Centuries & Sleuths Book Store

Information may not be reliable

"We have what you want, though you may not know you want it." The Haunted Bookshop by Christopher Morley (1919)

Centuries & Sleuths Bookstore is the perfect place to look for that special history volume, biography, or mystery you need for stimulation, inspiration, information, escape &/or laughter.

The atmosphere is warm and friendly with oak bookcases labeled with the historical era or subject matter of the books on the shelves. There are two windsor chairs, a rocking chair, and a church pew to sit on while reviewing books prior to your purchases, all set on a portion of Bruce plaid carpet framed with forest green carpeting.

Not only that, but C&S also has discussion groups in history & mystery where you can share your opinion about a given book & possibly argue in defense of your view on a given author, book, or topic.
Check out this great video about the new title, "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter", by Seth Grahame-Smith.
Also, there is a good chance that you can discuss your opinion about a book with the author who caused your joy, thoughtfulness, queries, & maybe anger. That is because C&S has frequent signings for authors of histories, biographies, & mysteries, for both adults & children. In some cases, we have visits from the famous (e.g. Napoleon, Eleanor of Aquitaine, Luther, Twain, Elizabeth I, Joan of Arc, Isabella of Castile, F.D.R., etc.) who have "passed on" who you can argue with when they appear. They are portrayed by members of C&S's History Discussion Group in our Meeting of Minds series. Finally, it's the bookstore that makes the tomes you read come alive.

The latest item we are carrying is a bust of Sherlock Holmes (5-5/8"H, 3-1/2"W, 2-3/4"D) exclusively commissioned by Centuries & Sleuths Bookstore and designed by local artist, Glenn Braun to Augie Aleksy's specifications (November 27, 2004). They are for sale in plaster @ $29.99/ea and resin @ $49.99/ea plus shipping/handling & insurance USPO.

Centuries & Sleuths was listed as one of the Ten Best Bookstores in Chicago in the Tempo section of the Chicago Tribune on June 8, 2007 by Patrick Reardon (Remember, fame is fleeting.)
20th Anniversary Celebration
2010 marks Centuries & Sleuths Bookstore's 20tn Anniversary from its humble beginnings in November, 1990 in the western suburb of Oak Park, IL. Over that time period we have had authors like Steve Allen, Sir Peter Ustinov, U.S. Senator Paul Simon, Sara Paretsky, P.D. James. John Connolly, Donna Leon, Barbara D'Amato, William Roemer, Andrew Vachss Stephen Kinzer and many others. This year we have our usual author discussions & signings, History Discussion Group, Mystery Discussion Group, G.K. Chesterton Society, Mystery Writers of America and Sister in Crime Meetings. We have performed Mystery Plays with the help of our Mystery Duscussion Group. Conducted a Trial of Richard III, an Impeachment Hearing for FDR, two Great Debates with Daniel Webster, John C. Calhoun, & Henry Clay and an imaginary one with U.S. President Abraham Lincoln & CSA President Jefferson Davis and historical culinary programs with the support and help of Paul ZiesslerandEleanor Hanson. From 1992 through 2009 we have had 16 Meetings of Minds with the likes of Joan of Arc, Al Capon, Mayor Richard J. Daley, Edgar Allan Poe, Davy Crockett, Jane Addams, Benjamin Franklin, Ida B. Wells, Winston Churchill, Joseph Stalin, Queen Elizabeth I, and many more, but that might seem like "name dropping"....
However, we have various special plans for this year too.
June, 2010 marks the 195th anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo for which we will display in the front window for June of the owners 5' x 10' diorama of this historical bench mark in history with over 2200 hand painted 25mm figures on a topographically accurate board with buildings, foliage, wells and depictions of individual confrontations from June 18, 1815.
In the weekends September we will have over 42 authors in over 9 panels discussing their books, writing, characters and a few "stories" of their experiences both in non-fiction and fiction literature. These panels and what they say may be historical in their own write. By late June we will show a master list of the authors, the panels, the dates and times (e.g. Satudays & Sundays at 11 AM and 2 PM) posted on our website and in our in store hand-out calendar of Current Events.
Then on October 22nd & 23rd Friday & Saturday at 8PM we will have our Meeting of Minds XVII with moderator Madeline Moon and our guests Booker T. Washington, Marcus Garvey and W.E.B. Du Bois who will explain their way they thought the Negro/Black Man could achieve success in a world that took so long to "grant" him the freedom which he was entitled. Each had their own plans for their race to make its mark on civilization and the subtitle of this program is "Doing It My Way".
There will be these programs and more!