First Wednesday of each month 11:30-1:00

Mary Gay Shipley, owner of That Book Store in Blytheville, will speak at the Woman’s Discovery Center on Wednesday, November 5 for The Center’s monthly “First Wednesday” Brown Bag Luncheon.  Shipley, whose bookstore is nationally known for its ties with best-selling author John Grisham, will speak about the newest must-read books, good books for holiday gifts, and how to start your own book club. 

 Mary Gay Shipley opened That Book Store in Blytheville, AR in 1976.  It has since developed a reputation that has made it a unique Mid-America landmark. The store has 2400 square feet with more than 25,000 titles in stock. “I opened my store because there wasn’t one here and I thought we needed one,” said Shipley.  

Faye Cox, Executive Director of The Woman’s Discovery Center, says of Shipley, “Mary Gay is the quintessential Southern woman. She is well read and interested in a wide variety of subjects and willingly shares that interest with readers of all ages.”  The bookstore owner will speak on the best new books to read including, The Brass Verdict by Michael Connelly and Don’t Mind If I Do by George Hamilton. 

She will also give advice about how to start your own book club.  Shipley is an advocate of the importance of being well read. “It broadens your whole life experience.  It gives you the ability to live life with an open mind about what is possible,” said Shipley. 

For holiday gift giving Shipley says that a book is a great gift for anyone.  “The nice thing about books is they have a lot of value and they’re not as expensive as other things you buy for the holidays.”  She suggests Paula Dean’s My First Cookbook, Serena by Ron Rash, and A Very Marley Christmas by John Grogan and Richard Cowdrey, to name a few.