Queer Book Share
Join us for this queer book meet-up with a twist! Bring along your favourite queer books to share with other readers in a mini show and tell or, if you’re more of a library fiend, bring along a list of titles. At the end, you’ll leave with a big list of new LGBTQIA+ titles to explore!
Quarterly book clearance sale - 20 January
It’s that time again.
~1,500 clearance books - all $5 each or five for $15
Plus 10,000 other second-hand books at their normal reasonable prices
So many cheap books! Plus snacks and sparkling counter repartée.
Saturday 20 January 2024 from 10am
The 2023 Open Book Christmas Party & Cultural Extravaganza!
Mingle with the cool kids at the 2023 edition of The Open Book Christmas Party. BBQ, readings by artists who have graced our stage this year, a singalong, happiness, conversation, sunshine. Maybe Santa. Maybe not Santa.
A Very Special Christmas Backyard Market
Our final market for the year! Happening to coincide with the Ponsonby Christmas Market, you will be absolutely flush with choice when you visit Ponsonby on Saturday 2 December.
The Open Book Holiday Pop-up
The Open Book Holiday Pop-up starts this week!
For the second time, a special pop-up is appearing at The Open Book. Between 24 November 2023 and 7 January 2024, we're hosting a curated selection of awesome bookish goods from Aotearoa-based businesses and creatives in our front room.
Tihei Mauri Ora: Life Spoken Aloud
~ come along and be the first to experience new works in development by Leilani Tamu & Poata Alvie McKree
Mahuripounamu Book Launch
Help us launch this new fully te reo Māori youth fiction book into the world on Sunday! Roa Ltd has produced a creative re-telling of the history of Te Riri ki Waikato - The New Zealand Wars in Waikato with Mahuripounamu. This launch event is a family friendly affair. Bring your kids and young people to hear author Raukura Roa read part of Mahuripounamu, plus one of their previously published books for tamariki.
November Backyard Market
Held on the first Saturday of each month, our Backyard Markets are a celebration of small makers, creatives and businesses. At this small curated market, you’ll find a rotating calendar of talented stallholders that you won't want to miss! Our next market is on Saturday 3 June, 10am to 2pm.
Quarterly book clearance sale - 28 October
Spring cleaning? No. Spring book buying?? Yes.
~1,500 clearance books - all $5 each or five for $15
Plus 10,000 other second-hand books at their normal reasonable prices
So many cheap books! Plus snacks and sparkling counter repartée.
Saturday 28 October from 10am
October Backyard Market
Held on the first Saturday of each month, our Backyard Markets are a celebration of small makers, creatives and businesses. At this small curated market, you’ll find a rotating calendar of talented stallholders that you won't want to miss! Our next market is on Saturday 3 June, 10am to 2pm.
Hiwa: Contemporary Maori Short Stories book reading
Join us and Paula Morris (Associate Professor, English and Drama, and Director, Master of Creative Writing) at a reading of Hiwa: Contemporary Maori Short Stories. Colleen Maria Lenihan, Pamela Morrow and K.T. Harrison will share their stories with us.
Not one to miss - pencil it into your calendars ✏️🗓️
Poetry Day: The Open Book Open Mic
Choose to listen or join in as local poets take to the mic at The Open Book. This casual, welcoming open mic event is a chance for you to hear budding poets share their work, or to share your own.
Poetry Day: Black Out Poetry
Poetry making fun for all ages! Try your hand at black out poetry, a simple way of creating bespoke poetry using pages from a book or newspaper. The Open Book will have all the materials you need to get stuck in, including black markers and recycled book pages.
August Backyard Market
Held on the first Saturday of each month, our Backyard Markets are a celebration of small makers, creatives and businesses. At this small curated market, you’ll find a rotating calendar of talented stallholders that you won't want to miss! Our next market is on Saturday 3 June, 10am to 2pm.
Dreams and Visions with Michael Bennett and Helen Heath
Join Ockhams short-lister and award-winning filmmaker Michael Bennett in conversation with current Michael King Centre resident writer and Ockham poetry prize winner Helen Heath as they discuss writing across genres, solving mysteries and the craft of writing.
Mole Dentist #2: A Poetry and Music Event
The mole dentist made his public debut in January, and now he’s back with a new group of friends…
Join us Sunday afternoon for words and music. Free drinks and snacks. Koha entry.
Quarterly book clearance sale - July 22
Fear not! Hunting for books at our quarterly clearance sale will keep you warm.
~1,500 clearance books - all $5 each or five for $15
Plus 10,000 other second-hand books at their normal reasonable prices
So many cheap books! Plus snacks and sparkling counter repartée.
Saturday 22 July from 10am
July Backyard Market
Held on the first Saturday of each month, our Backyard Markets are a celebration of small makers, creatives and businesses. At this small curated market, you’ll find a rotating calendar of talented stallholders that you won't want to miss! Our next market is on Saturday 3 June, 10am to 2pm.
The David Merritt Poetry Experience
Next week we will have the most excellent David Merritt joining us at The Open Book as part of his nationwide poetry tour!
David is very well known for the poetry chap books that he types up and binds himself. He'll be installed in our garage for three days creating poetry and making books for the masses. Pop by and say hello on the 23rd, 24th, or 25th of June to grab a special chap book for yourself.
Culture bobbing and excavation
Poetry! Bob Dylan! The Pacific! And history, both personal and political.
Join us for this special event with Leilani Tamu and Andrew McCallum. Leilani will read poetry that engages with Pasifika history and experience while Andrew will read from his work in progress, 'Bob Dylan’s 1500th Never Ending Tour Concert Wellington New Zealand Considered as a Cultural, Historical and Political Nexus.' Excerpts of this work were read by Andrew on Nine to Noon in 2021 in honour of Dylan’s 80th birthday.
June Backyard Market
Held on the first Saturday of each month, our Backyard Markets are a celebration of small makers, creatives and businesses. At this small curated market, you’ll find a rotating calendar of talented stallholders that you won't want to miss! Our next market is on Saturday 3 June, 10am to 2pm.
May Backyard Market
Held on the first Saturday of each month, our Backyard Markets are a celebration of small makers, creatives and businesses. At this small curated market, you’ll find a rotating calendar of talented stallholders that you won't want to miss! Our May Backyard Market is on Saturday 6th May, 10am to 2pm!
Quarterly book clearance sale - April 29
Our second quarterly clearance sale for the year!
~1,500 clearance books - all $5 each or five for $15
Plus 10,000 other second-hand books at their normal reasonable prices
So many cheap books! Plus snacks and sparkling counter repartée.
Saturday 29 April from 10am
Book launch: David Lawrence | Shakespeare's Tropes: A Chronological Companion to the Canon
At last, a book that explains all of Shakespeare's works by way of pop culture. Written by a guy Taika Waititi once called "New Zealand's foremost authority on Shakespeare".
Come celebrate the launch with David, and be among the first to snag yourself a copy of this new wonder. Introduced by Salesi Le'ota.
Pre-order here for pickup on the day:
https://theopenbook.co.nz/.../david-lawrence-shakespeares...
The Open Book's Backyard Market
We're hosting our first ever monthly market at The Open Book!
Featuring amazing crafters, makers and creatives, you won't want to miss our first ever Backyard Market on Saturday 15th April, 10am to 2pm!
Performance Performance - piano & poetry amongst the books
On Sunday 26 March, we're welcoming Sarah Krieg, Michael J. Carden and David Ciurlionis to the store. Poetry will be performed and the ivories of our piano will be played at this musical event.
Quarterly book clearance sale
New year, new (secondhand) books!
~1,500 clearance books - all $5 each or five for $15
Plus 10,000 other second-hand books at their normal reasonable prices
So many cheap books! Plus snacks and sparkling counter repartée.
Saturday 21 January from 10am
The 2022 Open Book Christmas Party & Cultural Extravaganza!
Mingle with the cool kids at the 2022 edition of The Open Book Christmas Party. BBQ, readings by artists who have graced our stage this year, music, conversation, happiness, sunshine. Probably not Santa.
Sing-a-long starts sharpish at 5pm (we’re making use of our store piano!)
Join us as we ring in the festive season and help us say thanks to you and all the other amazing people who have supported the store this year 🥳
Halloween party at The Open Book
We couldn’t have a story competition without a party! Join us for Halloween at the bookstore on Saturday 29 October Come for the ghost hunt, stay for the creepy snacks, ghastly potions and scary story readings.
Poetry Writing Poets
Our October Ears Wide Open free event is all about students! We're excited to offer several Auckland Uni Stage 3 Poetry students an opportunity to share their work, perhaps for the first time. Come along to support these budding poets. If the weather's nice, we might just host it out in our fabulous garden again! Free drinks and nibbles on as per usual.