Powell's Indiespensable

Paused.The website says new subscriptions are paused for now. No recent status information was found; the latest coverage found dates from 2016.

What's in the box: When it ran, a typical shipment held a staff-selected signed first edition hardcover in a custom slipcase, often with a bonus book or small literary extras.

Powell's Indiespensable is not operating normally right now. Powell's says new subscriptions are paused for now, and we found no recent update on its status. When we checked powells.com, the site showed an error page saying it was temporarily unavailable, so we could not confirm any current details. The most recent coverage we found is from 2016. Indiespensable was a book club run by Powell's Books, the large independent bookstore in Portland, Oregon. When it was running, members received a featured new book chosen by Powell's staff. This was usually a signed first edition hardcover in a custom slipcase, often by a newer or lesser known author. Shipments also tended to include extras, such as another book or small literary items. People liked it for its careful curation and collectible editions from a respected independent seller, as opposed to bestseller picks. Sign-ups are paused and the website was unavailable when we checked, so we cannot recommend trying to subscribe. We also have no information on whether or when the program might return. If you are interested, check Powell's official channels for news first. We have not rated it because it is not currently operating.