In a world increasingly built on the transient, the trendy, the swift, and the disposable, rare and antiquarian books stand as testaments to permanence, intention, and the physicality of knowledge. They are not simply vessels of content, but expressions of culture; culture you can touch and preserve. At Lioness Books, our mission transcends the simple act of selling books. It is about curating experiences, assembling libraries not only of words, but of meaning. That is why we have decided to expand our collection to include antiquarian, rare, and collectible books. This is a natural progression for us, not a TikTok craze or a trend driven pivot. It is a purposeful expansion born from our core values, an evolution committed to depth and legacy. For in the world of books, trends are fleeting but legacy always endures. Let’s define our terms carefully, because this is a space where language matters. The distinctions between antiquarian, rare, and collectible books are rooted in their origins and significance. Antiquarian books, typically born before the boom of industrial printing, are historical artifacts. Printed on handmade paper and bound by artisans, they were labors of love and craft, and from an era when books were considered treasures, often housed in private collections and passed down from generation to generation. Rare books, regardless of age, are valued by their scarcity, whether due to limited printing, notable provenance, historical suppression, or singular attributes like authorial inscriptions or errata; a first edition of Galileo’s “Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems” (printed in 1632 and banned by the Inquisition), and Harriet Ann Jacobs’s slave narrative “Incidents In The Life Of A Slave Girl” are both perfect examples of this rarity. Collectible books, while sometimes overlapping with antiquarian and rare, are defined by their historical, cultural, or aesthetic significance. For example, a signed first edition of Dickens’s “A Tale of Two Cities” or the seminal and prosecuted poetry collection “The Love Book” by counterculture icon Lenore Kandel, are both considered collectible, along with illustrated editions, niche genres, or books with personal inscriptions. These treasures are often coveted due to their unique ability to encapsulate pivotal moments in literary history or embody the personal, artistic touch of their creators, making them cherished pieces of our cultural heritage. The allure of these books is their capacity to signify beyond their content. A rare book, such as a copy of a 19th-century abolitionist pamphlet, is a codex of resistance, its scarcity a testament to what it defied. An antiquarian book, with its marginalia or bookplate, becomes a linked-text, connecting readers across the centuries through recognized and shared engagement. Collectible books, whether valued for their aesthetic beauty or their role in literary history, are icons of cultural memory, their value amplified by the stories they carry. For the book lover, handling such volumes is a dialogue with the past that reveals the eternal power of the written word. At Lioness Books, we consider our expansion into the antiquarian, rare, and collectible book market an act of cultural stewardship, a commitment to preserving the material signs of human thought and creation. These books are not mere commodities but relics. They are legacies and testimonies which outlast trends, endure censorship, and speak to us from generations past. To engage with them is not just to read, but to remember, to feel, to understand, and to inherit. To make our collection more accessible, we have launched an eBay storefront, where the majority of our rare and antiquarian collection will be available to browse and purchase. This platform allows us to reach a broader audience (collectors, scholars, and passionate readers around the world) while ensuring each book is accurately described, carefully packaged, and treated with the care it deserves. For those who prefer the immediacy of browsing in person, we are curating a rotating in-store selection of notable works - titles chosen not only for their value or rarity but for the way they resonate with our community and the literary spirit of Lioness. In this era of doom-scrolling and self-serving algorithmic curation, we offer an alternative: intentionality. To collect a rare book is to rebel against disposability. To preserve an antiquarian volume is to guard the voices that history tried violently to silence. And to walk into a store like ours is to believe that discovery still matters, that there are still books waiting to find you, and still readers who will know what it means when they do. We at Lioness invite you to join us in this new chapter, and we encourage all collectors, readers, historians, and lovers of the written word to support small local businesses like ours, especially now. The existence of independent bookstores like Lioness depends on a community that still believes in craftsmanship, care, and the power held in objects that bear our stories, our sufferings, and our splendor. Because that’s what books are. They are not simply commodities, they are evidence. Of defiance. Of beauty. Of brilliance that refuses to disappear.

July is Disability Pride Month and commemorates the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Lioness Books is celebrating this month by featuring authors with disabilities, amplifying their voices, and highlighting literature that focuses on self-representation, reclamation, inclusion, and history. Here are some authors with disabilities and literature to engage with this month and beyond:

Lioness Books is welcoming the sunshine this July and celebrating summer reading! Incorporating reading and promoting literacy over the summer holiday is not only important, but should be fun and relaxing! Therefore, we created a summer reading bingo game for everyone to enjoy. Check out our summer reads July booklist here , and challenge your friends and/or family to see who can get a bingo first! Happy summer reading! 

Book Review by B. Rushton In mid-twentieth century America, the publishing industry was revolutionized by the streamlined production of pulp novels. The printing and distribution of cheaply produced and cheaply priced paperback novels, which had begun in the late 1930s, steadily grew until it reached its full force in the early 1950s. These books were sold at drugstores, newsstands, and other places where one might purchase inexpensive, consumable entertainment. They were compact enough to fit in your pocket and cheap enough to discard when you were through with them which, given the surreptitious nature of purchasing these books, was sometimes a necessity. It was in this environment that the burge oning golden age of lesbian pulp novels took place, where new, independent publishers made transgressive fantasies of lesbian life available to readers through dime-store shelves or discreet mail-order catalogues. While many of these titillating books were aimed at an audience of curious heterosexual men, it was also through these clandestine entertainments that many lesbians found the maps and signposts for entering the half-hidden world of their own sexualities. The transportive power of reading these books gave reflection to the hidden desires of readers that often could find no expression beyond the wood-pulp pages of their imaginations. Even well into the women's liberation movement, pulp novels like these were like life-preservers for lesbians seeking community.

Photos by: John Miller Bookstores belong to the community. Lioness Books embraces this philosophy and is opening a new independent bookstore! We recently opened the doors of our new brick and mortar for a Vision Night to gather feedback from local authors, artists, community leaders, and key stakeholders about what people want to see in their local bookstore. The idea for the night was to give people the chance to walk through the store before it is renovated, gather ideas and hopes for what the store can become, and foster connection and collaboration between local authors, artists, businesses, and creatives.

Co-founders of Local Queer ATX , Caleb Armstrong (he/they) and Chase Brunson (he/him), share the inspiration behind their organization and tell us about their non-profit, Pride Month events, and monthly book club called The Local Queer Book Club. AS: Can you start by introducing yourselves and telling us about your backgrounds? CA & CB: “We’re Caleb Armstrong (he/they) and Chase Brunson (he/him), co-founders of Local Queer! We’ve been organizing queer community events since we met at Texas A&M in 2013. While at A&M, we founded Transcend, the university’s first recognized organization dedicated to transgender and gender expansive students and faculty. We also lobbied to have Texas A&M pay for the queer community to walk in the 2017 Houston Pride Parade—pretty exciting for a campus consistently ranked in the top 10 least LGBT friendly universities. So, when people ask us how we manage Local Queer we simply tell them it’s what we’ve always done! It also helps that outside of Local Queer, we are both event industry professionals operating in the nonprofit space. We have working experience planning galas, fundraisers, conferences, seminars, and other events which you can see reflected into everything we do for Local Queer.”

Leander Chamber of Commerce President Bridget Brandt talks with us about the annual Old Town Street Festival in Leander with a local business focus. The festival is taking place on Saturday, June 7th from 11am to 10pm at 100 N. Brushy St. The 5K check-in begins earlier at 9:30am. Lioness Books will be there all day long with our shelves stocked and ready to celebrate! Even as Leander’s population continues to soar, local businesses still struggle to gain exposure. Whether that’s due to the wide geographical spread of the city, or the obvious difficulty of growing a business in the early days, the Old Town Street Festival (OTSF) brings an astonishing amount of recognition—and the Leander Chamber of Commerce makes it a point to put local businesses at the forefront. The OTSF began 11 years ago as a community catalyst idea. “We wanted to do something that would put Leander on the map,” says Bridget Brandt, President of the Leander Chamber of Commerce. “We wanted something that helped small businesses. At that time, and even today, getting awareness in Leander is very tough for small businesses.” Businesses from all over Texas flock to take part in the OTSF every year, but the Chamber keeps a local focus and gives preference to those from Leander. “We are very intentionally creating local shopping,” says Brandt. “You’ll see a ton of local food vendors, breweries, and wineries when you come to the festival. It’s local vendors that provide the petting zoo, the rides, and local artists do the sidewalk chalk. All of those things are really curated to create a local feel and expose you to things that maybe you didn’t know existed before.” The importance and value of community events like the OTSF for small businesses is not solely about the money—it truly comes down to awareness. “100% of the proceeds go back to the local businesses for the 5K through the work that the chamber does in our community,” says Brandt. “Last year we put $1.2 million back into the pockets of our local businesses. And that is a conservative number, because not all of the vendors share their sales with us. It is probably more like $2.5. On a bad year—if the weather is bad—we’ll see 10,000 people come. If the weather’s good, we’ll see 20 to 30 thousand people. So even on a bad year, that’s 10,000 new people that didn’t know your business existed before and have now seen it. If even 500 of those people become customers, you have made an incredible change. That’s sort of what [the OTSF] creates and that’s the goal. Awareness in those early stages of your business is so critical to helping you grow.” At the OTSF, there’s no age limit for generating recognition of your work—kid entrepreneurs are welcomed and encouraged to participate. The Chamber offers free registration and sets up a tent for kids with businesses to sell their products. The only criteria is that it has to be a kid-owned business with their own product and handiwork. “Over the years, probably 30 to 40 different kid businesses come through the festival and grow,” says Brandt. “It’s a great way for them to get experience with actually selling whatever their product is. That ability to interact with customers and create exchanges of conversation and exchange money are really good soft skills that are impossible to learn in any other way but the real world. I love to go to that tent and see all the kids talking to their consumers. It’s a really nice way to help the kids of Leander grow.” Over 11 years time, the OTSF has expanded exponentially—in both attendance and size. Today, the festival has the 5K, a wide variety of food and beverage vendors, rides, a petting zoo, live music, and more. “It has grown substantially, but it is representative of the growth of Leander,” says Brandt. “Every single thing about the festival is money going back into our local community. It really is the perfect storm of a local event.” The best way to support the OTSF and the local businesses involved is to simply show up. With no entry fee and free parking at Leander ISD and around Old Town, getting in and out of the festival is accessible and uncomplicated. “Bring your kids, bring your dogs, and come do all of the fun things that make Leander great!”

As we anticipate the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development on May 21, it’s the perfect time to reflect on and celebrate the wide array of cultures, identities, and perspectives that shape our world. One meaningful way to engage is through reading—specifically, by exploring stories that originate outside the English-speaking world. Here are 13 books by non-English authors that deserve a place on your bookshelf. Fiction: 8 Powerful Works of Imagination and Insight 1. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho (Portuguese – Brazil) Originally published in Portuguese in 1988, The Alchemist is a philosophical novel that has since become one of the most widely translated books in history. The story follows Santiago, a young Andalusian shepherd who dreams of discovering a treasure hidden in the Egyptian pyramids. Along the way, he encounters a series of characters—a king, a crystal merchant, an Englishman, and an alchemist—each guiding him in the pursuit of his “Personal Legend.” At its core, the novel emphasizes listening to one’s heart, recognizing opportunity, and finding meaning in the journey as much as the destination. While deceptively simple in style, its spiritual and motivational themes have had lasting resonance across cultures. Brazilian author Paulo Coelho, once a songwriter and theater director, brings his own experience of spiritual awakening to the narrative, offering readers a deeply personal but universally relatable message. Purchase The Alchemist Purchase Audiobook 2. The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón (Spanish – Spain) Published in 2001 as part of The Cemetery of Forgotten Books series, The Shadow of the Wind is a compelling blend of gothic mystery, historical fiction, and literary drama. The novel begins in post–civil war Barcelona, where a young boy, Daniel, discovers a mysterious novel by Julián Carax in a secret library. Fascinated, he sets out to learn more about the author, only to uncover a chilling pattern: someone has been systematically destroying every copy of Carax’s books. The story gradually unfolds into a tale of lost love, political corruption, and betrayal, mirroring the larger turmoil of mid-20th-century Spain. What makes Zafón’s writing so impactful is his evocative prose and ability to craft atmospheric, character-rich storytelling. Before his passing in 2020, Zafón had become one of the most read Spanish authors in the world, with his work translated into more than 40 languages. Purchase The Shadow of the Wind Purchase Audiobook 3. My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante (Italian – Italy) My Brilliant Friend , first published in 2011, is the inaugural volume of Elena Ferrante’s four-part Neapolitan Novels . The book introduces Elena Greco and Lila Cerullo, two girls growing up in a poor neighborhood on the outskirts of Naples in the 1950s. Through decades of change—from childhood through adolescence and into adulthood—Ferrante explores their evolving friendship against a backdrop of socioeconomic struggle, gender expectations, and political shifts in post-war Italy. Ferrante, whose true identity remains unknown, has become a literary icon for her unflinching exploration of female psychology and social pressure. Her anonymous status has only amplified her impact, shifting attention toward the work itself and away from the cult of personality. My Brilliant Friend received widespread acclaim for its honesty, emotional intensity, and insight into the intimate yet often conflicted dynamics between women. For those seeking deeply personal and psychologically layered books by non-English authors, Ferrante’s novel offers a gripping, emotionally raw narrative that feels both intimate and universal. Purchase My Brilliant Friend Purchase Audiobook 4. The Three-Body Problem by Liu Cixin (Chinese – China) A groundbreaking entry in the science fiction genre, The Three-Body Problem was first published in Chinese in 2008 and later translated into English by Ken Liu in 2014. The novel begins during the Chinese Cultural Revolution, where a secret military project makes contact with an alien civilization on the brink of collapse. Decades later, scientists on Earth are mysteriously dying, and a virtual reality game hints at a larger, more threatening intergalactic conspiracy. Liu Cixin, an engineer by training, merges complex physics, philosophical questions, and grand-scale storytelling in ways rarely seen in the genre. His work has brought Chinese science fiction to international prominence, earning him the distinction of being the first Asian author to win the Hugo Award for Best Novel. What sets The Three-Body Problem apart is its ability to navigate the technical with the emotional, examining what it means to be human when faced with forces far beyond comprehension. Its translation marked a pivotal moment in global literature, proving that speculative fiction from non-English cultures could not only compete with but enrich the genre’s most ambitious narratives. Purchase The Three-Body Problem Purchase Audiobook 5. One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez (Spanish – Colombia) First published in 1967 and widely considered a cornerstone of Latin American literature, One Hundred Years of Solitude chronicles the multi-generational saga of the Buendía family in the fictional town of Macondo. Through lyrical prose and surreal, magical elements, Gabriel García Márquez captures the cyclical nature of history, the loneliness of leadership, and the fragility of memory. Each generation repeats the mistakes of the previous one, blurring the boundaries between reality and myth, the personal and the political. Márquez, a Nobel Prize-winning author, played a crucial role in popularizing magical realism—a literary style that blends fantastical elements with grounded social and political commentary. His work redefined how stories from Latin America were perceived globally and opened the door to reach wider audiences. For readers interested in sweeping narratives that challenge and move them, this novel remains a vital work for its exploration of cultural legacy, family, and the illusions of progress. Purchase One Hundred Years of Solitude Purchase Audiobook 6. Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto (Japanese – Japan) Published in 1988, Kitchen is a quietly powerful novella that follows a young woman named Mikage as she copes with grief following the death of her grandmother. Through the metaphor of the kitchen—a place of comfort, identity, and survival—Banana Yoshimoto explores themes of loss, love, and the unconventional bonds that carry us forward. Yoshimoto’s writing style is minimalist, emotionally resonant, and refreshingly modern. Her work helped introduce a younger, more introspective voice into contemporary Japanese literature and gained international recognition for its accessibility and emotional honesty. With understated storytelling and rich internal monologue, Kitchen portrays how everyday moments can carry profound emotional weight. Purchase Kitchen 7. Signs Preceding the End of the World by Yuri Herrera (Spanish – Mexico) This 2009 novel, translated into English in 2015 by Lisa Dillman, tells the story of Makina, a young woman crossing the U.S.-Mexico border to deliver a message to her brother. But this is no typical migration narrative. Drawing on mythological structure and poetic language, Herrera reimagines the border crossing as a descent into the underworld. Each section of the novel represents a spiritual or symbolic passage, echoing classical epics while rooted in the urgent realities of modern migration. Yuri Herrera is known for his spare, lyrical prose and ability to compress vast social and political meaning into brief, powerful stories. In Signs Preceding the End of the World , he speaks to displacement, cultural erosion, and survival in a voice that’s both timeless and immediate. Purchase Signs Preceding the End of the World Purchase Audiobook 8. The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov (Russian – Russia) Written during Stalin’s oppressive regime but published decades later, The Master and Margarita is a biting satirical novel that critiques Soviet bureaucracy, atheism, and literary censorship. The story jumps between two main settings: 1930s Moscow, where the Devil (in the guise of a foreign professor) wreaks havoc, and ancient Jerusalem, where Pontius Pilate confronts his moral failures. Bulgakov blends fantasy, political allegory, and religious reflection in a work that defies easy classification. While it’s technically a novel, its political subtext and allegorical critique make it deeply rooted in real-world commentary. It’s a literary response to authoritarianism, composed in secret and edited over years as the author struggled with censorship and declining health. Purchase The Master and Margarita Purchase Audiobook Non-Fiction: 5 Books That Bridge History, Philosophy, and Social Commentary 9. The Book of Tea by Kakuzō Okakura (Japanese – Japan) Originally published in 1906, The Book of Tea is a beautifully written essay that uses the Japanese tea ceremony as a lens to explore aesthetics, culture, and philosophy. Although composed in English by Japanese scholar Kakuzō Okakura, the text serves as a bridge between Eastern and Western thought during a time of rapid modernization and cultural shift in Japan. The book goes beyond the origins of this classic beverage staple—it’s about art, humility, impermanence, and harmony. Okakura discusses how tea culture intersects with architecture, gardening, ceramics, and even politics. His goal was to correct Western misunderstandings about Asian traditions and elevate the subtlety of Japanese art forms in a time when they were often overlooked. Purchase The Book of Tea 10. Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi (French – Iran) Persepolis is a groundbreaking graphic memoir that recounts Marjane Satrapi’s coming of age in Iran during and after the Islamic Revolution. First published in French in 2000 and later translated into numerous languages, the book uses stark black-and-white illustrations to convey deeply personal and political experiences. Through the lens of a young girl, Satrapi reflects on issues of identity, gender, repression, and cultural conflict. What makes Persepolis so impactful is its ability to make complex historical events accessible without sacrificing nuance. It balances humor, sorrow, and reflection, offering a humanizing perspective on a country often reduced to headlines. Purchase Persepolis 11. I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai (Urdu – Pakistan) Co-written with Christina Lamb and originally published in 2013, I Am Malala tells the remarkable story of Malala Yousafzai, who was targeted and shot by the Taliban for advocating for girls’ education in Pakistan. The memoir blends personal history with global political realities. Malala recounts her upbringing in the Swat Valley, her family’s support for education, and her growing activism that eventually garnered international attention. The book is not only an inspiring personal narrative but also an urgent call for universal education and women’s rights. Malala’s voice is clear, courageous, and deeply principled. Her story encourages readers of all ages to consider the value of education, the cost of silence, and the importance of standing up for what one believes. Purchase I am Malala Purchase Audiobook 12. Night by Elie Wiesel (French – Romania) Originally published in French in 1956, Night is Elie Wiesel’s harrowing memoir of surviving the Holocaust. At just fifteen years old, Wiesel was deported with his family to Auschwitz and later Buchenwald. The book chronicles his experiences of suffering, loss, and spiritual desolation, written in a hauntingly spare and restrained prose style. Wiesel went on to become a Nobel Peace Prize laureate and a vocal advocate for remembering atrocities to prevent future genocides. Night is widely regarded as one of the most important works of Holocaust literature, notable for its emotional honesty and unflinching confrontation with horror. As a foundational work by a non-English author whose voice shaped 20th-century historical memory, Night serves as both a testimony and a warning. Its inclusion in this list emphasizes the role of literature in preserving the dignity of those who endured and in educating future generations. Purchase Night by Elie Wiesel Purchase Audiobook 13. Letters to a Young Poet by Rainer Maria Rilke (German – Austria) This slender but powerful collection of ten letters was written by Rainer Maria Rilke in the early 1900s in response to a young aspiring poet’s request for feedback. In these deeply philosophical and poetic missives, Rilke explores the nature of creativity, solitude, love, and personal growth. Originally written in German and later translated into many languages, the book has inspired artists, writers, and thinkers for over a century. Rilke’s reflections go beyond mere writing advice; they serve as meditations on how to live authentically and attentively in a world full of noise. His gentle yet profound counsel encourages readers to embrace uncertainty and introspection—a message that remains strikingly relevant today. As one of the most reflective and spiritually resonant books by non-English authors, Letters to a Young Poet offers a timeless companion to anyone navigating their inner life. It’s a thoughtful inclusion in this list, highlighting the emotional and intellectual insights that can emerge from cross-cultural literary exchange. Purchase Letter to a Young Poet Purchase Audiobook Start Reading From Non-English Authors Today! During National Diversity Awareness Month, taking the time to read internationally celebrated authors helps reaffirm the value of linguistic and cultural plurality. And while this list is a starting point, there’s so much more to explore—including these powerful titles for Black History Month . At Lioness Books, we celebrate diverse voices and stories from around the world, offering a thoughtfully curated selection of titles to inspire and connect. Stay connected by checking out our events calendar to find out where Lioness Books will pop up next! In the meantime, browse our selection of audiobooks and titles through the Lioness Books shop .

Local author Cassidie Salley shares the inspirations for her 2021 fantasy novel, After The Light Died (ATLD) , and gives us a preview of the gothic fantasy book she plans on publishing this year that is set in modern-day suburban Texas. Cassidie will be signing copies of ATLD with Lioness Books at Wildfire Park in Leander on April 26th from 10am-12pm for Independent Bookstore Day.