Speaking Volumes Books

Speaking Volumes Books A small book store specializing in first editions, Canadiana, theatre, film, performing arts, history, and rare volumes in Markdale, Ontario.

I think we have a poltergeist with a camera.
08/22/2026

I think we have a poltergeist with a camera.

A reminder that Patricia Kortland will be reading from her work in the store this afternoon at 2pm, Patricia will be se...
08/09/2026

A reminder that Patricia Kortland will be reading from her work in the store this afternoon at 2pm, Patricia will be selling copies of her books, and if you ask nicely, she just might sign it as well.
Enjoy a free coffee, check out the art of local artist P. James in the Gallery.
Our August promotion continues, which offers a free book from the sale room for every book you purchase in the store.

For those customers who have been wondering when we will. resume our Sunday afternoon cultural events the answer is tomo...
08/08/2026

For those customers who have been wondering when we will. resume our Sunday afternoon cultural events the answer is tomorrow. At 2pm Sunday, we will be featuring area writer Patricia Kortland, who will be discussing her work and reading from her books "Inn the Beginning", "Unravelling", and "Redcoats, White Arrow".
Signed copies of her books are available for sale and, as always, coffee will be served.

We will be open Monday August 3, the Civic Holiday, from 10 am to 5 pm. Our buy one book, get one book free from the sa...
08/02/2026

We will be open Monday August 3, the Civic Holiday, from 10 am to 5 pm. Our buy one book, get one book free from the sale room event continues through August. Check out our current Gallery show featuring local artist P. James. Enjoy a free coffee while you are in the store. Is there a better way to spend a holiday than surrounding by thousands of great books?

Staying open until 8 pm tonight, in case people are wondering what great works of literature do after 5 pm. The sale con...
07/24/2026

Staying open until 8 pm tonight, in case people are wondering what great works of literature do after 5 pm.
The sale continues.

Sold out everywhere, but I got one in my store. Get a free book too.
07/23/2026

Sold out everywhere, but I got one in my store. Get a free book too.

The "Get a Free Book Sale" (buy any book in the store, get a free one from the sale room) continues at least until the e...
07/23/2026

The "Get a Free Book Sale" (buy any book in the store, get a free one from the sale room) continues at least until the end of the month. After that, who knows?
Any aspiring or practising therapists will be happy to note that a good selection of therapy books from a world-renowned veteran psychotherapist, who happens to live with me, has been added to the sale room.
Other reasons to drop into the store include an astonishing array of reading material under one roof; the prospect of a free coffee; the group of interesting people seated at the table enjoying said coffee; the artwork on the wall by P. James; the eclectic music being played and the lure of uncovering buried treasure.

We will be open late this evening for all who will be attending the Markdale Classic Car and Motorcycle Show, which is h...
07/17/2026

We will be open late this evening for all who will be attending the Markdale Classic Car and Motorcycle Show, which is happening in town from 6pm to 8 pm. Why not take a break from all that auto-eroticism and enjoy a free cup of coffee, the work of local artist P. James in our Gallery, and an intriguing inventory containing subjects ranging from aardvarks to zymurgy? All this and current bestsellers too. Take advantage of our July Sale which offers a free book from our sale room with every book purchased. Check out our selection of automobile books. We will even play Queen's "I'm in Love with My Car" for anyone undergoing withdrawal.

Here's something that you don't see everyday. We have 27 volumes, each containing six months of the original issues of t...
07/10/2026

Here's something that you don't see everyday. We have 27 volumes, each containing six months of the original issues of the satirical publication "Punch", ranging from 1889 to 1942. "Punch" was a highly influential satirical magazine in Britain from 1841 to 2002, a kind of forerunner to National Lampoon, if you will.
A great find for lovers of humour, history, and hyperbole, priced to sell.
Drop by and scour through a bunch of things that are older than Willie Nelson.

Dear Members of the Society for the Protection of Bound Literary Works,It has come to our attention that there is an egr...
07/08/2026

Dear Members of the Society for the Protection of Bound Literary Works,
It has come to our attention that there is an egregious crime against literacy being committed in the small village of Markdale, Ontario. In it, there is a business which calls itself a bookstore (as if a community that size even needs a bookstore! Isn't Amazon enough?) and in it can be found what all of our members would most certainly deem an atrocity.

It is referred to as a "50% Off Book Room" but, truth be told, it is nothing more than a closet, and the conditions inside that closet are deplorable. While the shelves of the store are certainly overcrowded, the contents of that room form a literal skid row. Its residents are crammed in w***y nilly without regard for background or predisposition. Here one might find the "Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglas" resting comfortably above a biography of George Wallace, "Fifty Shades of Gray" atop a tome by Rev. Billy Graham, and Dr. Seuss commingled with Dr. Phil.
We know from history that these kinds of conditions can only lead to book banning or, what's worse, book burning. And so, we implore our members to help alleviate, in whatever way they can, the suffering of these poor creatures. They already labour under the insult of being labelled "used", "superfluous", "written in", "slow-moving" or even God forbid, "previously enjoyed". It is one of our basic tenets that every book has a reader, and there is no reason for any of these books to remain homeless.
It is time to liberate these creatures from their life of misery. We have learned from our inquiries that, in addition to the 50% offering on the books in this room, one will be given at no cost with every book purchased in the remainder of the store until the end of the month.
How can I help, you ask? What can I do against a situation that threatens to become an uncontrolled and irreversible state of emergency? Think of the oft-told story of the boy on the beach crowded with starfish, throwing them back into the ocean one at a time, knowing that at least he is making a difference to the one in his hand.
We thank you for your attention in this matter.
And so do the starfish.

Address

42 Main Street W
Markdale, ON
N0C1H0

Opening Hours

Wednesday 10am - 5pm
Thursday 10am - 5pm
Friday 10am - 5pm
Saturday 10am - 5pm
Sunday 10am - 5pm

Telephone

+19057198878

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Speaking Volumes Books posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category