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Hyde Park, Chicago

Seminary Co-Op Bookstore

For over 60 years, the Seminary Co-op Bookstores has served as a cultural anchor in and beyond Chicago; as the first not-for-profit bookstore whose mission is bookselling, their stores, which include 57th Street Books, celebrate the power of the browsing experience to inspire curiosity, discovery, and delight.

photo of front of building housing seminary co-op bookstore

Upcoming Events

Nov2
NaNo 2.0
WritingHyde Park, Chicago

NaNo 2.0

5:30 PM • Monday, November 2, 2026Seminary Co-Op BookstoreFree

Ready to Write Your Novel? Say hello to NaNo 2.0—a community-led endeavor that’s keeping the spirit of National Novel Writing Month alive. The goal? Write 50,000 words over the course of November or you can pick any writing project for the month that feels exciting to you! At the Seminary Co-Op Bookstores, we want to support our writerly community by hosting NaNo Drop-ins on November 2, 9, 16, and 30 from 5:30pm to 7:30pm at the Seminary Co-Op (5751 S Woodlawn Ave). Seminary Co-op Board Member Holly Smith (MA Writing) will be at each drop-in and available to be a sounding board for anything that has you stuck. If you want to buy books at a NaNo Drop-in, you will just have to do so before 6pm. Please send any questions about the event to events@semcoop.com. We hope to see you there!

Nov5
John Scalzi event
Author EventHorrorHyde Park, Chicago

A Conversation with John Scalzi!

7:00 PM • Thursday, November 5, 2026Seminary Co-Op Bookstore$40.76

Join us for a conversation and book signing with New York Times Bestselling Science Fiction author John Scalzi! We are so excited to welcome beloved Science Fiction author John Scalzi to the Co-op! John will discuss his newest novel MONSTERS OF OHIO. A Q&A and book signing will follow the conversation. About the Book: Welcome to Richland, Ohio. Things aren't great. The town’s biggest employer is closing shop, and Richland's on the brink. It's where Mike Boyd, with his own set of problems, finds himself returning to after decades away. He's not planning to stay. But Richland has other plans for Mike, his old friend Dave, and a newcomer Andi. They're caught in a swirl of local troubles, private equity, executive theft… and something extremely weird involving Jeremy Keller’s prize cow. Welcome to Richland. Leave your expectations behind. Bring a tarp. About John Scalzi: JOHN SCALZI is one of the most popular science fiction authors of his generation. His debut, Old Man's War, won him the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer. His New York Times bestsellers include The Last Colony, Fuzzy Nation, Redshirts (which won the Hugo Award for Best Novel), The Last Emperox, The Kaiju Preservation Society, Starter Villain, When the Moon Hits Your Eye, and The Shattering Peace. Material from his blog, Whatever, has earned him two other Hugo Awards. He lives in Ohio with his wife and daughter. Helpful information: *There is street parking only. There is a parking lot next door to our store but it is NOT ours and we cannot guarantee that you will not be towed. *You may start lining up at 6pm. Doors will open at 6:30pm. *Refund requests will not be accepted after 3pm, 11/04! *If you have a free general admission ticket, you MUST purchase the book at the event to enter the signing line. *Limited seating is available on a first come first serve basis. There will be standing room only once seating is full. If you do require seating, please email mgmt@semcoop.com to reserve a seat. *Additional copies of the book and backlist will be available for purchase at the store during the event.

Nov7
David Hume Kennerly event
Author EventPoliticsHyde Park, Chicago

60 Years on the Front Lines of History - A Conversation with David Hume Kennerly

11:00 AM • Saturday, November 7, 2026University of Chicago - Ida Noyes Hall$34

Join us for a conversation with Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist David Hume Kennerly, whose lens has captured six decades of defining moments in world history. From the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy to the burning Pentagon on 9/11, from the Ford White House to election nights with presidents and candidates across half a century, Kennerly has stood where few have ever been allowed to stand — and brought the rest of us with him. He'll take us behind his images to what it felt like to be present as history unfolded. This event celebrates the publication of his magnum opus, In the Room: 60 Years on the Front Lines of History, released as the nation marks its 250th birthday.

Nov7
Daniel kraus event
Author EventFictionHyde Park, Chicago

Daniel Kraus - Angel Down

1:30 PM • Saturday, November 7, 2026University of Chicago - Ida Noyes Hall$34

Daniel Kraus is the bestselling author of Whalefall, Angel Down, and The Sixth Nik. Daniel is based in Chicago and joins us to discuss his prolific career as a writer of novels, TV, and film. His novel Angel Down was awarded the 2026 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and is the first horror novel to win the prize since 2007. But it isn’t just a horror novel. It’s a war novel that blends magical realism, science fiction, and allegory, plunging you into the heart of World War I. Join us for a conversation with Kraus on writing as a craft, what it takes to write a novel in one sentence (like Angel Down), and how screenwriting opens up new possibilities for storytelling.

Nov7
sagal constitutional democracy event
Author EventNon-FictionHyde Park, Chicago

Peter Sagal’s Constitution Sessions - How to Save a Constitutional Democracy

1:30 PM • Saturday, November 7, 2026University of Chicago - Mandel Hall$65

Democracies don’t collapse overnight. They erode, one small concession at a time. But what does democratic collapse actually look like from the inside? University of Chicago law professors Aziz Huq and Tom Ginsburg, authors of the new book How to Save a Constitutional Democracy, join NPR's Peter Sagal to unpack how constitutional systems around the world have unraveled — and what safeguards make some democracies more resilient than others.

Nov7
susan stryker event
Author EventNon-FictionHyde Park, Chicago

Susan Stryker - Changing Gender

4:00 PM • Saturday, November 7, 2026University of Chicago - Ida Noyes Hall$28

Today, antigender ideology continues to be mobilized by the far right and transgender people’s lives are increasingly targeted. But what are we talking about when we talk about gender? Leading trans scholar Susan Stryker joins us for an urgent conversation on her new book, Changing Gender. Drawing on her decades of work as a historian, filmmaker, and activist, she’ll explore the concept of gender, its origins, and where we go from here.

Nov7
jesmyn ward event
Author EventNon-FictionHyde Park, Chicago

Jesmyn Ward - On Witness and Respair

4:30 PM • Saturday, November 7, 2026University of Chicago - Mandel Hall$56

Two-time National Book Award-winner Jesmyn Ward returns to Chicago Humanities to discuss her newest work, On Witness and Repair, a collection of essays documenting more than a decade of her work. The acclaimed titular essay, which appeared in Vanity Fair, tells the story of her partner’s sudden death on the eve of the COVID-19 epidemic. Join us for a conversation with Ward and get a glimpse into the life of a singular writer often lauded as “the heir apparent to Toni Morrison” (LitHub).

Nov9
NaNo 2.0
WritingHyde Park, Chicago

NaNo 2.0

5:30 PM • Monday, November 9, 2026Seminary Co-Op BookstoreFree

Ready to Write Your Novel? Say hello to NaNo 2.0—a community-led endeavor that’s keeping the spirit of National Novel Writing Month alive. The goal? Write 50,000 words over the course of November or you can pick any writing project for the month that feels exciting to you! At the Seminary Co-Op Bookstores, we want to support our writerly community by hosting NaNo Drop-ins on November 2, 9, 16, and 30 from 5:30pm to 7:30pm at the Seminary Co-Op (5751 S Woodlawn Ave). Seminary Co-op Board Member Holly Smith (MA Writing) will be at each drop-in and available to be a sounding board for anything that has you stuck. If you want to buy books at a NaNo Drop-in, you will just have to do so before 6pm. Please send any questions about the event to events@semcoop.com. We hope to see you there!

Nov10
Dominic A Pacyga author
Author EventChicagoHyde Park, Chicago

Dominic A. Pacyga - "Clout City " - at Robie House

4:00 PM • Tuesday, November 10, 2026Robie HouseFree

Join author Dominic A. Pacyga for conversation about his book Clout City (University of Chicago Press, 2025). Clout City explores the cultural, ethnic, and religious forces that built the “Chicago machine” of political influence, from the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 and the city’s rise and fall as an industrial center in the early 20th century, up through today’s reshaped political landscape. He will discuss Clout City and his other works of Chicago social history with Alice Boone, Director of Interpretive Programs at the Frank Lloyd Wright Trust, as part of a Seminary Co-op / Frank Lloyd Wright Trust partnership reading series about Chicago history inside a Chicago historic landmark. This special program will take place in the Billiard Room of Robie House, located next to the Seminary Co-op at 5757 Woodlawn Avenue, followed by light refreshments and an opportunity for guests who register to explore the House.

Nov16
NaNo 2.0
WritingHyde Park, Chicago

NaNo 2.0

5:30 PM • Monday, November 16, 2026Seminary Co-Op BookstoreFree

Ready to Write Your Novel? Say hello to NaNo 2.0—a community-led endeavor that’s keeping the spirit of National Novel Writing Month alive. The goal? Write 50,000 words over the course of November or you can pick any writing project for the month that feels exciting to you! At the Seminary Co-Op Bookstores, we want to support our writerly community by hosting NaNo Drop-ins on November 2, 9, 16, and 30 from 5:30pm to 7:30pm at the Seminary Co-Op (5751 S Woodlawn Ave). Seminary Co-op Board Member Holly Smith (MA Writing) will be at each drop-in and available to be a sounding board for anything that has you stuck. If you want to buy books at a NaNo Drop-in, you will just have to do so before 6pm. Please send any questions about the event to events@semcoop.com. We hope to see you there!

Nov17
Will Quam
Author EventArchitectureHyde Park, Chicago

Will Quam - "Fire and Clay" - Laurie Petersen, In Partnership with Robie House

4:00 PM • Tuesday, November 17, 2026Seminary Co-Op BookstoreFree

Join "Chicago's premiere brick expert" Will Quam, author of Fire and Clay: How Bricks Reveal The Hidden History of Chicago to learn about the history of brick in the work of Frank Lloyd Wright and other Prairie School architects. His illustrated presentation will be followed by a discussion with Laurie Petersen, editor of the AIA Guide to Chicago. Known for his popular Brick of Chicago walking tours and Instagram account, Quam has written a remarkable exploration of Chicago's architectural history through the humble materials of brick and terra cotta. The reading will take place at the Seminary Co-op Bookstore, 5751 South Woodlawn Avenue, next door to Robie House. Light refreshments and book signings to follow. After the reading, a limited number of guests will be able to take self-guided tours of Robie House with Frank Lloyd Wright Trust interpreters. The reading in the Seminary Co-op is free and open to the public. Advance registration is required for admittance to Robie House for the self-guided tours after the reading.

Nov30
NaNo 2.0
WritingHyde Park, Chicago

NaNo 2.0

5:30 PM • Monday, November 30, 2026Seminary Co-Op BookstoreFree

Ready to Write Your Novel? Say hello to NaNo 2.0—a community-led endeavor that’s keeping the spirit of National Novel Writing Month alive. The goal? Write 50,000 words over the course of November or you can pick any writing project for the month that feels exciting to you! At the Seminary Co-Op Bookstores, we want to support our writerly community by hosting NaNo Drop-ins on November 2, 9, 16, and 30 from 5:30pm to 7:30pm at the Seminary Co-Op (5751 S Woodlawn Ave). Seminary Co-op Board Member Holly Smith (MA Writing) will be at each drop-in and available to be a sounding board for anything that has you stuck. If you want to buy books at a NaNo Drop-in, you will just have to do so before 6pm. Please send any questions about the event to events@semcoop.com. We hope to see you there!

Dec6
Doctor Waffle If You Ask an Axolotl
Author EventMusicHyde Park, Chicago

Storytime with Doctor Waffle!

11:00 AM • Sunday, December 6, 2026Seminary Co-Op Bookstore$19.99

The Seminary Co-op and 57th Street Books are SO EXCITED to invite you to a very special storytime and musical presentation with Doctor Waffle! Join us on Sunday, December 6th at 11am at Seminary Co-op Bookstore (right around the corner from 57th Street Books on Woodlawn Ave). Doctor Waffle will read from their new picture book IF YOU ASK AN AXOLOTL. A book signing will follow the musical presentation!

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