General FAQs
Can you recommend a book?
I want to send a birthday/baby/holiday gift, but I don't know which titles to select. Can you help me?
Do you sell signed books? Used books?
Do you have a book club?
Where can I find "The Getaway Car" by Ann Patchett?
Are all of Ann Patchett's books really signed?
Do your gift cards expire?
Are you hiring?
Can I buy audiobooks and still support Parnassus?
Services
I'm a teacher/librarian. Does Parnassus provide any services for local schools and educators?
Can I start a wish list or gift registry on your website?
Can you accomodate bulk orders?
Do you provide any other services?
FAQs for Authors and Events
I'm an author. How do I request that you carry my book? How do I request an author event?
Are you able to sell books at an event I'm organizing?
Will Ann Patchett speak at an event I'm organizing?
Ordering Online
How do I find the book I’m looking for on your website?
Can I apply my Parnassus gift card to an online order?
How do I know if a book is currently on your shelves?
How long after I place a pickup order will it be ready?
Can I have a book gift-wrapped? Can I include a gift note or gift receipt?
Do you have signed books? How do I make sure I order a signed copy?
Shipping
What domestic shipping options do you offer?
Do you ship internationally?
Why isn’t media mail showing up as an option for my order?
My order shipped from your distributor. How do I track my shipment?
I haven’t received my order. What should I do?
I placed a pre-order and have since moved. How do I change my address on an order?
Returns
Have a question that isn't answered here?
General FAQs
Can you recommend a book?
It's our favorite thing to do! Give us a call at 615-953-2243 or stop by our store. Our amazing team of booksellers would love to help you find your next favorite read or the perfect gift.
I want to send a birthday/baby/holiday gift, but I don't know which titles to select. Can you help me?
Absolutely! We put together custom book bundles for all ages and occasions. Give us some information about the recipient, and we'll take it from there!
Do you sell signed books? Used books?
We do sell signed books! They cost the same as unsigned books. Visit our Signed Books page to browse our current selection of signed titles. While we do keep this page updated frequently, we can't guarantee availability. Please feel free to give us a call to confirm that signed stock is still available. When checking out online, it is important to put "Signed Copy" in the order comments, or your order may be fulfilled with an unsigned copy.
We don't sell or buy used books. Check out McKay's or Rhino Booksellers; both are excellent used bookstores here in Nashville!
Do you have a book club?
We have not one, but TWO book clubs! Our wonderful book club moderator, Kathy Schultenover, hosts the Parnassus Book Club and the Parnassus Classics Club. Visit this page for more information. Feel free to email us at orders@parnassusbooks.net if you have any questions.
Where can I find "The Getaway Car" by Ann Patchett?
Ah, so you've arrived from David Sedaris' MasterClass. First of all, welcome! We're happy to see you. To answer your question, the only place the essay exists in print is in Ann's first essay collection, This Is the Story of a Happy Marriage. All of our copies are signed and can be personalized upon request! You can find the hardcover and paperback editions, as well as all of Ann's other books, on this page.
Are all of Ann Patchett's books really signed?
Every single one! She'll even personalize your book, if you'd like. Just let her know what you'd like her to write in the comments section at checkout. You can find a list of all of Ann's books here.
Do your gift cards expire?
Our gift cards never expire. You can apply them to in-store and online purchases.
Note that if you use your gift card online, you’ll need to provide another form of payment (credit card or PayPal) in case your gift card doesn’t cover your entire order. A bookseller will manually apply your gift card to your order before charging your alternate payment method. Until then, a temporary authorization will be placed on your credit card or PayPal account.
Are you hiring?
Check our Employment Opportunities page for any current open positions.
Can I buy audiobooks or e-books and still support Parnassus?
We're so glad you asked! We partner with our friends at Libro.fm for audiobooks. Each purchase made through our link supports Parnassus!
Services
I'm a teacher/librarian. Does Parnassus provide any services for local schools and educators?
Parnassus is hugely thankful to and grateful for educators. What would we do without you? We are proud to provide resources and services for local schools and educators, including a 20% discount on books year-round, school author and illustrator visits, and bulk classroom orders. Visit our Educators page to learn more!
Can I start a wish list or gift registry on your website?
Absolutely! Books are wonderful gifts for baby showers, birthdays, weddings, you name it! You can find instructions and more details here. Feel free to email us at orders@parnassusbooks.net if you have any questions.
Can you accomodate bulk orders?
Certainly! Our Special Sales manager, Heather Patchett, would love to talk to you about the bulk order you have in mind. Please visit this page for more information.
Do you provide any other services?
Parnassus has a Book Club Registry, which enables local book groups to order and purchase their club's monthly selection at a 10% discount. Monthly titles are displayed in the store on the book club shelf with the club's name. Registered clubs also receive notices of special book club related author events and seminars. To register a club, simply stop by the store and fill out a short form -- just ask at the register. Parnassus Books strives to be a resource for all book clubs.
FAQs for Authors and Events
I'm an author. How do I request that you carry my book? How do I request an author event?
Here at Parnassus, we believe strongly in supporting the literary landscape of Nashville by stocking and supporting local authors. Whether you’re a debut author with a self-published book or an established veteran working with a major publisher, we would be glad to consider carrying your book on our shelves and hosting an author event with you. Visit this page to find some information about how our inventory and author event consideration processes work, as well as why we do things the way we do. We’ve also included some tips and advice for you based on our experiences over the years.
Are you able to sell books at an event I'm organizing?
Our events team would love to speak with you about your event! Visit our On-Site Event Sales page to learn more.
Would Ann Patchett speak at an event I'm organizing?
Please refer to Ann's website for her team's contact information. Parnassus Books is not responsible for scheduling Ann's engagements outside of our store's events.
Ordering Online
How do I find the book I’m looking for on your website?
To search for a specific title, use the search bar at the top of your screen. Place items in your shopping cart and proceed to checkout through our order form.
Can I apply my Parnassus gift card to an online order?
Absolutely! In checkout, you’ll be asked if you have a store gift card. Check “Yes!” and enter your 5-digit gift card number. It’s located in the upper right corner of your gift card.
Note that you’ll need to provide another form of payment (credit card or PayPal) in case your gift card doesn’t cover your entire order. A bookseller will manually apply your gift card to your order before charging your alternate payment method. Until then, a temporary authorization will be placed on your credit card or PayPal account.
How do I know if a book is currently on your shelves?
We maintain the in-store availability of titles on our website as accurately as possible. Changes to our inventory are automatically uploaded to our website four times per day. They do NOT happen in real time. Please call us at (615) 953-2243 to confirm the availability and price of a book.
Below are brief explanations of the availability terminology you'll find on our website.
"Availability: On Our Shelves Now" - This book was on our store's shelves and in our in-store inventory system the last time inventory data was uploaded to our website. Please call us to confirm the availability of a title before relying on this information.
"Availability: Special Order - Usually Arrives in 1-5 Days" - This book should be readily available to either ship directly to you or for us to order for you to pick up in the store. This status also means that the item was NOT on our shelves the last time inventory data was uploaded to our website.
"Availability: Coming Soon - Available for Pre-Order Now" - This book is available for us to pre-order for you, but is not yet available for pick-up or shipping. If you order it now, we will notify you or ship it to you when we receive it from the publisher.
"Availability: Availability to be confirmed" - This book may not be currently available from the publisher. This status is displayed for older titles that may not be in print or are between print runs. It is also displayed for new titles that will not be published for a month or more. We will attempt to order the book for you and will notify you of your order status.
"Availability: Out of Print" - Parnassus Books cannot obtain this book. If you live here in Nashville, we encourage you to check out one of Nashville's many excellent used bookstores, including Rhino Booksellers or McKay Used Books. Not in Nashville? Click here to find an independent bookstore near you!
How long after I place a pickup order will it be ready?
We typically are able to process pickup orders in less than 24 hours. It will take us a little longer during especially busy times, such as the holiday season. We will send you an email update about your order as soon as it has been processed, so please wait until you hear from us before coming to pick up your order.
Can I have a book gift-wrapped? Can I include a gift note or gift receipt?
We don't offer gift wrap, but we're more than happy to enclose a message and gift receipt! We take great care in packing and shipping our online orders. If you have any other special needs or requests for your order, please let us know in the comments section when you check out.
Do you have signed books? How do I make sure I order a signed copy?
We do! Check out our signed books page for our most up-to-date list of signed copies we have in stock. While we frequently update the lists, they are not updated in real time, so please give us a call at 615-953-2243 to confirm availability.
If you’d like a signed copy of a book you see on any of those lists, please write “Signed copy” in the comments section at checkout. Otherwise, your order may be fulfilled with an unsigned copy.
Shipping
What domestic shipping options do you offer?
We offer USPS’s media rate as an option for orders that contain books ONLY, as well as expedited rates through USPS Priority Mail and UPS Ground.
Orders shipped via media rate are usually received within 5 to 7 business days. Arrival time depends on how far from Nashville the order is being sent: Items sent within Tennessee will typically arrive faster than items sent out of state. Please note that media mail is not insured by USPS.
Orders shipped via expedited rate are insured and guaranteed by the US Postal Service/UPS to arrive within 4 business days. Most arrive within 2-3 business days.
Books not on our shelves may be shipped to you directly from a distributor's warehouse, especially if your order doesn't have any special requirements, such as an author’s signature. Shipping directly from a warehouse does not affect shipping rates.
Here is a breakdown of our domestic shipping rates:
|
Number of items |
USPS Media |
Expedited |
|
1 |
$5.50 |
$10.00 |
|
2 |
$6.25 |
$12.00 |
|
3 |
$7.00 |
$14.00 |
|
4 |
$7.75 |
$16.00 |
|
5 |
$8.50 |
$18.00 |
Do you ship internationally?
Absolutely! We ship to Canada via USPS for $20 for the first book, plus $2 for each additional book. We can also ship to almost any other country in the world via USPS International Mail for $25 for the first book, plus $5 for each additional book. If you’d like an insured international option, we can ship via FedEx or UPS International. Please let us know in the comments section at checkout if you’d like a custom quote.
Why isn’t media mail showing up as an option for my order?
USPS has very strict rules about what can be shipped via media mail; it’s reserved for educational materials only. If your order contains only books, media mail will be an available option. If your order includes any other item (i.e., tote bag, mug, t-shirt, certain journals, etc.), Expedited mail is your only shipping option.
My order shipped from your distributor. How do I track my shipment?
Unfortunately, our distributor doesn’t email tracking information. We are able to look up your tracking number once our distributor has processed your order, and we’re more than happy to send it along upon request! Email us at orders@parnassusbooks.net (be sure to include your order number!), and we’ll email your tracking information to you.
I haven’t received my order. What should I do?
If your order ships from our store (rather than our distributor), you will receive tracking information. Be sure to check the tracking status first. Please be patient and allow extra time for your order to arrive; there have been significant shipping delays during the COVID-19 crisis. If the issue still isn’t resolved, please reach out to us at orders@parnassusbooks.net.
I placed a pre-order and have since moved. How do I change my address on an order?
Give us a call at 615-953-2243 or email us at orders@parnassusbooks.net with your order number and new address, and we will update your order!
Returns
Do you accept returns?
All returns are handled on a case-by-case basis, subject to management discretion. Please note that we can process returns and refunds only for items purchased from Parnassus Books. Returned items must be in their original, salable condition.
To return an item purchased in the store, just bring in the item along with your receipt within 30 days of the purchase date. With your receipt, we're glad to offer you a refund in the form of your original payment. Some special-order items may not be returnable, and they will be marked as such on our website.
Need to return an item purchased online that arrived damaged? Changed your mind about the book you purchased? Did we send you the wrong book? (All online orders are processed by real people who occasionally make mistakes!) Email us at orders@parnassusbooks.net. We'll generate a shipping label so you can return the order to us, free of cost to you. We'll be glad to offer you a refund or a replacement book, subject to availability.
Have a question that isn’t answered here?
We hope you'll find the experience of shopping online as enjoyable as the experience of shopping in our store. Anything we might be able to do for you in the store, we're glad to try to do online, whether it's gift-wrapping, having a book autographed, answering questions, or helping with book suggestions. Please don't hesitate to call us during store hours at (615) 953-2243, and we will be happy to assist you!