Bookstores in New York

[MadsPLP]

I'll be going to New York from the 17th to the 30th of September.

Where should I be going if I'm looking for books? I'm mainly interested in bookstores with a good supply of weird fiction.

Also, i'm interested in bookstores with a good selection in philosophy, cultural theory and the like.

Also, if anyone has record store recommendations, I'd be happy to know about them.

[Daisy]

Dear Mads,

No matter where you are in Manhattan, you can find a good bookstore. Not as many as you would have found five or ten years ago, but still a fair number! The following shops are worth your while:

The Strand, at the corner of Broadway at 12th Street. I guarantee that you’ll love this shop, which reportedly contains eighteen miles of books. It’s cavernous and full of crazed rummagers looking for a good deal (which they always find, because prices at the Strand are always lower than anywhere else in the city.) I’ve spent whole days roaming the aisles, browsing to my heart’s content.

Skyline Books, 13 West 18th Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. This is my favorite bookstore in New York. Over the years, I’ve made some great weird fiction acquisitions here, including a signed and inscribed copy of Frank Belknap Long’s biography of Lovecraft, Dreamer on the Nightside, and a copy of the first American edition of Roland Topor’s The Tenant. Small as it is, the place is full of treasures.

Argosy Books, 116 East 59th Street, between Park and Lexington Avenues. In my opinion, this is the finest bookstore in Midtown Manhattan; it stocks a vast collection of antiquarian items. The atmosphere is warm and inviting: http://66.211.139.202/argosy/images/...0229172931.jpg

Book Culture, 112th Street between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue. When it comes to philosophy and cultural studies, you’ll find the best selection here. Authors give readings at Book Culture on a regular basis, so you might want to check the website to see if there are any events this month you'd like to attend.

A few other stores of interest are the New York University Bookstore (18 Washington Place), for a good general selection; Forbidden Planet (840 Broadway at 14th Street), for comics and manga; Revolution Books (146 West 26th Street between Sixth and Seventh), for politics and current events; and Rizzoli (31 West 57th Street, between Fifth and Sixth), for art and architecture.

For records, you might want to check out Academy (12 West 18th Street, between 5th and 6th Avenues). It’s directly across the street from Skyline.

Please feel free to PM me at any time if you have questions about getting from place to place. Enjoy your time in New York!

All best,

Nicole

[MadsPLP]

Daisy,

you're an absolute darling!

Thank you very much!