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An independent bookstore found in Big Rapids, Michigan, Great Lakes Book and Supply quickly became a pillar of its community when it was founded over 30 years ago. Originally, the store stocked and traded books to local college students from Ferris State University. Over the years, it would grow to become the dominant independent bookstore in the region, selling not just books, but all kinds of print media, cards, office and art supplies, and even apparel from Ferris State. The store showcased a passion for literature -- especially for examples that focused on The Great Lakes. The indie bookstore would promote not just books about the famed lakes, but writers from the region too.
Sadly, the brick-and-mortar Great Lakes Book Supply closed its doors in 2018. Textbook sales still remained a fundamental piece of the bookstore's revenue throughout the years. In the 2010s, the store was challenged by the gradual decline of in-person textbook purchases, as college students preferred to buy from online sellers or rental services. This would eventually bring about Great Lakes Book and Supply's demise, marking a saddening day for Big Rapids and the entirety of The Great Lakes.
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Continuing the Literature Legacy
Here, we're proud to offer a small remnant of literature that honors the profound impact of Great Lakes Book and Supply. We've listed select book clubs from around Big Rapids and the Great Lakes region, along with their recommended readings. This online Great Lakes book club invites you to explore with its readings. A mix of fiction and nonfiction, each is bound to immerse you, taking you to the lakes and beyond while maintaining the spirit of adventure that the bookstore was known for.
Great Lakes Book Club
Friends Community Library Book Club (Big Rapids, Michigan)
Top Books:
The Martian by Andy Weir
Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng
The Bookman's Tale by Charlie Lovett
When Books Went to War by Molly Guptill Manning
Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
The Martian by Andy Weir
Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng
The Bookman's Tale by Charlie Lovett
When Books Went to War by Molly Guptill Manning
Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
Artworks! NovelTea Series (Big Rapids, Michigan)
Top Books:
The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson
The Women of the Copper Country by Mary Doria Russell
Nora Webster by Colm Toibin
The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty
The Hundred-Year House by Rebecca Makkai
The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson
The Women of the Copper Country by Mary Doria Russell
Nora Webster by Colm Toibin
The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty
The Hundred-Year House by Rebecca Makkai
No-Name Book Club (Multiple Locations & Online)
Top Books:
All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
A Framework for Understanding Poverty by Ruby K. Payne
All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
A Framework for Understanding Poverty by Ruby K. Payne
Olive's Book Club (Online)
Top Books:
The Pope's Daughter by Dario Fo
The Pope's Daughter by Dario Fo
Signed Editions
Another thing you'd often find at Great Lakes Book and Supply were signed editions of favorite books. Often autographed by authors from the region or those traveling about, these Great Lakes books took an already special creation and made it more personal. A hallmark of the indie bookstore, signed books are at once entertaining, historically important, and collectable. While Great Lakes Book and Supply is no longer in business, many similar independent bookstores sell special editions and signed editions of books. In addition, you're also able to find certain signed copies and first editions online at stores like Amazon.
One signed edition that we like to highlight is A 1,000-Mile Great Lakes Walk by Loreen Niewenhuis. Released in 2013, this nonfiction book tells of the author's trek around Lake Erie, Lake Huron, Lake Michigan, Lake Ontario, and Lake Superior. Traveling the shore of all five Great Lakes, the author undertook a massive, life-changing journey.
You can often find signed copies of Loreen Niewenhuis' adventurous story on Amazon.
Books About the Great Lakes
There is so much to learn about America's greatest fresh water lakes. Our Great Lakes experts have come up with a list of must-reads by category. Whether you're looking to do do some general reading, or interested in getting to know in-depth Great Lakes history, we've got you covered. Make sure to take a look at our Destinations section too -- it's full of staples for those cruising The Great Lakes.
Great Lakes History
1812: The War that Forged a Nation by Walter Borneman (2004)
HMS Detroit: The Battle for Lake Erie by Bob Malcomson (1990)
USS Lawrence vs. HMS Detroit - The War of 1812 on The Great Lakes by Mark Lardas (2017)
Searching for the Forgotten War: 1812 Canada by Patrick Carstens (2011)
Searching for the Forgotten War: 1812 United States by Patrick Carstens (2011)
American Attempt to Take Canada - War of 1812-1814: St. Joseph Island - Mackinac Island, Sault Ste. Marie by Sandra Rousseau (2018)
HMS Detroit: The Battle for Lake Erie by Bob Malcomson (1990)
USS Lawrence vs. HMS Detroit - The War of 1812 on The Great Lakes by Mark Lardas (2017)
Searching for the Forgotten War: 1812 Canada by Patrick Carstens (2011)
Searching for the Forgotten War: 1812 United States by Patrick Carstens (2011)
American Attempt to Take Canada - War of 1812-1814: St. Joseph Island - Mackinac Island, Sault Ste. Marie by Sandra Rousseau (2018)
Great Lakes Storms and Shipwrecks
Coffins of the Brave : Lake Shipwrecks of the War of 1812 Contributors: Crisman, Kevin James (2014)
Shipwrecks and Lost Treasures, Great Lakes: Legends and Lore, Pirates and More! by Michael O. Varhola (2008)
November's Fury : The Deadly Great Lakes Hurricane of 1913 by Michael Schumacher (2013)
The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald by Frederick Stonehouse (1977)
Went Missing: Fifteen Vessels that Disappeared on Lake Superior by Frederick Stonehouse (1977)
Shipwrecks and Lost Treasures, Great Lakes: Legends and Lore, Pirates and More! by Michael O. Varhola (2008)
November's Fury : The Deadly Great Lakes Hurricane of 1913 by Michael Schumacher (2013)
The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald by Frederick Stonehouse (1977)
Went Missing: Fifteen Vessels that Disappeared on Lake Superior by Frederick Stonehouse (1977)
Great Lakes Ecology
Lake Invaders : Invasive Species and the Battle for the Future of The Great Lakes by William Rapai (2016)
The Great Lakes Water Wars by Peter Anin (2006)
The Death and Life of the Great Lakes by Dan Egan (2017)
The Great Lakes Water Wars by Peter Anin (2006)
The Death and Life of the Great Lakes by Dan Egan (2017)
Great Lakes Destinations
Exploring Manitoulin by Shelley J. Pearen (2001)
The Dawn of Detroit : A Chronicle of Slavery and Freedom in the City of the Straits by Tiya Miles (1970)
Mackinac Island: Its History in Pictures by Eugene T. Petersen (1973)
The Soldiers of Fort Mackinac - An Illustrated History by Phil Porter
Cleveland: A Concise History, 1796-1996 (The Encyclopedia of Cleveland History) by Carol Poh Miller and Robert Wheeler
Mine to Mill: History of the Great Lakes Iron Trade: From the Iron Ranges to Sault Ste. Marie by Phillip Stager
Aboriginal (First Nations) History
The Archaeology of Native-Lived Colonialism : Challenging History in The Great Lakes by Neal Ferris (2009)
Contested Territories : Native Americans and Non-Natives in the Lower Great Lakes (2012)
Gathering Places: Aboriginal and Fur Trade Histories Various Authors (2011)
The Dawn of Detroit : A Chronicle of Slavery and Freedom in the City of the Straits by Tiya Miles (1970)
Mackinac Island: Its History in Pictures by Eugene T. Petersen (1973)
The Soldiers of Fort Mackinac - An Illustrated History by Phil Porter
Cleveland: A Concise History, 1796-1996 (The Encyclopedia of Cleveland History) by Carol Poh Miller and Robert Wheeler
Mine to Mill: History of the Great Lakes Iron Trade: From the Iron Ranges to Sault Ste. Marie by Phillip Stager
Aboriginal (First Nations) History
The Archaeology of Native-Lived Colonialism : Challenging History in The Great Lakes by Neal Ferris (2009)
Contested Territories : Native Americans and Non-Natives in the Lower Great Lakes (2012)
Gathering Places: Aboriginal and Fur Trade Histories Various Authors (2011)
Great Lakes General Reading
KNOW YOUR SHIPS - THE GREAT LAKES SHIPS FIELD GUIDE - All Ships That Sail On Lake Michigan, Superior, Huron, Erie, Ontario, St Lawrence Seaway and Salties by Marine Publications (2018)
The Group of Seven Painters and Tom Thomson by David P. Silcox (2006)
The Welland Canals : the Frowth of Mr. Merritt's ditch by Styran, Roberta McAfee
The Living Great Lakes : Searching for the Heart of the Inland Seas (First Edition) by Jerry Dennis (2003)
The Sixty Years' War for The Great Lakes, 1754-181 Contributors: Nelson, Larry L., Skaggs, David Curtis (2001)
The Group of Seven Painters and Tom Thomson by David P. Silcox (2006)
The Welland Canals : the Frowth of Mr. Merritt's ditch by Styran, Roberta McAfee
The Living Great Lakes : Searching for the Heart of the Inland Seas (First Edition) by Jerry Dennis (2003)
The Sixty Years' War for The Great Lakes, 1754-181 Contributors: Nelson, Larry L., Skaggs, David Curtis (2001)
