Purchase copies of three illustrated works to be sent to incarcerated readers nationwide: Book One of John Lewis's award-winning trilogy on his central role in the civil rights movement, George Takei's account of being forcibly interned by the U.S. during World War II, and an instructional guide on drawing.

Following July's drive (Solitary, The Wretched of the Earth, and Malcolm X Speaks), Freebird is offering again three books for $30: March: Book One by John Lewis, They Called Us Enemy by George Takei, and How to Draw Faces in Simple Steps.  Graphic novels, comics, and art instruction are amongst the most commonly requested genres NYC Books Through Bars receives. 

March: Book One is the first installment of John Lewis's bestselling graphic memoir chronicling his time in the civil rights movement. Inspired by Lewis's own love of comic books, and the power of messages conveyed in a graphic format (he would often cite the influence of a comic illustrating Martin Luther King's Montgomery bus boycott), the trilogy has gone on to win numerous literary awards. They Called Us Enemy tells the story--through the eyes of a young George Takei--of our country's troubled history imprisoning Americans for having Japanese heritage. And How to Draw Faces in Simple Steps is a self-explanatory guide to being a better artist. 

Why it is important to donate to NYC Books Through Bars

While the NYC Books Through Bars program operating out of Freebird's basement is currently limiting in-person volunteering and drop offs due to COVID-19, book requests continue to pour in from prisons around the country: nearly 300 per week. In response to the challenges of accepting those donations during the pandemic, we have started a monthly program in which specific, in-demand titles can be purchased through Freebird at a discount.

Today, as part of an effort to raise awareness for NYC Books Through Bars, Albert Woodfox spoke about his experience living in solitary confinement for over 40 years. We thank Grove Atlantic for their generous support, and Albert for sharing his remarkable story of resilience and staying strong in the face of unbelievable injustice.

Purchase a copy of Albert Woodfox's memoir, Solitary, along with the always-in-demand Wretched of the Earth by Frantz Fanon, and Grove Press will donate a copy of Malcolm X Speaks.* 

UPDATE on 7/16/20: Because of the spectacular response to this month's campaign that led to over 500 sets being donated to prisoners, NYC Books Through Bars has made the decision to freeze further sales of Solitary, The Wretched of the Earth, and Malcolm X Speaks. However, we will be back soon with the selections for August and make sure to subscribe to our newsletter for updates about that and future campaigns! Your contributions are so necessary and invaluable to incarcerated readers. We can't thank you enough for your support. 

Following June's drive for N.K. Jemisin's Broken Earth Trilogy, Freebird is offering again three books at $30: Solitary, The Wretched of the Earth, and Malcolm X Speaks. Solitary is the story of Albert Woodfox's four-decade long journey within the Louisiana penal system, most of it held in solitary. The memoir was a finalist for both the National Book Award and the Pulitzer Prize in 2019. Frantz Fanon's The Wretched of the Earth is a classic on the revolutionary struggle against oppression, that is also one of the most commonly requested titles at Books Through Bars. Malcolm X Speaks pulls together the inspiring speeches from the civil rights leader's final year.
​
Woodfox will participate in a Freebird virtual event to discuss his Pulitzer-nominated memoir on Wednesday, July 15 at 6 pm EST. Register here.

Why it is important to donate to NYC Books Through Bars

While the NYC Books Through Bars program operating out of Freebird's basement is currently limiting in-person volunteering and drop offs due to COVID-19, book requests continue to pour in from prisons around the country: nearly 300 per week. In response to the challenges of accepting those donations during the pandemic, we have started a monthly program in which specific, in-demand titles can be purchased through Freebird at a discount.

*Special thanks to Grove Press (the publisher of all three) for donating a copy of Malcolm X Speaks with every order, allowing us to extend a 40% discount off the combined retail value of $50.  Those savings will allow Freebird to contribute to the postage costs for NYC Books Through Bars to ship these books. To learn more about the important work NYC Books Through Bars does, go here. To learn more about Grove's rich history and their long commitment to social justice and the freedom of speech, go here.

Books for the incarcerated
While Freebird Books is currently shuttered (but hopefully opening soon per state and city guidelines) the NYC Books Through Bars program operating out of our basement still is in need of donations. Book requests continue to pour in from prisoners around the country, package deliveries that have seen serious disruption in the era of COVID-19. In response to the challenges of accepting those donations during the pandemic, we are starting a monthly program in which specific, in-demand titles can be purchased through Freebird at a discount.


June's pick: N.K. Jemisin
For the inaugural pick, we have chosen the N.K. Jemisin Broken Earth Trilogy, a sci-fi collection and genre often requested from Books Through Bars. Freebird is offering the three-book set at a 25% discount ($10 off retail) and will deliver the copies to NYC Books Through Bars for processing. To learn more about their important work, go here.

We return on Saturday, December 7, to the Old Stone House in Park Slope for our annual book fair with several of our used book cohorts from around the borough. Lots of great gift ideas for the holidays!
Details:
Brooklyn Holiday Book Fair 2019
The Old Stone House at Washington Park
336 Third Street, Park Slope (between 4th and 5th Avenues)
Saturday, December 7, 2019, 11 am to 5 pm
718.768.3195
https://theoldstonehouse.org/  
https://theoldstonehouse.org/event/brooklyn-holiday-book-fair-2-2-copy/
Union Street station of the R;  4th Avenue station of the F/G
 
Booksellers include: Honey & Wax, Better Read than Dead Books, Brooklyn Books, Enchanted Books, Freebird Books, Tom Davidson Bookseller, and Lizzyoung Bookseller. Returning also will be the House of Speakeasy's bookmobile,  a book shop on wheels whose proceeds go to local educational programs.

We have taken some time off from blogging at Freebird, but we are back with a new site and some new ways of presenting ourselves.  That includes an Instagram account and a small shop to purchase books from us online.  We continue, however, to be the same unique bookshop along Brooklyn's waterfront, catering to many interests, but specializing in the unusual and arcane related to New York's culture and history.