#35: Mast Books

Thinking of a master plan...

The Shop: Mast Books

Alphabet City, Manhattan: 72 Avenue A

A sparsely decorated space with minimalist charm, Mast is a stylish fixture of the Lower East Side. Though not the biggest store, the selection is expertly curated: everything here is interesting, both in style and substance. Typeface nerds could spend hours here with all the vintage (and faux vintage) covers. Subject matter varies but this is definitely a spot for artsy folks— great books about arts and artists, cool photography on the walls, and a great sense of aesthetics all around. The staff here know their stuff and are happy to share their knowledge with you in a casual convo!

What I Got:

Of Solids and Surds

Samuel R. Delany is a fascinating writer, whose career has spanned several genres. He captured my heart and my brain with Times Square Red, Times Square Blue, a memoir infused work of sociology (or vice versa?) about the transformation of Times Square in the 90s and the marginalized queer community it displaced. I was deep in a Wikipedia hole about Delany the night before visiting Mast, so this find felt serendipitous.