party

12:00 PM • Tuesday, November 3, 2026Celia Bookshop$5–$20

No school on Tuesday, Nov 3 (Election Day)! Spend it with Dog Man! Preorder the new Dog Man book and pick it up at our release day party. Celebrate with themed games, prizes, and pizza! Ticket + book purchases include a copy of Dog Man: A Sprinkle in Time . This is not a drop-off event. Kids under 3 and adults over 15 get in free! Attending the program across the street at the PAC Center? This event runs during the lunch hour, and a bookseller will walk kids to and from the store.

Oct27
prose for the planet
PastBook ClubEnvironmentSwarthmore, PA

Prose for the Planet

7:00 PM • Tuesday, October 27, 2026Celia BookshopFree

Dig into The Overstory by Richard Powers with Prose for the Planet, Celia’s environmental book club with Beatriz Urraca. Come ready to discuss Powers’ Pulitzer Prize-winning novel and its sweeping exploration of trees, people, and our relationship with the natural world. About Beatriz Urraca Beatriz Urraca is Spanish professor at Widener University. Her interests include the intersection between science and the arts, and how literature can communicate urgent issues about climate change. Her recent Fulbright scholarship focused on environmental issues in Argentine cinema.

Oct18
democracy book club Oct
PastBook ClubPoliticsSwarthmore, PA

Democracy Book Club

5:00 PM • Sunday, October 18, 2026Celia BookshopFree

Join the Swarthmore Democratic Committee for the first gathering of the Democracy Book Club as we discuss Timothy Snyder’s On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century. Drawing on lessons from history, Snyder explores the choices individuals can make to participate in civic life, recognize threats to democracy, and resist authoritarianism. Come together with fellow readers for a thoughtful conversation about democracy, civic responsibility, and what history can teach us about the present.

Oct17
ACOTAR Triva Night
PastAdult BeveragesRomantasySwarthmore, PA

ACOTAR Trivia Night

7:00 PM • Saturday, October 17, 2026Celia Bookshop$15

Calling all romantasy fans: we’re excited to invite you to Celia’s for an enchanting night of A Court of Thorns and Roses–themed trivia on Saturday, October 17 at 7 pm. So, brush up on your knowledge of Prythian and join us for an evening of trivia, laughs, battles, and a little Night Court magic as we count down to the release of A Court of Splintered Harmony on October 27. 📚 Alyssa Does Trivia will bring the questions, and you’ll bring your best ACOTAR knowledge. 🍻 Snacks will be provided, and guests 21+ are welcome to BYOB. 🥇 And, of course, there will be prizes! Each member of the winning team will receive a copy of A Court of Splintered Harmony. Space is limited, so gather your court and grab your spot today!

Oct4
memoir writing workshop
PastWorkshopMemoirSwarthmore, PA

Lost, Found, Kept: Memoir Writing Workshop

5:00 PM • Sunday, October 4, 2026Celia Bookshop$30

How do we turn the moments we remember into stories worth telling? What are some ways you can learn to dig deeper into your memories as you create a compelling narrative? Explore how you can write about your past while holding on to hope and courage during the process. Bring your preferred writing implements as we do some brief generative writing exercises and talk about grounding techniques, the psychology of creativity, and self-compassion. About Deborah Derrickson Kossmann Deborah Derrickson Kossmann is the author of the memoir Lost Found Kept, which won Trio House Press's inaugural Aurora Polaris Creative Nonfiction Award. Her essays, feature articles, and poetry have appeared in The New York Times, Bellevue Literary Review, Nashville Review, and elsewhere. She lives in Havertown, where she works as a clinical psychologist.

Sep23
max bond
PastAuthor EventArchitectureSwarthmore, PA

Author Event - Brian Goldstein, Max Bond: The Life & Work of the People's Architect

7:00 PM • Wednesday, September 23, 2026Celia Bookshop$5

Celebrate the release of Max Bond: The Life and Work of the People's Architect with author Brian D. Goldstein, in conversation with Pulitzer Prize-winning architecture critic Inga Saffron. Goldstein’s new book explores the life, work, and legacy of Max Bond, one of the most influential Black architects of the twentieth century, whose career was shaped by a commitment to architecture as a tool for social change. Brian D. Goldstein is an architectural and urban historian and associate professor and chair of the Art History Program at Swarthmore College. He is also the author of The Roots of Urban Renaissance: Gentrification and the Struggle Over Harlem, winner of the John Friedmann Book Award and Lewis Mumford Prize. Join Brian and Inga for a conversation about Bond’s extraordinary career, the relationship between architecture and social change, and what his work can teach us about the cities and communities we build today. Wine and cheese reception to follow. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit: https://www.celiabookshop.com/events/6220320260923

Sep19
Rachel Pastan book launch
PastAuthor EventLiterary FictionSwarthmore, PA

Book Launch: Rachel Pastan, We're So Lucky to Live Here

7:00 PM • Saturday, September 19, 2026Celia Bookshop$5

We’re thrilled to celebrate the launch of We’re So Lucky to Live Here, the new novel by Celia Bookshop’s own Literary Director, Rachel Pastan! Join us for a special evening celebrating Rachel and her latest book, a moving novel about home, loss, belonging, and the many ways we build family and find our place in the world. Rachel will be in conversation with acclaimed novelist Elise Juska about We’re So Lucky to Live Here, her writing, and the story behind the book. The evening will also feature a special guest appearance by actor Teri Lamm. Come celebrate with Rachel, hear more about the novel, and help us launch a book that is especially close to home for the Celia community. To make room for everyone who wants to celebrate with us, this special event will be held at the Park Avenue Community Center, across the street from the shop at 129 Park Avenue in Swarthmore. For more information and to purchase tickets: https://celiabookshop.com/events/6097820260919

Sep18
co-writing collective
PastWritingSwarthmore, PA

The Co-Writing Collective

9:30 AM • Friday, September 18, 2026Celia Bookshop$10

Join a community of writers for a creative co-working session with local writer and educator Dilruba (Ruba) Ahmed. Arrive early to grab a hot drink and mingle with fellow writers, then claim a seat to focus on your writing. Brief goal-sharing at the beginning and reflections at the end will help you forge a sense of continuity and connection in your writing practice. All writers welcome – creative, academic; beginner, intermediate, advanced. $10 ticket is required for this 2-hour session.

Sep16
please don't touch the body
PastAuthor EventFictionSwarthmore, PA

Emily Doyle - Please Don't Touch the Body

7:00 PM • Wednesday, September 16, 2026Celia Bookshop$5

We’re excited to welcome Emily Doyle to Celia Bookshop to celebrate the debut of her short story collection Please Don’t Touch the Body. Emily’s work has appeared in Ploughshares, The Kenyon Review, The Sun, and elsewhere, and received numerous awards. She is the author of the forthcoming novel Encounter and teaches at UC Riverside. Emily will discuss her work and the path to her debut with Kat Lewis, a writer of fiction and video games. The conversation will be followed by audience questions and a book signing. Book + Ticket = $29. Event Ticket Only = $5. Wine and cheese will be served. Visit our website www.celiabookshop.com to purchase tickets.

Sep4
co-writing collective
PastWritingSwarthmore, PA

The Co-Writing Collective

9:30 AM • Friday, September 4, 2026Celia Bookshop$10

Join a community of writers for a creative co-working session with local writer and educator Dilruba (Ruba) Ahmed. Arrive early to grab a hot drink and mingle with fellow writers, then claim a seat to focus on your writing. Brief goal-sharing at the beginning and reflections at the end will help you forge a sense of continuity and connection in your writing practice. All writers welcome – creative, academic; beginner, intermediate, advanced. $10 ticket is required for this 2-hour session.

Aug22
philly bookstore crawl
PastBook SigningSwarthmore, PA

Philly Bookstore Crawl

9:00 AM • Saturday, August 22, 2026Celia BookshopFree

Join us for a full day of books, authors, and family-friendly fun as we celebrate the Philly Bookstore Crawl! Stop by throughout the day to enjoy: 10–10:30 am: Storytime with Alison De Salvo of World of Song 12–2 pm: Face painting 1–4 pm: Meet local authors during rotating book signings: 1–2 pm: Donna Jo Napoli & Sam Sidiqi 2–3 pm: Laynie Browne & Virginia O'Connell 3–4 pm: Judy Schachner & Rebecca Davis Plus, receive a free advance reader copy with any $50 purchase while supplies last. Just a short ride on the SEPTA Regional Rail, Celia is an easy stop on your Philly Bookstore Crawl adventure!