A note from Julia, on our March curated exhibition wall. Join us on March 18th for the first-ever Staunton Reading Society , a conversation-based gathering where we will discuss books about women who shaped history. I grew up in a society that had women's rights designed into its foundations. Not as a movement, not as a conversation, not as something women had to fight for in the streets. It was written into the constitution. The Soviet Union was, in many ways, a pioneer of f

Bonus: Books We’re Excited About Right Now As we prepare for our inaugural Winter Books Salon , it feels like the right moment to add our own voices to the Community Bookshelf - a growing list of books recommended by our readers, special guests, partners, and collaborators. This shelf reflects not just what we sell, but how we think, read, and try to understand the world. I’m Julia, proprietor of Staunton Books & Tea, and this is a glimpse into how our shelves came to look t

(This blog post was written by the co-host of this month's international book club, Ali Hosseini). Shahrnush Parsipour is an Iranian writer now living in the US.  When Women Without Men   was written in 1977, no publisher was willing to publish it. After her novel, Touba and the Mining of the Night , was well received,  Women Without Men  was published in 1989. Before pressure groups and security agents could ban it, the book sold out and became unavailable. Shortly afterward

Across the country, theater organizations are navigating a difficult moment. Arts funding is shrinking. Production costs are rising. Audience habits are shifting. Many companies are still recovering from the pandemic's long tail while being asked to do more with less. These conversations often stay at a national level. What’s harder to see is how those trends show up in real places, in rehearsal rooms, classrooms, and small towns like Staunton. And yet, Staunton offers a powe

*This blog post was co-authored by Aubrey Whitlock and Dr. Peter Kirwan The American Shakespeare Center is thrilled to curate a Community Shelf with Staunton Books & Tea - a reading list designed to deepen the conversation around the plays on the Blackfriars stage and to invite audiences into the rich, ongoing life of classic literature. As we bring together works from across centuries and genres throughout our 2026 season, we’re reminded that what keeps “the classics” aliv

If you’ve attended our events, you may recognize Anika Horn . A valued member of our team, she brings her expertise as a discussion moderator, community builder, and events strategist. Anika is also the mind behind 40 Bookshops Under 40 , a project highlighting the importance of independent bookshops and vibrant local economies. Anika wrote this article to illuminate the cultural, economic, and emotional impact independent bookstores have - and why choosing local truly matter

On November 16, 2025, we gather for a thoughtful exploration of one of the year’s most complex subjects: immigration. Rather than debate, this evening invites curiosity, empathy, and clarity as our panelists share their lived experiences, historical contexts, and human stories. We are honored to welcome a distinguished group of voices: Seth Michelson , poet and professor at Washington and Lee University, whose decades of work in immigration spaces inform his latest book, Hop

Clifford Garstang is the special guest at our October International Book Club , giving us a perspective on Counterfeit by Kirstin Chen. All books mentioned in this post are collected in the Community Curated Shelf at Staunton Books & Tea . In 1983, the Chairman of the law firm where I worked as a junior associate (a large firm headquartered in Chicago), asked me if I would like to move to Singapore to work in the firm’s small branch office there. He didn’t have to twist my a

On August 14, 2025, we will meet at Staunton Books & Tea for the Local Author Book Signing: Unstoppable by H M DuVal to talk about the...

Johan is the special guest at our June 2025 International Books Club . We will discuss TheSafekeep by Yael van der Wouden, and you want...

Among the many things that caught our attention this month was PechaKucha  — a global storytelling format (20 slides, 20 seconds each)...

Aidan will lead our discussion at a one-time Shakespeare Book Club: The Winter's Tale, which we will host at Staunton Books & Tea on May...

On April 26, we celebrated the anniversary of Staunton Books & Tea with something close to our hearts—community and conversation. As part...

Two Concepts to Keep in Mind As an introduction to our panel discussion on AI and Humanity , multiple concepts can be explored that are crucial for understanding the topic: agency, existentialism, automation, decision-making, efficiency, bias, culture, and the definitions of intelligence and consciousness. However, we want to focus on two concepts with significant ethical implications and practical applications—technological determinism and technological externalities. Techno

Clifford is the special guest at our February International Book Club , giving us a perspective on The Vegetarian by Han Kang. All books...

The holiday season is a time for giving—and what better way to give than by supporting local nonprofits that align with your passions and...

Carrie will be a special guest at our December International Book Club , giving us a good perspective on the One Hundred Years of...

“Readers are born free and ought to remain free.” - Vladimir Nabokov, Lectures on Russian Literature This...

The importance of independent bookshops in the Shenandoah Valley "Bookshops are dreams built of wood and paper. They are time travel and...

What is the magic of Staunton? Everyone has their own answer. For some, it is the beauty of architecture and one of the prettiest main...