This is a very... political... bookstore. Honestly I got kind of an angry vibe from the book selection. Not saying that's inappropriate for the current climate, just not my personal jam. (Also not at all a reflection of the staff who were friendly and awesome). If you are looking for anything social justice related though you can definitely find it here. If you are wanting to get involved in activism, protests, or progressive issues, and are very left-leaning, this is probably the right place for that. They also have pins, stickers, and a large calendar on the wall showing upcoming events. There is a small section in the front with books about local plants, mushrooms, and hiking. read more

They have so many books in a relatively small (for now! Soon to expand) space, and yet I can easily tell Ellen what I'm looking for and she has 5 suggestions for me. I always walk out of Burning Books with exactly what I need! read more

I love independent radical bookstores, and this one was no exception! Well-chosen collection of books, zines, and other merch and ephemera. The vibe is cozy and relaxed, and even though I was just passing through town, I hope that lots of locals support this spot! read more

Great independent bookstore doing a lot of work in the community. You'll find a lot of political, social justice, and theory books here - which is excellent. Prices are standard and you know where your money is going. The owners and staff have always been friendly, chatty, and humble in this world. Also, they host a lot of events that are open for anyone. With their new expansion, I'm looking forward to not being so crammed into a single, small room during those events - but that just shows the popularity of them! In fact, you should probably go there when they're open and buy a bell hooks book. You won't be disappointed by bell hooks. read more

Best bookstore in New York, period. This store is full of so many good books, zines, puzzles, buttons, shirts, media and more. Burning Books is an institution and has held events and meetings for activist groups for a decade. If you want books on racial justice, activism, environmental struggle, prisons or anything social justice related, this is your place. The owners are pretty awesome people and you can order everything in their store via their website burningbooks.com When you get a package from them (with tracking and a clear ordering system) you get all kinds of goodies like stickers and flyers in there! They are expanding to the property next door so soon, the store will be even bigger. Lucky for Buffalo! read more

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They have the best collection of books covering progressive issues period. Leslie and Theresa are always super friendly and helpful.

We stopped in here to check out some new books and I really love this store. Their window displays featured books about our most pressing social issues right now - white supremacy and reproductive rights. I can't wait to see the planned expansion. Skip the big retailers and support local businesses. read more

A wonderful bookstore with a great selection to choose from on the topics you're looking for. And they're preparing to expand their space as well, allowing them to better showcase what they have available and be able to host even more interesting events! Will always recommend Burning Books! read more

This is a great independent bookstore. All the material is lefty in someway...various movements, biographies of activists, vegan and vegetarian books, kids books on veganism, recycling, multiculturalism, etc. The owners are very knowledgable and dedicated and both are demonstrated activists. This store is also a community space with frequent talks, meetings, movie screenings, potlucks, etc. There are several events every week. Sign up for the newsletter. read more

This place is a gem in the Nickel City. Here's a local store that offers a pretty diverse selection of books (not just political as some might expect) but also some interesting stationary items and hand made pieces and gifts. The staff I interacted on the day I went were very polite and helpful. I look forward to coming again. read more

There's always someone willing to help me special order a book. They have a huge selection of lit on social justice, psychology, history, children's books, and much more. Staff is consistently kind and generous with their insight and time. read more

Really neat place! There is a theme here about social movements, history, justice. The shop is filled with weird little political booklets and unique texts that you won't find anywhere else. Some are one of a kind! They also sell handmade goods like Arabic scarves, Mexican looking wallets, pins, magnets, notepads. They do film nights and other goings ons as well. Love that they handed out a sticker and bookmark with my purchase. The cashier, Russel, was super friendly. Make a day of it and check out this place along with rust belt books, west side stories, and the west side bazaar! read more

Baaaahhhh... SHEEPLE. Break away from the herd mentality of those big box stores and poorly written sparkling vampire books and check out Burning Books. The store is the brain child of a former Earth Liberation Front Press Office spokesperson and specializes in books and dvds that aren't readily known or available. No, not like hoity toity Indy flicks or art house stuff. They offer books that provide the other half of the story. Topics that The Man would label as "subversive" to scare you from investigating and asking probing questions. Books abound spanning genres such as GMOs, Corporate farming, the new McCarthy era of blacklisting "eco-terrorists", abuse of authority, wrongful imprisonment, socio-economic divide and bias, racism, sexism and feminism, and much more. Burning Books also functions as a forum for intelligent discussion/discourse through its regular hosted special speaker series and screenings of documentaries. And no, the speakers aren't some grungy overly-self righteous college group leader. The speakers hosted here are legitimate subject matter experts or first hand witnesses (ie a survivor of the Attica Prison Uprising). The decor is minimalist and has an unfinished wood interior which sticks true to it's mission of function over form. There are no magic tricks here. What you see is what you get and the staff is very knowledgeable and eager to help. Have a chat with Nate Buckley; he is one pretty freakin' cool guy, soft spoken, ardent activist, and very humble to boot. I picked up a copy of Green is the New Red here. I was happy to see they also stock In The Spirit of Crazy Horse here too. Yeah it's $2-3 cheaper to buy it from that well known internet book store. But wouldn't you sleep better at night knowing that you are supporting a grass roots effort and keeping your dollars local? Or are you just posing as a locavore/hipster/supporter of independent shops? BTW, they usually only have 1-3 copies of each titles so you know this place is legit in it's mom and pop roots. You don't need to be a radical or the type of person that chains him/herself to a tree to appreciate the simplicity of Burning Books and it's contribution to the local neighborhood. BTW, you will be surprised by the clientele that comes here: Intellectuals, military, person-next-door, leftie, rightie, etc. Everyone is welcome. read more

I attended a talk last night at Buffalo's friendly, local, radical bookstore and I'll definitely be back. What a great spot. In addition to being a well-stocked bookstore, Burning Books offers frequent programs of interest to anyone interested in social justice. Check out the web site for upcoming events. You can also purchase materials through the Burning Books web site. read more