NONFICTION - Caste
2026-04-01 18:30 - 20:00 (America/Chicago) | Story Line Books, 214 Fourth Street E Suite 160, Saint Paul, MN, 55101, United States
Caste by Isabel Wilkerson is one of the most impactful books that a reader can pick up in their lifetime. It moves beyond the concept of race to reveal an underlying “invisible” architecture of human ranking that has shaped America’s history and current events, expertly drawing parallels between the caste systems of Nazi Germany, India, and the United States. It forces a look at the “hidden, hard facts” of social structures, which will trigger intense, deeply meaningful, and, at times, difficult conversations. This book club will be an intense one, but critically important in this time of social stagnation and, often, devolution.

THE ESSENTIALS - Appointment in Samarra
2026-04-08 18:30 - 20:00 | Story Line Books, 214 Fourth Street E Suite 160, Saint Paul, MN, 55101, United States
Another one none of us had heard of!
Appointment in Samarra is John O’Hara’s acclaimed 1934 novel about the rapid, self-destructive downfall of Julian English, a wealthy young man in the fictional Pennsylvania town of Gibbsville over three days during Christmas 1930. Driven by alcohol, social pressure, and impulsive acts, Julian alienates his wife and society, leading to his tragic end, which mirrors the ancient fable of a man trying to flee his fated appointment with Death in Samarra. The book is celebrated for its sharp social commentary on class, status, and the dark side of the American dream.
Join us as we talk about this roller coaster of a book – it’s really very good and we think you should read it even if you can’t make it to club.

STAFF CHOICE - I, Medusa
2026-04-15 18:30 - 20:00 | Story Line Books, 214 Fourth Street E Suite 160, Saint Paul, MN, 55101, United States
2026 is the year of rewriting our stories and refusing to let the world define us. Next up – Medusa, whose bad rap is legendary.
Medusa is a favored acolyte of Athena before she is violated by Poseidon and transformed into the monster we are all familiar with. The story follows her journey from a hopeful girl to a vengeful figure, focusing on her relationships with her sisters and the cruel games of the gods, and is praised for its fresh perspective, emotional depth, and relevance to modern issues like sexual assault and power dynamics.
Through a mythological lens, the book tackles themes of injustice, trauma, and female rage and has received acclaim for its powerful and heartbreaking retelling, with reviewers highlighting its emotional impact and its success in giving a voice to a misunderstood figure.
This is a fresh take on the story, which has already seen countless iterations. Let’s see what happens when women tell each other’s stories.

2026 Spring Art Crawl
2026-04-17 17:00 - 2026-04-19 18:00 | Union Depot, 214 4th Street East, Saint Paul, MN, 55101, United States
The St. Paul art community brings us into the new year with the annual Spring art crawl throughout Lowertown, downtown, and exurban Saint Paul.
This is one of our favorite events of the year, and we can’t wait to see the Depot all decked out with art from local artists.

https://www.visitsaintpaul.com/blog/guide-to-the-saint-paul-art-crawl/

2026 Independent Bookstore Spirit Week
2026-04-20 08:00 - 2026-04-24 20:00 | Story Line Books, 214 Fourth Street E Suite 160, Saint Paul, MN, 55101, United States
It’s Indie Bookstore Week!
Headed into Independent Bookstore Day on April 25, come and join us for a week of fun!

CONTEMPORARY LITERATURE - Good People
2026-04-22 18:30 - 20:00 | Story Line Books, 214 Fourth Street E Suite 160, Saint Paul, MN, 55101, United States
In honor of Arab-American Heritage Month, we have chosen to read the extraordinary debut novel from Patmeena Sabit who was born in Kabul and grew up in Virginia. The book is extraordinary – it tells the story of a family of Afghan refugees living in Virginia as they experience a time of great fortune and devastating loss. It explores the reality of the immigrant experience in America and the power of cultural identity in American life. The book is sensational, but don’t take our word for it. Just look at these reviews:
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“Good People is a thrilling tour de force of a novel. I’ll be recommending this book to everyone.”—Ann Patchett
“This devastating début novel takes the form of an oral history about a tragedy that shatters a family. At its heart is a couple who arrived in the U.S. in the late nineteen-nineties as refugees from Afghanistan. They prospered, and brought up four children in an affluent suburb in Virginia. Rotating testimonies from people they know—family friends, a cousin, lawyers—offer theories about what led to the novel’s central catastrophe. Once the nature of the tragedy has been revealed, the book transforms into an intimate study of an Afghan immigrant community forced to reevaluate what it means to raise children in America.”—The New Yorker
“One of those novels where you know right away that a mysterious, unspeakable something has happened, and you are simultaneously terrified and desperate to get the details. . . . This skillful debut is both a bated-breath thriller and a richly atmospheric portrait of an immigrant community.”—Oprah Daily
“Good People is a gripping, thought-provoking novel that peels back the layers of family, reputation and truth. It’s a story that will leave readers questioning just how well we ever know the people closest to us.”—Women’s World
“A month into the year, the first great novel of 2026 is here. Patmeena Sabit’s debut, Good People, may remind readers of Celeste Ng’s bestselling Little Fires Everywhere in that it’s a domestic tale that reads like a propulsive thriller and springs from a clash of cultures.”—The Minnesota Star Tribune
“Sabit debuts with an electrifying whodunit . . . This propulsive tale heralds Sabit as a writer worth keeping tabs on.”—Publishers Weekly
“Good People is equal parts an immigrant novel, a tightly wound mystery, and an oral history. Patmeena Sabit moves between these with insight, ease, and grace to give us a remarkable, unsettling snapshot of our complicated times.”—Sameer Pandya, author of Our Beautiful Boys
“With startling empathy for all sides, Patmeena Sabit plumbs the fault lines of honor, truth, prejudice, and how identity shapes guilt in the aftermath of tragedy. What a spectacular triumph this book is.”—Khaled Hosseini
“A triumphant debut! With the sophistication and assurance of a seasoned writer, Patmeena Sabit has crafted a prescient East-West story as only a third culture talent could have. The plot: masterful. The writing: beguiling. The pacing: breakneck. The possibility I will read this again and again: absolute.”—Alka Joshi, author of The Henna Artist and the Jaipur Trilogy
“Sabit’s first novel masterfully dissects the glittering facade of the American Dream . . . This all unfolds like a binge-worthy true-crime podcast . . . At once heartbreaking and hypnotic, Sabit’s is a novel that demands to be devoured.”—Booklist, starred review

2026 INDEPENDENT BOOKSTORE DAY
2026-04-25 08:00 - 20:00 | Story Line Books, 214 Fourth Street E Suite 160, Saint Paul, MN, 55101, United States
It’s back!
JOIN US FOR THE 13TH ANNUAL INDEPENDENT BOOKSTORE DAY! Independent Bookstore Day is a one-day national party that takes place at indie bookstores across the country. This is our second one and we could not be more excited!
Keep an eye on this space (and follow us on Facebook and Instagram) for more about special events, contests, and other goodies about the whole week!

NONFICTION - The Serviceberry
2026-04-29 18:30 - 20:00 | Story Line Books, 214 Fourth Street E Suite 160, Saint Paul, MN, 55101, United States
PLEASE NOTE THE DATE CHANGE – This is “May’s” Nonfiction pick
The unfortunate reality of nonfiction is that it is frequently sad. The Serviceberry is not, and we thought we all could use some brightness after a long winter. Published in 2024, the book critiques consumerism and scarcity, advocating for a shift towards interconnectedness, gratitude, and sharing resources, inspired by how the serviceberry provides for its entire community.
The book is short, so if you want more we highly recommend checking out Braiding Sweetgrass, Robin Kimmerer’s breathtaking perma-bestseller.

THE ESSENTIALS - At Swim-Two-Birds
2026-05-06 18:30 - 20:00 | Story Line Books, 214 Fourth Street E Suite 160, Saint Paul, MN, 55101, United States
THIS BOOK CLUB HAS BEEN MOVED UP ONE WEEK FROM MAY 13.
Stop us if you’ve heard this before:
At Swim-Two-Birds is a 1939 postmodern, metafictional novel by Irish author Flann O’Brien (Brian O’Nolan) that explores the nature of storytelling through multiple, nested narratives, blending Irish folklore, satire, and modernist techniques. The plot centers on a Dublin student who writes a story where his fictional characters rebel against him, leading to a complex, multi-layered work that comments on the relationship between author and creation, featuring characters from Irish myth like the Púca and Mad Sweeney alongside original creations.
This book is unique in every imaginable way, and we’re excited to hear what you think!

STORIES THAT MATTER: Renee Gilmore and Bronson Lemer (Signing)
2026-05-16 11:30 - 13:00 | Story Line Books, 214 Fourth Street E Suite 160, Saint Paul, MN, 55101, United States
Join us in welcoming Renee Gilmore and Bronson Lemer, both local Minnesota authors with stories to tell.
In her debut memoir, Wayfinding, Renee Gilmore confronts the impetus behind her lifelong wanderlust: a lifetime shaped by loss, betrayal, and sexual violence. Told through a series of car trips and postcards from the road, this powerful memoir maps a route toward healing, acceptance, and hope, with stops at Waffle House and the Monaco Grand Prix along the way. Narrated with unflinching honesty and flashes of humor, Wayfinding is the story of a fiercely resilient woman determined not only to survive but to remap a new life filled with freedom, connection, and joy.
In this 2026 Minnesota Book Award Finalist (Memoir & Creative Nonfiction) collection of interrelated essays, Bronson Lemer explores companionship through the lens of a queer veteran, focusing on the difficulty of forming true connections with others. Lemer uses lessons from popular culture and literature to think more broadly about the role of the outsider and how we navigate aimlessness while searching for stability and meaning. Bronson Lemer is the author of The Last Deployment: How a Gay, Hammer-Swinging Twentysomething Survived a Year in Iraq. His work has appeared in several journals and the anthology, Twentysomething Essays by Twentysomething Writers.

STAFF PICK - Lady Tremaine
2026-05-20 18:30 - 20:00 | Story Line Books, 214 Fourth Street E Suite 160, Saint Paul, MN, 55101, United States

STORIES THAT MATTER: Bronson Lemer and Renee Gilmore (Reading)
2026-05-21 18:30 - 20:00 | Story Line Books, 214 Fourth Street E Suite 160, Saint Paul, MN, 55101, United States
Welcome back to the store Renee Gilmore and Bronson Lemer! They’re going to share with us readings from their individual work, and then discuss between themselves and with the rest of us the author’s journey both as an author and as a person as they achieve self-actualization through memoir.
In her debut memoir, Wayfinding, Renee Gilmore confronts the impetus behind her lifelong wanderlust: a lifetime shaped by loss, betrayal, and sexual violence. Told through a series of car trips and postcards from the road, this powerful memoir maps a route toward healing, acceptance, and hope, with stops at Waffle House and the Monaco Grand Prix along the way. Narrated with unflinching honesty and flashes of humor, Wayfinding is the story of a fiercely resilient woman determined not only to survive but to remap a new life filled with freedom, connection, and joy.
In The Loney Veteran’s Guide to Companionship, his 2026 Minnesota Book Award Finalist (Memoir & Creative Nonfiction) collection of interrelated essays, Bronson Lemer explores companionship through the lens of a queer veteran, focusing on the difficulty of forming true connections with others. Lemer uses lessons from popular culture and literature to think more broadly about the role of the outsider and how we navigate aimlessness while searching for stability and meaning. Bronson Lemer is the author of The Last Deployment: How a Gay, Hammer-Swinging Twentysomething Survived a Year in Iraq. His work has appeared in several journals and the anthology, Twentysomething Essays by Twentysomething Writers.

CONTEMPORARY LITERATURE - Remarkably Bright Creatures
2026-05-27 18:30 - 20:00 | Story Line Books, 214 Fourth Street E Suite 160, Saint Paul, MN, 55101, United States

NONFICTION - One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This
2026-06-03 18:30 - 20:00 | MN

THE ESSENTIALS - To Kill a Mockingbird
2026-06-10 18:30 - 20:00 | Story Line Books, 214 Fourth Street E Suite 160, Saint Paul, MN, 55101, United States

STAFF CHOICE - Song of Achilles
2026-06-17 18:30 - 20:00 | Story Line Books, 214 Fourth Street E Suite 160, Saint Paul, MN, 55101, United States

CONTEMPORARY LITERATURE - Woodworking
2026-06-24 18:30 - 20:00 | MN

NONFICTION - Black AF History
2026-07-01 18:30 - 20:00 | Story Line Books, 214 Fourth Street E Suite 160, Saint Paul, MN, 55101, United States
We love birthdays. They are amazing opportunities to take stock of your life, what brought you here, and where you’re going.
America’s birthday is no different. Join us as we read “Black AF History: The Un-Whitewashed Story of America” and enter the 251st year of American history with clear eyes and a better understanding of the country’s future so we can build her into something we can all be proud of.

100 ESSENTIALS - Beloved
2026-07-08 18:30 - 20:00 | Story Line Books, 214 Fourth Street E Suite 160, Saint Paul, MN, 55101, United States

STAFF CHOICE - A Curse so Dark and Lonely
2026-07-15 18:30 - 20:00 | MN
July is Disability Pride Month, and our Staff Choice Book Club is reading A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer.
This inventive fantasy reimagines the classic Beauty and the Beast tale through the eyes of Harper, a heroine with cerebral palsy whose disability is simply one part of who she is—not the sum of her story. Harper is resourceful, determined, and fiercely independent, reminding us that great heroes come in many forms.
Join us as we explore a magical world, memorable characters, and a story that celebrates resilience, courage, and the power of seeing people for who they truly are. Whether you’re a longtime fantasy fan or just looking for a compelling summer read, we’d love to have you in the conversation.

CONTEMPORARY LITERATURE - Call Us What We Carry
2026-07-22 18:30 - 20:00 | MN
The 250th Anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence invites us to reflect on what it means to be American—not just where we’ve been, but where we’re going. This month, our Contemporary Literature Book Club is reading Call Us What We Carry by Amanda Gorman, a powerful collection that wrestles with our nation’s history, its present challenges, and the possibilities that still lie ahead.
Rather than offering easy answers, Gorman’s poems ask us to consider what we inherit, what we choose to carry forward, and how hope can exist alongside honesty. It’s a thoughtful, timely read for anyone looking to engage with America as it is—while imagining what it could become.
Join us for an evening of poetry, conversation, and reflection as we explore one of the most compelling contemporary voices writing today.

NONFICTION - Everything is Tuberculosis
2026-08-05 18:30 - 20:00 | Story Line Books, 214 Fourth Street E Suite 160, Saint Paul, MN, 55101, United States
This month, we’re reading Everything Is Tuberculosis, a fascinating blend of history, science, and social justice that asks us to rethink one of humanity’s oldest diseases. Far from being just a medical story, this book explores how poverty, inequality, politics, and access to healthcare have shaped who gets sick—and who gets to recover.
Together, we’ll discuss how disease can illuminate the structures of society, why tuberculosis continues to affect millions despite being preventable and treatable, and what this story reveals about compassion, public health, and our shared responsibility to one another. Join us for an engaging conversation about a book that is as much about humanity as it is about medicine.

ESSENTIALS - The Big Sleep
2026-08-12 18:30 - 20:00 | Story Line Books, 214 Fourth Street E Suite 160, Saint Paul, MN, 55101, United States

SIGNING - Steven Lawrence Lang
2026-08-15 11:00 - 13:00 | Story Line Books, 214 Fourth Street E Suite 160, Saint Paul, MN, 55101, United States
Meet Local Author Steven Lawrence Lang
Join us at Story Line Books this Saturday for a special signing with St. Paul author Steven Lawrence Lang, celebrating his debut novel, The Art of Falling Apart.
Set in the Twin Cities, The Art of Falling Apart follows Minneapolis artist William Link, who should be on the verge of everything he’s worked for: his first major gallery exhibition, a huge and suspiciously affordable studio apartment, and a relationship with a woman he can’t quite believe wants to be with him. Instead, his life is coming apart. His relationship is faltering, his eccentric neighbors are adding to the chaos, and—most troubling of all—he keeps seeing his dead mother.
As William races to finish the paintings for his exhibition, those visions become harder to dismiss, especially when it appears his mother may be meddling with his artwork. Is William genuinely being haunted, or is he experiencing the same mental instability that consumed his mother? And if she really is changing the paintings, whose art is it?
Funny, surreal, dark, and unexpectedly tender, The Art of Falling Apart is a story about creativity, grief, family, love, and the sometimes very blurry line between falling apart and finding your way through.
Stop by Saturday to meet Steven, talk books and art, and pick up a signed copy of his debut novel while supporting a member of our local literary community.
This event is free and open to everyone. No registration required.

STAFF CHOICE - The Life of Herod the Great
2026-08-19 18:30 - 20:00 | Story Line Books, 214 Fourth Street E Suite 160, Saint Paul, MN, 55101, United States
Join the Story Line Books Book Club as we discuss The Life of Herod the Great by Zora Neale Hurston.
Best known for Their Eyes Were Watching God, Hurston spent years working on this ambitious retelling of the life of Herod the Great—the brilliant, ruthless, and deeply controversial king of Judea. Reimagining a figure most often remembered as a biblical villain, Hurston draws on history, religion, politics, and storytelling to create a more complicated portrait of a man navigating empire, ambition, loyalty, and power.
Published decades after Hurston’s death, The Life of Herod the Great also gives us the chance to talk about Hurston herself: the choices she made in interpreting the ancient world, the unfinished and posthumous nature of the work, and how our understanding of historical figures changes depending on who gets to tell their story.
Come ready for a lively conversation about power, legacy, historical memory, faith, and the complicated line between history and storytelling.
All are welcome—even if you haven’t finished the book!

CONTEMPORARY LIT - Yesteryear
2026-08-26 18:30 - 20:00 | Story Line Books, 214 Fourth Street E Suite 160, Saint Paul, MN, 55101, United States
Join the Story Line Books Book Club as we discuss Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke.
When Natalie is invited to join Yesteryear, an idyllic online community devoted to embracing the simplicity and traditional values of the past, it seems like an escape from the pressures of modern life. But as the carefully curated world of homemaking, femininity, and nostalgia begins to reveal its darker edges, Natalie finds herself confronting the unsettling forces hiding beneath the picture-perfect surface.
Sharp, provocative, and deeply interested in the stories we tell ourselves about the “good old days,” Yesteryear explores the seductive power of nostalgia—and what can happen when an idealized version of the past becomes a blueprint for the present.
Come ready for a lively conversation about social media, gender roles, belonging, influence, and why the promise of a simpler life can be so difficult to resist.
All are welcome—even if you haven’t finished the book!

SIGNING - William Kent Krueger
2026-08-30 11:30 - 13:00 | Story Line Books, 214 Fourth Street E Suite 160, Saint Paul, MN, 55101, United States
William Kent Krueger: Signing & Conversation
Sunday, August 30 at 11:30 a.m.
We’re thrilled to welcome William Kent Krueger to Story Line Books for a special Sunday morning signing and conversation celebrating the release of his newest novel, God’s Country.
Krueger is the New York Times bestselling author of The River We Remember, This Tender Land, and Edgar Award–winning Ordinary Grace, as well as the beloved Cork O’Connor mystery series. His newest novel, God’s Country, is the 22nd installment in the series, returning Cork to Minnesota’s Boundary Waters for a story of danger, difficult choices, and justice.
Join us at 11:30 a.m. on Sunday, August 30 for a relaxed conversation with one of Minnesota’s most celebrated authors, followed by a book signing. We’ll be serving brunch-style hors d’oeuvres, and a cash bar will be available during the event.
Guests who park in a Union Depot parking lot can have their parking validated at Story Line Books. For lot locations, entrances, and other parking information, see the Union Depot Parking Guide.
Come spend your Sunday morning with us, enjoy a bite and a drink, and hear William Kent Krueger talk about God’s Country, Cork O’Connor, and his work as a storyteller before getting your book signed.

NONFICTION - Empire of AI
2026-09-02 18:30 - 20:00 | Story Line Books, 214 Fourth Street E Suite 160, Saint Paul, MN, 55101, United States
Join the Story Line Books Nonfiction Book Club as we discuss Empire of AI: Dreams and Nightmares in Sam Altman’s OpenAI by Karen Hao.
Drawing on years of reporting and extraordinary access to the people shaping the artificial intelligence boom, Hao takes readers inside the rise of OpenAI—from its idealistic beginnings as a nonprofit devoted to developing AI safely to its transformation into one of the most powerful forces in the global technology race. Along the way, she looks beyond Silicon Valley to the enormous resources that make AI possible: data, energy, water, computing power, and the often-invisible labor of workers around the world.
Part corporate history, part investigation, and part examination of power, Empire of AI asks urgent questions about who is building the technology rapidly reshaping our lives, who bears its costs, and who gets to decide what the future of AI should look like.
Come ready for a lively conversation about technology, ambition, labor, environmental impact, corporate power, and what responsibility looks like in the age of AI.
All are welcome—even if you haven’t finished the book!

ESSENTIALS - Blood Meridian
2026-09-09 18:30 - 20:00 | Story Line Books, 214 Fourth Street E Suite 160, Saint Paul, MN, 55101, United States
Join the Story Line Books Book Club as we discuss Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy.
Set along the U.S.–Mexico border in the mid-19th century, Blood Meridian follows a teenage runaway known only as “the kid” as he falls in with the Glanton gang, a brutal band of scalp hunters roaming a landscape already shaped by war, displacement, and violence. At the center of their journey looms Judge Holden—scholar, philosopher, manipulator, and one of the most unsettling figures in American literature.
McCarthy takes the mythology of the American West and strips away its romance, replacing heroic frontier stories with a haunting examination of conquest, violence, and the forces that shaped westward expansion. Beautiful, difficult, and deliberately disturbing, the novel asks what happens when violence is not an interruption of civilization, but woven into its creation.
Come ready for a lively conversation about morality, history, fate, the mythology of the American West, McCarthy’s extraordinary use of language, and the endlessly debatable question of what, exactly, Judge Holden represents.
All are welcome—even if you haven’t finished the book!

STAFF CHIOCE - Gods of Jade and Shadow
2026-09-16 18:30 - 20:00 | MN
Join the Story Line Books Staff Choice Book Club for Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, part of our year of retellings celebrating the power of telling your own stories instead of letting someone else tell them for you.
In 1920s Mexico, Casiopea Tun spends her days cleaning her wealthy grandfather’s house and dreaming of a life beyond her small town. When she opens a mysterious wooden chest and accidentally frees Hun-Kamé, the deposed Mayan god of death, she is swept into a journey across Mexico to help him reclaim his throne from the brother who betrayed him.
Drawing on Maya mythology while embracing the glamour, upheaval, and possibility of the Jazz Age, Moreno-Garcia tells a story in which ancient gods and legends belong not to a distant or vanished past, but to a vibrant, living culture. At its heart is Casiopea herself—a young woman determined to decide who she will become rather than accept the life others have chosen for her.
There’s plenty here to dig into together: mythology and retelling, cultural identity, fate and free will, and what changes when stories rooted in a culture are told by the people whose histories and traditions they represent.
All are welcome—even if you haven’t finished the book!
