Words

The trees are speaking

October 4, 2025
How much do forests matter? Author and reporter Lynda Mapes was in Acton on September 25 to address this question. Sixty-five attendees joined the author at Town Hall and another 25 listened online as Mapes described her research on the ecology of old-growth forests and all that she has learned. “It isn’t just the old trees that matter . . . Good people, every tree matters. Your town trees matter, the trees in your backyard matter, the trees in your local forests matter.” Her presentation focused on her new book, “The Trees Are Speaking: Dispatches from the Salmon Forests,” which…

The Silver Unicorn wins award for its independent spirit

August 30, 2025
The Silver Unicorn Bookstore, a neighborhood hub in Acton known for its welcoming shelves of adult and children’s titles as well as its lively calendar of author events, has just received the Independent Spirit Award from the New England Independent Booksellers Association. Chosen by the Book Publisher Representatives…

Treasure hunt book includes clues in Acton

January 17, 2025
In the 1980’s, readers became obsessed with a picture book, Masquerade, in which the text and illustrations concealed clues to the location of a golden treasure that the author had hidden somewhere in Great Britain. Masquerade spawned a whole genre of book-based treasure hunts, with clues based in…

Boozy book fair brings out a crowd

August 9, 2024
A hot summer night, beer, themed cocktails, and piles of brand new books… what could be finer? An annual collaboration between True West Brewery and Silver Unicorn Bookstore, both in West Acton, brings a large selection of books and an outdoor bar to the patio in front of…
Cover of Clegg and Kennedy’s book on local journalism.

On Local News: Silver Unicorn Bookstore Event

March 6, 2024
A standing-room-only crowd of more than forty was packed into The Silver Unicorn Bookstore for “Community News Night” on the evening of Friday, March 1. In partnership with this publication, Acton Exchange, the small indy bookseller in West Acton hosted veteran journalists Ellen Clegg and Dan Kennedy to discuss…

Welcome to the Acton Exchange Website

November 1, 2023
This is the ‘beta’ test site for the internet home of the Acton Exchange. The site has been developed, discussed, and shared within the core group, and we are pleased and relieved to share it with a wider audience. Our writers and web developers are Acton-based volunteers. The…
Original front entrance to the Acton Memorial Libray, the older brick building part.

Joining the Conversation

August 14, 2023
Each week people from literally all over the world meet in the Acton library to practice speaking and listening to English in a “conversation group.” This small, supportive group gives newcomers to the United States a chance to become more fluent in English and learn about American culture.…
Photo of tree with species identified in Mandarin and English.

The Intersectional Environmentalist visits the Acton Arboretum

July 24, 2023
This summer, Acton residents are joining together in the first annual Community Read, part of a program called “Stories Connect Us.” The book for this summer’s read is The Intersectional Environmentalist, by Leah Thomas. The author examines the intersection of environmentalism, racism, and privilege, and makes the case…
Photograph of 3 stacks of copies of the book entitled "History of the Nashoba Praying Indians"

Book Talk: The History of the Nashobah Praying Indians:

May 15, 2023
On Thursday, May 11, forty-five people gathered at Acton Memorial Library for a presentation by local historian Daniel V. Boudillion on the history of the Nashobah Praying Indians. Boudillion recently published “The History of the Nashobah Praying Indians: Doings, Sufferings, Tragedy, and Triumph.” The event was sponsored by…

Categories

Featured Sponsors

Click logos below for more information.