Have you ever thought of Dallas as a literary city? I hadn’t either, until recently. Growing up, the closest bookstores to my suburban home were Borders and Barnes & Noble. A Half Price Books popped up down the road, and despite its more inviting atmosphere with used and new books, it doesn’t quite have the artistry of a true indie shop, and it definitely doesn’t invite the perspective and creativity of a live reading. I was left wanting more.
But Dallas does indeed have a strengthening literary pulse that has suddenly become audible. It looks like this literary revival is happening right now, right here. So if you’re itching for some bookish places and gatherings, look no further. Here are some of our favorite picks:
The Wild Detectives
Founded by engineer friends Javier Garcia del Moral and Paco Vique, The Wild Detectives in Bishop Arts has been an indispensable part of the city’s literary scene since opening two years ago. This bookstore boasts a curated selection of books and both kinds of brews (coffee and beer). It’s basically a three-in-one. The North Oak Cliff hub periodically hosts poetry and book readings, as well as unique musical performances. If you’re truly brave, stick around on a weekend (5pm Friday through Sunday night) for WWW, which stands for “weekends without wifi.” The shop claims that unplugging will help promote creativity and connection, and it may or may not help you find a significant other — Flirting is just one suggested off-the-web activity.
Serj Books & Local Food
Serj feels like the sweet little sister of The Wild Detectives, offering books and coffee, sans booze. This tiny shop, tucked in a corner right by the Saint Paul DART station and just down the street from us here at D, is a bookstore/café hybrid. The man behind the counter, co-owner John Walsh, will greet you with his “joke of the day.” The shop is decorated with books, neatly spaced out on small shelves and counters. A larger, more prominent shelf displays books published by local publishing house Deep Vellum. As for the drinks, the iced coffee hits the spot. Also, Serj gives 10 percent of its sales to Lift, a non-profit that promotes literacy in Dallas. Bring a book, enjoy some coffee, or buy a new book — Serj’s small stock is smartly curated — with the peace of mind that comes from knowing that your money is going to a good, local cause.
Deep Vellum Publishing + Bookstore
You may have heard the name before, or maybe you are just familiar with the neighborhood it takes its name from. Anyhow, this not-for-profit publishing house, founded by Will Evans, is making a name for itself specializing in translations of international literature. Deep Vellum’s latest titles are available online, but you can expect soft opening hours for its new storefront (at 3000 Commerce Street in Deep Ellum) late this month or early March.
Lift: Literary Instruction for Texas
Lift is here to end illiteracy in Dallas, and we think that’s pretty neat. Illiteracy is everywhere, and Lift estimates that there will be over 1 million Dallas residents struggling with literacy by 2030. You can get involved as a volunteer at Lift, and be a part of Dallas’ literacy endeavor. The organization is looking for English teachers, mentors, and more, to help them host English language classes.
Sarah Hepola: Stumbling in the Dark (Feb. 19 at the DMA)
Blackout: Remembering the Things I Drank to Forget is a memoir by Sarah Hepola, a Dallas native, writer, and frequent D Magazine contributor. Hepola will be discussing the book, which details her journey to sobriety with an honest and humorous voice. An interesting aspect of the memoir, according to this New York Times review, is the way Hepola delves into the science of a blackout itself, consulting scientists and her own (lack of) memory about her wild experiences. This literary event is part of the DMA’s Arts & Letters Live Fresh Ink series, which features both new and well-known authors reading from their work. The 2016 Arts & Letters Live lineup can be found here.
Highland Park Literary Festival Keynote: Dave Eggers (Feb. 25 at HPHS)
The Highland Park Literary Festival was started in 1995 by English professors and parents at Highland Park High School with the goal of enriching students in the literary arts. It has been thriving ever since. Though the festival is geared mainly towards high school students looking to build and fine-tune their writing skills, the literary-curious public is invited to attend the festival’s keynote event. This year, author Dave Eggers will be featured for a night of reading and discussion, which is free and open to all. Eggers is perhaps best known for his 2000 memoir, A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, which chronicles the deaths of both of his parents and his subsequent responsibility to raise his younger brother. Eggers is also the founder of McSweeney’s, a San Francisco-based publishing house started in 1998.
Tim Seibles: African Diaspora: New Dialogues (March 3, 7pm at South Dallas Cultural Center)
Tim Seibles, professor of English at Old Dominion University, received his BA from SMU. Seibles will be back in Dallas for this Wordspace event at the South Dallas Cultural Center. SDCC tends to bring in artists focused on diversity within the African Diaspora, and Seibles seems to be a perfect fit. Though his poetry is simple, Seibles’ words go deep quickly, as he ruminates on topics related to race, class, and life. In “Magnifying Glass,” Seibles uses the image of a minute ant to contemplate life and force perspective when he says, “it’s a bug, a nearly less than little thing…who would curse your life if you bring out the Raid?” His most recent poetry compilation, from 2012, is Fast Animal, which received the Theodore Roethke Memorial Poetry Prize.
Hanya Yanagihara: Tragedy & Transcendence (March 22 at the DMA)
Hanya Yanagihara’s sophomore novel, A Little Life, hit the shelves in 2015 to rave reviews, winning multiple awards and qualifying as a finalist for the National Book Award. A Little Life is a story of friendship and perseverance, as four recent college graduates struggle to make lives for themselves in New York City. Yanagihara’s novel considers topics related to abuse and depression, but also romance and relationships. Yanagihara will be in conversation with KERA’s Krys Boyd, the host of Think. This night is part of the DMA’s Arts & Letters Live Distinguished Writers series, which spotlights best-selling and award-winning authors from all around the world.
But Dallas does indeed have a strengthening literary pulse that has suddenly become audible. It looks like this literary revival is happening right now, right here. So if you’re itching for some bookish places and gatherings, look no further. Here are some of our favorite picks:
Places to Go
The Wild Detectives
Founded by engineer friends Javier Garcia del Moral and Paco Vique, The Wild Detectives in Bishop Arts has been an indispensable part of the city’s literary scene since opening two years ago. This bookstore boasts a curated selection of books and both kinds of brews (coffee and beer). It’s basically a three-in-one. The North Oak Cliff hub periodically hosts poetry and book readings, as well as unique musical performances. If you’re truly brave, stick around on a weekend (5pm Friday through Sunday night) for WWW, which stands for “weekends without wifi.” The shop claims that unplugging will help promote creativity and connection, and it may or may not help you find a significant other — Flirting is just one suggested off-the-web activity.
Serj Books & Local Food
Serj feels like the sweet little sister of The Wild Detectives, offering books and coffee, sans booze. This tiny shop, tucked in a corner right by the Saint Paul DART station and just down the street from us here at D, is a bookstore/café hybrid. The man behind the counter, co-owner John Walsh, will greet you with his “joke of the day.” The shop is decorated with books, neatly spaced out on small shelves and counters. A larger, more prominent shelf displays books published by local publishing house Deep Vellum. As for the drinks, the iced coffee hits the spot. Also, Serj gives 10 percent of its sales to Lift, a non-profit that promotes literacy in Dallas. Bring a book, enjoy some coffee, or buy a new book — Serj’s small stock is smartly curated — with the peace of mind that comes from knowing that your money is going to a good, local cause.
Deep Vellum Publishing + Bookstore
You may have heard the name before, or maybe you are just familiar with the neighborhood it takes its name from. Anyhow, this not-for-profit publishing house, founded by Will Evans, is making a name for itself specializing in translations of international literature. Deep Vellum’s latest titles are available online, but you can expect soft opening hours for its new storefront (at 3000 Commerce Street in Deep Ellum) late this month or early March.
Lift: Literary Instruction for Texas
Lift is here to end illiteracy in Dallas, and we think that’s pretty neat. Illiteracy is everywhere, and Lift estimates that there will be over 1 million Dallas residents struggling with literacy by 2030. You can get involved as a volunteer at Lift, and be a part of Dallas’ literacy endeavor. The organization is looking for English teachers, mentors, and more, to help them host English language classes.
Events to Attend
Sarah Hepola: Stumbling in the Dark (Feb. 19 at the DMA)
Blackout: Remembering the Things I Drank to Forget is a memoir by Sarah Hepola, a Dallas native, writer, and frequent D Magazine contributor. Hepola will be discussing the book, which details her journey to sobriety with an honest and humorous voice. An interesting aspect of the memoir, according to this New York Times review, is the way Hepola delves into the science of a blackout itself, consulting scientists and her own (lack of) memory about her wild experiences. This literary event is part of the DMA’s Arts & Letters Live Fresh Ink series, which features both new and well-known authors reading from their work. The 2016 Arts & Letters Live lineup can be found here.
Highland Park Literary Festival Keynote: Dave Eggers (Feb. 25 at HPHS)
The Highland Park Literary Festival was started in 1995 by English professors and parents at Highland Park High School with the goal of enriching students in the literary arts. It has been thriving ever since. Though the festival is geared mainly towards high school students looking to build and fine-tune their writing skills, the literary-curious public is invited to attend the festival’s keynote event. This year, author Dave Eggers will be featured for a night of reading and discussion, which is free and open to all. Eggers is perhaps best known for his 2000 memoir, A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, which chronicles the deaths of both of his parents and his subsequent responsibility to raise his younger brother. Eggers is also the founder of McSweeney’s, a San Francisco-based publishing house started in 1998.
Tim Seibles: African Diaspora: New Dialogues (March 3, 7pm at South Dallas Cultural Center)
Tim Seibles, professor of English at Old Dominion University, received his BA from SMU. Seibles will be back in Dallas for this Wordspace event at the South Dallas Cultural Center. SDCC tends to bring in artists focused on diversity within the African Diaspora, and Seibles seems to be a perfect fit. Though his poetry is simple, Seibles’ words go deep quickly, as he ruminates on topics related to race, class, and life. In “Magnifying Glass,” Seibles uses the image of a minute ant to contemplate life and force perspective when he says, “it’s a bug, a nearly less than little thing…who would curse your life if you bring out the Raid?” His most recent poetry compilation, from 2012, is Fast Animal, which received the Theodore Roethke Memorial Poetry Prize.
Hanya Yanagihara: Tragedy & Transcendence (March 22 at the DMA)
Hanya Yanagihara’s sophomore novel, A Little Life, hit the shelves in 2015 to rave reviews, winning multiple awards and qualifying as a finalist for the National Book Award. A Little Life is a story of friendship and perseverance, as four recent college graduates struggle to make lives for themselves in New York City. Yanagihara’s novel considers topics related to abuse and depression, but also romance and relationships. Yanagihara will be in conversation with KERA’s Krys Boyd, the host of Think. This night is part of the DMA’s Arts & Letters Live Distinguished Writers series, which spotlights best-selling and award-winning authors from all around the world.
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