Friday is National Read A Book Day, and what better way to kick off your weekend than to sink into a great book? Experts at the One World Literacy Foundation (O.W.L.) share that reading is important because “it helps to expand the mind and develops the imagination.”
The Idea Specialists© at The Retreat at Mountain Brook agree and have a few great recommendations for your reading pleasure that are just a short drive from our location; several are less than 10 minutes by car.
First, the Emmet O’Neal Library, one of Alabama’s top public libraries is conveniently located nearby at 50 Oak Street in Mountain Brook, Alabama. Besides its stunning inventory of books and audiobooks, the library offers a wide variety of programming including “Library Out Loud” and “Together Time”, story times at the library designed to entertain and educate all ages.
For those who love to read, we recommend that you can check these library offerings: for young readers, you can’t go wrong with The Cat in the Hat, a classic from Dr. Seuss that never fails to delight. Other books we like include Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library (for middle schoolers), and for YA readers, try We Hunt the Flame, a New York Times bestseller that presents a mix of magic, lost artifacts, and ancient evil…yes, please!
Adult visitors to the O’Neal will find a wide variety of new fiction and nonfiction, along with discussion groups such as the Genre Reading Group which holds monthly meetings. The group’s next meeting will be Tuesday, September 24, at 6:30 p.m. in the Library’s conference room and the discussion topic is Alabama/Alabama-related authors. You can visit the second floor service desk to see a display of related books or feel free to browse on your own!
However, if you prefer to browse and buy, there’s also a great local bookstore located less than five miles from our Retreat community. Situated in the heart of Crestline, Church Street Coffee & Books features a wide variety of books, along with monthly staff selections. The cozy bookstore is open seven days a week, early until late and features a wide variety of baked goods including their famous Breakup Cookies and Treehuggers (a cookie/granola bar hybrid) to house made granolas and biscotti.
Stop in and say hello to co-owner Cal Morris, a Wendell Berry fan and find out in person why he recommends Jayber Crow as a great read.
A few minutes further afield, you’ll find national booksellers Barnes and Noble at The Summit, and Books-A-Million at Brookwood Mall in Homewood. Both offer memberships that come with a 10 percent discount on all purchases along with that oh-so-important coffee shop inside as well.
So, if you enjoy reading and are looking for a community with great nearby outlets to support your hobby, consider making The Retreat at Mountain Brook your next home! Our location has it all—close proximity to bookstores, boutiques, local restaurants, grocery stores, pharmacies, and even a few big box retailers. We invite you to visit The Retreat for your personal tour of our serene wooded community and see for yourself how convenient the location is to retailers nearby! Contact The Retreat team at (205) 956-9722 or just stop in for your own personal tour today.
