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We will be closed over the Labor Day weekend

8/26/2023

 

Freebird's July 2023 book drive for Books Through Bars looks to the skies and under the hood

7/1/2023

 
July's book bundle for incarcerated readers are all about planes, trains, automobiles...and zeppelins
$30 purchases three books (45% off retail)* 
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Following our campaign (collecting 204 books!) that focused on game play and honing thought and strategy, we hit on a transportation theme. A steady subset of requests amongst incarcerated readers are manuals for learning a trade. And especially as they relate to cars. Here we include a beginners guide on Auto Repair and Maintenance to inspire those budding mechanics. On the aeronautics side, Empires of the Sky tells the dramatic story of the early 20th century battle between airships and airplanes for dominance in international travel (concluding with the fiery crash of the Hindenburg). And we round these out with a title from the Draw 50 series--art instruction remains one of the most in-demand topics--featuring how to draw other vehicular conveyances: trains, ships, and fighter planes.  

*Each purchased bundle will be delivered directly to Books Through Bars so that they can fulfill requests from incarcerated readers.  If you wish to purchase one of these titles for yourself, you can go to https://bookshop.org/shop/FreebirdBooks.

June's book bundle for incarcerated readers focuses on games that require thought and strategy--$30 purchases three books (39% off retail)*

6/1/2023

 

On Sale

On Sale

Chess Tactics, Card Games, and The Big Trivia Quiz Book

$49.00 $30.00

Freebird's June 2023 focuses on three titles-- $30 helps purchase for incarcerated readers copies of Chess Tactics for Champions, Penguin Book of Card Games, and The Big Trivia Quiz Book.


Please note that when Square processes your order they describe it as a "digital delivery". That does not refer to way the books will be delivered to incarcerated readers. Your purchase will go towards NYC Books Through Bars fulfilling requests with physical copies of the aforementioned titles.

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Following our campaign (collecting 200 books!) that focused on the Western and books that pushed the boundaries of that genre, we go back to a perennial favorite: game play.  How to play chess or improve one's strategies is frequently requested, as well as books to test one's knowledge or learn a new card game. We feature for June: Chess Tactics for Champions by Susan Polgar, The Penguin Book of Card Games by David Parlett, and The Big Trivia Quiz Book.

*Each purchased bundle will be delivered directly to Books Through Bars so that they can fulfill requests from incarcerated readers.  If you wish to purchase one of these titles for yourself, you can go to https://bookshop.org/shop/FreebirdBooks.

Freebird's May 2023 book drive: Westerns

5/1/2023

 
May's book bundle for incarcerated readers takes on the Western--but not your dad's Zane Grey
$30 purchases three books (42% off retail)* 
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Following our campaign (collecting 415 books!) that focused on staying fit, physically and mentally, we delve into a genre that incarcerated readers always desire but that Books Through Bars almost never gets donated: the Western.  That might be a reflection of where we are located and the fact New York book consumers do not make up the usual demographic for tales of derring do on the high prairie. But the fact remains that classics by Zane Grey, Louis L'Amour, and William Johnstone are in almost as high demand for escapism as genre fiction from Stephen King, John Grisham, and Clive Cussler.  

Rather than picking from the above writers' backlist, which can contain some very problematic depictions of indigenous peoples, we chose a variety of titles that represent different interpretations of the American West, both modern and mythic. Percival Everett's fiction is finally getting its due in the book press, and Half an Inch of Water demonstrates his range--not to mention his ability to blast through being pigeon holed as a writer. Here is a chronicle of the West that need not strictly be of the white experience. While Anna North reevaluates the myth of the Old West through the lens of women gunslingers in Outlawed. A bestseller and book club at publication, Outlawed is a rollicking story of the Hole in the Wall Gang that is "a provocative blend of alt-history and feminist consciousness" (Washington Post). Rounding these out is Ghosts of the Old West: an exploration of the myths that power all good Westerns, especially as they relate to other worldly elements.

*Each purchased bundle will be delivered directly to Books Through Bars so that they can fulfill requests from incarcerated readers.  If you wish to purchase one of these titles for yourself, you can go to https://bookshop.org/shop/FreebirdBooks.

On Sale

On Sale

Outlawed/Half an Inch of Water/Ghosts of the Old West

$51.00 $30.00

Freebird's May 2023 focuses on three titles-- $30 helps purchase for incarcerated readers copies of Outlawed by Anna North; Half an Inch of Water by Percival Everett; and Ghosts of the Old West by Earl Murray


Please note that when Square processes your order they describe it as a "digital delivery". That does not refer to way the books will be delivered to incarcerated readers. Your purchase will go towards NYC Books Through Bars fulfilling requests with physical copies of the aforementioned titles.

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Freebird's April 2023 book drive: Health and Wellness

3/31/2023

 
April's book bundle for incarcerated readers focuses on how to stay healthy
$30 purchases five books (40% off retail; each bundle will include two of the Weight-Free Workout)
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April 2023's pick spotlights mind and body health, essential resources for incarcerated readers: $30 for five books*Following our March campaign (collecting 270 books!) that focused on the natural world and creatures great, small, and sometimes scary, we go back to a perennial concern for those behind bars: staying healthy. Since 2020, we have featured the Men's Health Best: Weight-Free Workout four different times, amassing nearly 500 copies.  And each time Books Through Bars has quickly exhausted that supply. On this occasion each bundle you purchase will go towards two copies of the workout book, hopefully keeping up with demand from incarcerated readers. A book we haven't done before, but that provides essential information for any life threatening situation, is The Little Book of Medical Emergencies.  And rounding these out will be two titles from The Train Your Brain series of games and puzzles from Peter de Schepper and Frank Coussement: Mental Agility and Mind Games. 

*Each purchased bundle will be delivered directly to Books Through Bars so that they can fulfill requests from incarcerated readers.  If you wish to purchase one of these titles for yourself, you can go to https://bookshop.org/shop/FreebirdBooks.

On Sale

On Sale

Train Your Brain/Weight Free Workout/Big Medical Emergencies

$49.00 $30.00

Freebird's April 2023 focuses on four titles-- $30 helps purchase for incarcerated readers 2 copies of Men's Health Best: Weight Free Workout, 1 copy of Little Book of Big Medical Emergencies, 1 copy of Train Your Brain: Mind Games, and 1 copy of Train Your Brain: Mental Agility.


Please note that when Square processes your order they describe it as a "digital delivery". That does not refer to way the books will be delivered to incarcerated readers. Your purchase will go towards NYC Books Through Bars fulfilling requests with physical copies of the aforementioned titles.

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January's pick for NYC Books Through Bars--Manga!

1/1/2023

 
​Following our annual end-of-year campaign (collecting 423 books!) for the latest World Almanac--we keep the bundle to a single theme and focus this month on manga, an oft requested genre that Books Through Bars does not normally have enough to spare. Since much contemporary adult manga can fall afoul of prison censors (particularly for overtly sexual content), we have chosen two series safe for all ages: Masashi Kishimoto's Naruto and Koyoharu Gotouge's Demon Slayer. ​
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On Sale

On Sale

Manga books bundle

$50.00 $30.00

Freebird's January 2023 focuses on manga books-- $30 helps purchase for incarcerated readers 5 manga titles from the from the Naruto and Demon Slayer series


Please note that when Square processes your order they describe it as a "digital delivery". That does not refer to way the books will be delivered to incarcerated readers. Your purchase will go towards NYC Books Through Bars fulfilling requests with physical copies of the aforementioned titles.

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Freebird's December 2022 campaign: Almanacs!

11/30/2022

 

After concluding a successful dictionary campaign (over 1,000 copies collected!), we look ahead to 2023 with the release of the latest World Almanac. Books Through Bars is always in short supply of this high demand reference work. Please help them restock for the coming months.
$30 purchases 3 almanacs (45% off retail)

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Following November's campaign (collecting 1,080 books!) that helped replenish the stock of English dictionaries--particularly the most up-to-date editions--so in demand from incarcerated readers, we stick to the theme of reference. Each December the World Almanac puts out its latest version, a compendium of facts and statistics on politics, global affairs, culture, sports, science, and technology of the past year. For readers starved of news outside their walls, an almanac provides necessary context of the contemporary scene. Typically Books Through Bars exhausts their supply of World Almanacs within the first two months of the year. We hope this campaign, which triples the usual number we can provide in return for $30, will help plug that hole.  ​

Freebird's November 2022 Book Drive: Dictionaries!

10/31/2022

 
In order to replenish Books Through Bars with a sufficient quantity of dictionaries (they typically send out over 1,000 annually), we are featuring the latest edition of The Merriam-Webster Dictionary 
$50 purchases 10 dictionaries (45% off retail) 
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​Following October's campaign (collecting 480 books!) that spotlighted the arbitrary nature of censorship in our prisons and schools, we do something out of the ordinary in our monthly book drive. Rather than mix and match with titles and categories, we want to bring awareness to a singular work: the humble English dictionary. The most requested item from incarcerated readers, Books Through Bars can never quite keep enough on the shelves. Especially editions that are current, comprehensive, and reflect language and usage today. The intrinsic value of a dictionary can't be stressed enough. For those incarcerated, it is a window into the outside world and a way to navigate a criminal justice system that purposefully obfuscates through legalese. Language is power. Though we have included other paperback dictionaries in the past, they were woefully dated. Usage changes, new terminology is coined. With the 2022 Merriam-Webster Dictionary (75,000 definitions, 8,000 usage examples, 100 new words), Books Through Bars NYC finally can send copies that are consistent in quality.

Because we are going for quantity on this occasion (in addition to that quality), we are charging $50 this month. We will return to the $30 for three books the following month, so thank you for your ongoing generosity!  

On Sale

On Sale

Merriam-Webster Dictionary

$90.00 $50.00

Freebird's November 2022 focuses on the Merriam-Webster Dictionary-- $50 helps purchase 10 copies for incarcerated readers


Please note that when Square processes your order they describe it as a "digital delivery". That does not refer to way the books will be delivered to incarcerated readers. Your purchase will go towards NYC Books Through Bars fulfilling requests with physical copies of the aforementioned titles.

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Brooklyn Book Festival--outdoor market is cancelled today

10/1/2022

 
Unfortunately because of the blustery weather overnight, the tents on Cadman Plaza/Borough Hall were damaged.  Apologies to anyone who came out today!  Though the indoor portion of the festival is still going on.  Come visit us at the store, but we will have to see you next year at the festival.
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October's book bundle: Banned Books

9/30/2022

 
Make a statement about banned books by purchasing for incarcerated readers these titles increasingly targeted by state school systems; each donation will also include an art instructional guide.   
Four works for $30 (40% off retail) 
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​Following September's campaign (collecting 175 books!) that was a combo of escapist thrillers, no-nonsense business advice, and extraterrestrial speculation, we put another spotlight on censorship in America. Prison authorities at the state and federal level block incarcerated readers from getting access to an extensive list of books. Texas alone bars upwards of 10,000 titles from their facilities. Obviously NYC Books Through Bars cannot get around those restrictions, but we can make a statement by sharing with those readers other works of literature deemed too inflammatory for legislators and educational gatekeepers. PEN America estimates that nearly 1,600 individual titles face removal from 2,900 school libraries. Yaa Gyasi's novel, Homegoing, is one of them, banned in Georgia, Missouri, Florida, and Texas, for its unvarnished look at slavery's legacy in America. Marjane Satrapi's graphic memoir, Persepolis, is another, banned by Pennsylvania and Texas schools for its depiction of the violence associated with political and societal repression. And perhaps the most peculiar act of censorship is the choice by the Edmond School District in Oklahoma to remove the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass from their curriculum. By purchasing these three titles, we will also include one of Search Press's drawing guides--art instruction is amongst the most requested subjects and NYC Books Through Bars is in short supply at the moment. 

On Sale

On Sale

Homegoing, Frederick Douglass, Persepolis, and a drawing book

$50.00 $30.00

Freebird's October 2022 picks include Homegoing, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, Persepolis, and a selection from Search Press's instructional series, How to Draw in Simple Steps-- $30 for four books


Please note that when Square processes your order they describe it as a "digital delivery". That does not refer to way the books will be delivered to incarcerated readers. Your purchase will go towards NYC Books Through Bars fulfilling requests with physical copies of the aforementioned titles.

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