City Lights Booksellers & Publishers | A Literary Meetingplace Since 1953

Open Daily: 10am – 10pm

Our hours are 10am to 8pm on Dec 31, and we will be open on Jan 1.

Welcome to City Lights

A literary meetingplace since 1953, City Lights is a landmark bookstore and publishing house, known for our commitment to innovative writing and progressive ideals.

Forthcoming Books from City Lights Publishers

See our forthcoming releases, including essays about the “afterlife” of Japanese American incarceration during WWII from Brandon Shimoda, and Karen Finley’s meditation on the extraordinary time of Covid.

We have two additions to our acclaimed Pocket Poet Series including a new edition of Philip Lamantia’s classic from 1967, plus the next book in the series from Gaza-based poet Nasser Rabah.

Get City Lights Gear

Our classic black t-shirt and black tote bag are the perennial favorites, but don’t overlook our onesies, journals and more.

Readings and Events

Click here to learn more about our virtual calendar. We host weekly events with authors from across the publishing world.

New in the Bookstore

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Our Story

City Lights Bookstore was founded by poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti in 1953, and became an instant gathering place for readers, writers, artists, and activists. In 1955, Ferlinghetti launched City Lights Publishers with the now-famous Pocket Poets Series. Find out how it all began.

Learn more