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Reposted by Detroit Specials Used Books

Maggie Tokuda-Hall @maggietokudahall.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Here's the thing: most books that are banned don't make the lists that get circulated each #BannedBooksWeek. If you're a book creator and your book gets banned, please respond to this post with your book and its buy link on bookshop.org. That way we can support indies and banned books 💛

bookshop.org

Bookshop.org: Buy books online. Support local bookstores.

A better way to buy books online. Every purchase financially supports local independent bookstores.

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Detroit Specials Used Books @detroitspecials.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

The last couple of weeks have been great in some ways and awful in others. to that second point, apparently I'm going to have to put a 'no jerking off, do that shit at home, what is WRONG with you' sign in our bathroom

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Detroit Specials Used Books @detroitspecials.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

HEY so I always say our music is UP but uhhhh our music is TIRED. I want a new playlist. Now taking recommendations for book-browsing music. Upbeat is better & some lo-fi works too. Good protest songs are IT. What could you listen to in a playlist EVERY DAY for months? lmk pic info in alt text

Photograph of a person wearing a surgical mask and glasses with a cat on each shoulder: orange cat on their right shoulder, and a tabby-and-white cat on the left. The person is facing the camera and the cats are looking away. Full bookshelves are visible in the background.

The cats are two of our fosters from a few years ago; they came in together and were adopted out quickly. The orange was formerly called Beetle and the tabby-spotted one was Charlie. I don't know their names now but I do know they went to very loving homes =^ x ^=

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Detroit Specials Used Books @detroitspecials.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Good afternoon, all. It's a sunny fall day in the Motor City. Our music is ON and the lights are UP and our free table is LOADED and we are HERE at 8275 John R in Detroit until 7 PM tonight. Hope to see you!

Photograph of the interior of a bookstore showing a loaded display table and full bookshelves.

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Detroit Specials Used Books @detroitspecials.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Our October calendar is HERE! We're open today, tomorrow, & next weekend. Then we CLOSE for 2 weeks so I can do a store reset ahead of our Nov. inspections. We're heading into our final push for Inspection Perfection. I'll post numbers later, but: we passed the 3,000-book milestone last weekend!

Promotional graphic for Detroit Specials Used Books, featuring an October 2026 calendar. Background is a truly unhinged jack-o-lantern held aloft. Calendar shows our open days (this weekend: Sat. 2-9 & Sun. 17; next weekend Thurs. 1-7; Fri. & Sat. 2-9; Sun. 1-7 + Halloweekend: Thurs. 1-7, Fri. & Sat. 2-9). Book icons mark dates the free table will be stocked (every open day through the 11th). The words 'CLOSED for store reset' are written across the weekends of the 15th and the 22nd. A little cartoon cat drawn to look like store mascot Lily Boots is cheering with pompoms raised on 10/29 with the words WE'RE BACK.

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Detroit Specials Used Books @detroitspecials.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Hello, all. It's a stunning afternoon here in Detroit. At the bookstore our lights are ON and the music is UP and the free table is PACKED and we are HERE at 8275 John R until 9 PM tonight. Hope to see you!

Photograph of a hand holding up a copy of Madonna Kolbenschlag's KISS SLEEPING BEAUTY GOOD-BYE. The cover has a lovely illustration by Leo & Diane Dillon of a woman leaning in to kiss a frog while classic fairytales play themselves out in her hair.

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Detroit Specials Used Books @detroitspecials.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Good morning, all. We'll be closed today so I can deal with the 600+ cozy reads we picked up a couple of days ago. I'm making progress but just haven't managed to put them all away yet. We'll be back tomorrow...hope to see you!

Photograph of a table just loaded with paperback books. All pictured books are cozy reads: cozy fiction, chick lit, romance, and cozy mysteries. A black bar at the top of the image contains text. Text reads: Detroit Specials Used Books is CLOSED Thursday & Friday. We'll be back Saturday, 10/3 - Saturday 2-9 PM - Sunday 1-7 PM

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Detroit Specials Used Books @detroitspecials.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

And that's a wrap on this week! Thank you to everyone who stopped by the store to shop and/or help clear out our free shelves. We're CLOSED until next Thursday. Our hours next week are 1-7 Thursday, 2-9 Friday & Saturday, and 1-7 Sunday. Hope to see you! for now I'm gonna go crash out like a cat

Photograph of an orange cat all curled up on a little bee blankie and snorin' away

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Detroit Specials Used Books @detroitspecials.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Good afternoon, all. It's a lovely sunny day in Detroit. Here at the store, the music is ON and the lights are UP and our free table is BACK and we are OPEN tonight until 7 PM. Hope to see you!

Photograph of a hand holding up a copy of THE ABOLITIONIST'S HANDBOOK by Patrisse Cullors

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Detroit Specials Used Books @detroitspecials.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Happy Caturday to all who celebrate! you can celebrate with music you can have a dance attack you can party with your friends Lily only wants a snack

youtube.com

Lily Wants a Snack I

YouTube video by Bookstore Adventures!

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Detroit Specials Used Books @detroitspecials.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Good afternoon, all. It's a lovely day in Detroit 🌞 Our lights are ON and the music is UP and our free table is BACK and we are HERE at 8275 John R in Detroit until 9 PM tonight. Hope to see you!

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Detroit Specials Used Books @detroitspecials.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Hello, Detroit! It's a lovely sunny day here in the Motor City. Our music is ON and the lights are UP and we are HERE at 8275 John R in Detroit until 9 PM tonight. Hope to see you!

Photograph of a display table at a bookstore, featuring an assortment of nonfiction and fiction books. Many of the nonfiction books are about the environment and social justice; many of the fiction titles are fantasy or mystery books.

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Detroit Specials Used Books @detroitspecials.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Good afternoon, all. It's a beautiful day in Detroit. Here at the store, our lights are UP and the music is ON and we are OPEN tonight until 7 PM. We're at 8275 John R in Detroit, just a couple of blocks away from the Detroit People's Food Co-Op. Hope to see you!

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Detroit Specials Used Books @detroitspecials.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

People often ask me which sagas are worth reading. This one

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Detroit Specials Used Books @detroitspecials.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

And that's a WRAP for this weekend. Thank you to everyone who visited us! We'll be back next weekend: 1-7 Thurs 2-9 Fri & Sat 1-7 Sun I haven't tallied the Inspection Perfection numbers yet but I do know we're still on track to hit our goal! I'll post the update here some time next week 🎉

static.klipy.com

Cartoon Characters Celebrating

ALT: Cartoon Characters Celebrating

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Detroit Specials Used Books @detroitspecials.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

I almost forgot to mention: our Blind Dates have been restocked! Going forward, I'll do my best to keep up a nice supply.

Photograph of several Blind Date with a Book packs on a shelf. The books are wrapped in brown paper and each one has several goodies like tea sachets, bookmarks, stickers, etc., tucked into the folds of the wrap.

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Detroit Specials Used Books @detroitspecials.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

me: heck yeah, 1960s queer spice, let's goooo also me: wait, is that a bite mark (it is) my brain: quatrefoil: it's book-bitin' good! me: my brain: me: why my brain: you can use that me: my brain: no charge.

Photograph of a hand holding up a copy of James Barr's QUATREFOIL. The tagline reads: An adult novel of a love between two men that defied society's strongest taboo. There's a large, deep bite mark along the outer edge of the book.

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Detroit Specials Used Books @detroitspecials.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

okay, this writing team was NOT on my bingo card

Photograph of a hand holding up a copy of THE BOOK OF ELSEWHERE, by China Miéville and...Keanu Reeves

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Detroit Specials Used Books @detroitspecials.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

Our Blind Dates are BACK! ...aaaand they're already mostly gone I had six Dates out at open, & added four in the hours since. These are the only two left. guess I'd better step up my game More Blind Dates will be on the shelf tomorrow. We're here until 9 tonight & 1-7 tomorrow. Hope to see you!

Photograph of two Blind Date with a Book packages. They books are in brown paper wrapping, and have little goodies like bookmarks, tea sachets, and more slipped into extra folds in the packaging. Each one has a white tag with a brief description of the book on the front.

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Detroit Specials Used Books @detroitspecials.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Good afternoon, all. Who's ready for some updates? Inspection Perfection: We're halfway through our IP push, and we're halfway to our goal. THANK YOU to everyone for showing up for us! Only four weeks to go ~~

Promotional graphic with colorful text on a black background. Text reads: Inspection Perfection UPDATE: 1591 books SOLD / 939 books GIVEN AWAY - still need to move 2470

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Detroit Specials Used Books @detroitspecials.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

LMAOO what in the drunken uncle IS this U-Haul assigned me the truck in the 1st pic today. It rips off THEIR OWN ART (2nd pic). It's 100% one of the most pathetic things I've ever seen. plus the vinyl wrap is already bubbling up This truck is a master class on why cheaping out is Bad, Actually

Photograph of the side of a U-Haul truck. The truck is decorated with one of their Venture Across America Supergraphics. The Supergraphics are usually lovely, intricate illustrations. This one is a hot mess. It looks like the melted-candle version of a Spongebob Squarepants-style doodle of a sea turtle, and has a confusing amalgam of similar melted-candle random shapes on the bottom and sides. Like what IS that junk??

The upper left-hand corner of the image should have an image number and the text Ventures Across America swooping up and to the right. Instead, it reads OG + {choppy smeared graphics which are very slightly letter-shaped but are completely nonsensical}. Text on the bottom has one sentence about how long sea turtles can hold their breath underwater (several hours). This is a shameful mess.

A copyrighted U-Haul Supergraphic for the state of Oregon which depicts a deep water research submersible. The colors are very close to those of the "sea turtle" -- but what's most striking is the SHAPE of the submersible; it has generally the same outline as the "sea turtle" abomination in the previous image, but in this case the visuals make sense.

We used to be a country

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Detroit Specials Used Books @detroitspecials.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Hello, all. Here's what's on deck for this weekend: Inspection Perfection updates will be posted tonight, plus updates on our new arrivals & our upcoming store reset. Blind Dates will be back in stock on Saturday!

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Detroit Specials Used Books @detroitspecials.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Good very early morning, all. This post and the comments aren't book-related but my TL was blessed and I'm passing along the good vibes. the comments are very sweet and there's video too 🦞

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Detroit Specials Used Books @detroitspecials.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Going through some of our new arrivals as I restock for the weekend. Along with all of the great books we've received, we also have several new-to-us DVDs in stock. They'll be available this weekend 🎉

Close-up of the DVD disk for Pink Floyd's The Wall. An illustration of the vaginal flower which features heavily in the film is printed on the disc.

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Detroit Specials Used Books @detroitspecials.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

The lights are ON and the music is UP and we are HERE at 8275 John R in Detroit until 7 PM tonight. Hope to see you!

Photograph of a selection of nonfiction and fiction titles in hardcover and paperback. The books are stacked spine-out atop a white table; a blurry bookstore display is visible in the background.

Photograph of a selection of middle grade and teen/YA fiction books in hardcover and paperback. The books are stacked spine-out on a shelf.

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Detroit Specials Used Books @detroitspecials.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

It's been busy-ish already, so I almost forgot: the lights are UP, the music is ON, our free table is STOCKED, and we are HERE at 8275 John R in Detroit tonight until 9 PM. Hope to see you!

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Detroit Specials Used Books @detroitspecials.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

EMERGENCY SCHEDULE CHANGE WE WILL BE CLOSED TODAY (SEPT. 11) In the past 2 days we've had in-store & online shoppers buy a combined total of EIGHT HUNDRED BOOKS. First: WOW! THANK YOU!! Second: the only way I can get these orders out on time & not fall out is to close for the day. 1/

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Detroit Specials Used Books @detroitspecials.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

WOMP WOMP *sigh* This is a personal record for having to make changes to our schedule. We have an updated estimate for power restoration to the store. DTE now says "end of day on Friday." That means Saturday night. Even if power returns Friday night, I'm much too far behind to open this weekend.

Promotional graphic featuring a September calendar laid over a photograph of a cozy reading setup. This weekend is crossed out. For all of the following weeks, our hours are: 1-7 PM Thursday, 2-9 PM Friday & Saturday, and 1-7 PM Sunday.

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Detroit Specials Used Books @detroitspecials.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

WELP. The store hasn't had power since last night and probably won't have power until at least tomorrow. Since no fans = no ventilation, it's 95+ degrees in there...which makes hauling books extra exhausting. TL;DR - we're CLOSED Friday & Saturday so I can finish my prep work 1/?

Photo of a light bulb which has been filled with string lights, illuminating an open book in the darkness.

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Detroit Specials Used Books @detroitspecials.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

On today's episode of Look What We Got! - The Book Was Better Edition: A. S. Byatt's THE DJINN IN THE NIGHTINGALE'S EYE. The titular novella is a gentle meditation on desire & power. It was the inspiration for the film A THOUSAND YEARS OF LONGING w/Idris Elba & Tilda Swinton. The book is better

Photograph of a hand holding up a copy of A. S. Byatt's THE DJINN IN THE NIGHTINGALE'S EYE. The film is a lovely adaptation. But the book is better

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Detroit Specials Used Books @detroitspecials.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

Good afternoon, all! Our back-to-school sale ends today! 10% off kids' & educational books + all games & puzzles. Check out the pics for a TINY sample of what's in stock right now in children's books.

Photograph of two bookshelves side-by-side. Both shelves are fully stocked with children's books.

Photograph of one shelf of a bookshelf. The shelf has several books from the Bad Kitty series, and from the Big Nate series.

Photograph of one shelf in our children's section. The shelf has a few Captain Underpants and Dog Man books, but is mostly taken up with books from the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series.

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Detroit Specials Used Books @detroitspecials.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

Today's episode of Illustrators Who Understood the Assignment features Paul Galdone's absolutely unhinged Goldilocks. This little chaos gremlin is from his book The Three Bears, a retelling of Goldilocks and the Three Bears that's pretty straightforward, except Goldie looks like Chuckie's kid sister

A page from Paul Galdone's The Three Bears. Text reads: a little girl named Goldilocks came to their house. Goldilocks has stolen a full bouquet of flowers from the bears' garden and is leering at the viewer like she's about to set the blooms on fire. It's amazing.

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Reposted by Detroit Specials Used Books

Detroit Specials Used Books @detroitspecials.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

Earlier this week, I picked up our last large haul until October. The donation came from a local library which was clearing out old sale stock & doing a cull of their shelves. Most of the books from this haul went to giving our free table a major boost.

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Detroit Specials Used Books @detroitspecials.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

I just wanna know which ones have stars upon thars

Photograph of a hand holding up a copy of Dr. Seuss's THE SEVEN LADY GODIVAS. The cover illustration is of a knight in armor with his helmet removed, standing atop a dead Seussian bearlike animal. Facing the knight with their rear ends to the camera are seven naked women of different body types. It's surprisingly wholesome for a cover full that's like 95% nekkid wimmin

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Detroit Specials Used Books @detroitspecials.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

Inspection Perfection is going great so far! Thank you to everyone who's shown up to shop, visited our free table, & shared info on our attempt to get to 5k books moved by 10/18. We've knocked out almost THIRTY PERCENT of the books we needed to move in the FIRST WEEK. Seven weeks left! 1/?

Promotional graphic: colorful text over a black background. Text reads: Inspection Perfection UPDATE - 751 books SOLD - 674 books GIVEN AWAY - Still need to move 3575

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Detroit Specials Used Books @detroitspecials.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

I'm off to pick up our LAST large book haul until late October. Stay tuned for pics!

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Detroit Specials Used Books @detroitspecials.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

Our free table is JUMPING. The books pictured may or may not still be available. But we still have SO MANY books out there: lots of hardcover fiction & nonfiction, some coffee table style books, and some more kids' and teen/YA books. We also a few trade paperbacks (the larger PB books). 1/2

Photograph of a box filled with spine-out mass market paperbacks. A copy of Dalton Trumbo's Johnny Got His Gun is face-out on top of the books. Johnny's cover features a soldier standing before a gigantic hand flashing a peace sign.

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Detroit Specials Used Books @detroitspecials.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

Good afternoon, all! It's a beautiful day in the D. Our music is ON and our lights are UP and we are HERE at 8275 John R in Detroit until 7 PM tonight. The pic is from inside the store; outside, our free table is HOPPING. If you can't make it today, we're doing it again next week. Hope to see you!

Photograph of a bookshelf in a bookstore. Some plays are displayed spine-out, and an assortment of fiction and nonfiction titles are displayed face-out.

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Detroit Specials Used Books @detroitspecials.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

Before Ms. Frizzle, there was Miss Pickerell. Miss Pickerell also went on wild science adventures, but instead of an entire classroom full of kids she was mostly accompanied by her pet cow and sometimes her seven nieces & nephews. this one's on our free table...but maybe not for long!

Photo of a hand holding up a battered copy of MISS PICKERELL GOES TO MARS. A brightly lit bookstore is visible in the background.

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Detroit Specials Used Books @detroitspecials.bsky.social · 22/08/2026

LOOK WHAT WE GOT, S6, E...? 8? I think?, stacks on stacks on stacks edition This stack looks random. It is, and it isn't. These are the books we're adding to our site next. They're going up today and tonight. We also have more than one copy of several of these! Site is linked downthread.

Photo of two stacks of hardcover and paperback books. Fiction and nonfiction titles are represented, along with a few books for kids. A full bookstore display is visible in the background.

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Detroit Specials Used Books @detroitspecials.bsky.social · 22/08/2026

Inspection Perfection is going great so far -- thank you so much to everyone who's ordered books, come in to shop, and visited our free table! As of this AM, we've SOLD 418 books and GIVEN AWAY 474 books, for a total of 892 books GONE. Now we only need to move 4108 books by 10/18 🎉 LET'S GOOOO

Photograph of a metal bookshelf filled with paperback horror, fantasy, and science fiction books.

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Detroit Specials Used Books @detroitspecials.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

Bump! The music is ON and the lights are UP and our free table has new BOOKS and so do our SHELVES and we are HERE at 8275 John R in Detroit tonight until 9 PM. Hope to see you!

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Detroit Specials Used Books @detroitspecials.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

Hello, all! So. This is huge: after FOUR YEARS of struggling with Long Covid, I'm finally seeing major health improvements. Soon I'll be fit enough to make some BIG changes at the store that I've wanted to do for ages. But first, we have to pass inspections! And for that, I need your help. 1/?

Promotional graphic. Image of the Detroit city skyline against a black background with text above. Text reads: Help us reach inspection perfection! Detroit Specials has inspections in NOVEMBER

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Detroit Specials Used Books @detroitspecials.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

Good morning, all! Schedule update: We usually close for 6 weeks after Bookfest. This year, we only closed for 1 week. It's been great! ...and a struggle. To catch up, we're closing on Thursdays for the rest of August. Thursday hours will return in Sept. We have news coming soon! Stay tuned...

Promotional graphic featuring store hours. Text on a black background, with clip art of an open book at the bottom of the graphic. Text reads: OUR AUGUST HOURS: Friday: 2-9 PM Saturday 2-9 PM Sunday 1-7 PM Thursday hours return in September 8275 John R. - 48202

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