Hexagon books
Bringing to light diverse cultures through a distinct selection of world literature and language instruction.
Bringing to light diverse cultures through a distinct selection of world literature and language instruction.
In his short story “The Library of Babel”, Argentine writer Jorge Luis Borges imagines an infinite library containing all possible books in every possible language. In it, librarians roam through hexagon shaped rooms in search of meaning, proposing and debunking philosophical schools, founding religious sects, or exhausting themselves in search of the mythical text that holds the library’s secret. The story reflects our human limitations and our obsessive nature.
So, our Hexagon room is different. It wants to imitate a nook in Borges’s infinite library, and hold books from different parts of the world, written in different languages, reflecting different peoples and cultures. But you don’t have go on an existential crusade! The collection – even if it grows, as we hope it does – will always be presented in a way that allows you to browse, touch, and read every book. Although there are clear sections and signage – we even display world globes! -, we strongly recommend drifting through the store rather than aiming for a specific place. You may find books you never heard of before, or a classic that’s been on your list for a while, you might even find the national epic of that country you only hear about on the news, only now you can finally get a better glimpse of its culture, its people, and the art and beauty they make from their lives.
We buy used books in good condition, and are particularly interested in bilingual editions, books in foreign languages, and Manga.
Short reads of all kinds: novellas, short story collections, narrative poems. Meets monthly every second Wednesday at 7:15 in the store. First meeting is Feb. 12th for Claire Keegan’s novella Foster.
These are Nobel-prize winning authors and works, each representing a continent, that either you already love and want to reread and talk about with others, or have been on your list for a while and now you get to finally enjoy them. The club meets every other month on the 4th Wednesday @ 7.15, except April 16th. Hosted by Robert Hawkes.
Feb 26 García Márquez - One Hundred Years of Solitude
April 16 Toni Morrison - Beloved
June 25 Han Kang - Human Acts
August 20 Patrick White – The Vivisector
Oct. 22 Olga Tokarczuk – The Empusium
Dec. 17 Naguib Mahfouz - Midaq Alley
We currently offer Spanish, Italian and French classes. Our language lessons are based on the belief that frequency of instruction and a small classroom are best for fostering cultural competence and language fluency. Whether you want to learn basic phrases ahead of a trip, or delve more deeply into the language with the aim of achieving fluency, our courses, based on language immersion and practical situations, will help you learn useful skills and achieve your goals. Lessons take place twice a week in eight-week periods totaling sixteen hours of instruction.
French
From Jan 18 to March 8
Saturday 3:30-5:30
8 2-hour lessons $250 + textbook $50
Spanish
From Jan 18 to March 8
Saturday 1:00-3:00
8 2-hour lessons $250 + textbook $65
Italian
from Jan 14 to March 6
Tuesday and Thursday 6:00-7:00
16 1-hour lessons $250 + textbook $85
Originally from Honduras, I came to the US to attend Louisiana State University where I studied Spanish, Italian and Latin. I continued my studies at the university of Michigan which led me to a college professorship teaching Spanish and Italian, as well as Latin American literature and culture. I moved to Cleveland Heights 3 years ago to teach Spanish at a local high school. In 2024, I decided to pursue my dream of opening a bookstore, combining my 2 passions: languages and world literature.
My goal is to sustain a welcoming space that shines a light on diversity through the study of languages and the pleasure of reading.
Looking for something special? Have a question? Let us know, and we'll get back to you soon.
2184 Lee Rd, Cleveland Heights, OH 44118
Open today | 03:00 pm – 08:00 pm |
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