An Infinite Almanac

I have a problem—a shopping problem. But, not just any shopping problem, it’s a book shopping problem. It’s a strange thing to have, but books are generally cheaper than clothing and MUCH easier to try on. I’m not sure if an intervention is necessary yet, but it’s no wonder that when I went on vacation to New York a couple weeks ago, the only thing I purchased other than food was books! My buddy told me about a huge bookstore in

Union Square

called Strand that boasts “18 miles of books” and I about flipped my lid. I drooled all the way there, and upon arrival I was not disappointed, but rather met with an overwhelming feast of literature that spanned about half a New York City block and reached about three or four stories. Overall, it is about 55,000 sq ft of pure delight! 

After browsing for what felt like hours, (I swear that place felt like a casino, there was no concept of time and/or place, no windows, just books.) I finally decided upon purchasing three works. One was an art magazine from 1989 with a feature on Andy Warhol that I got for $1, the other was Chelsea Handler’s: My Horizontal Life for $7 because I think she’s hilarious and the price was right, and then the final, more pricey purchase that I will share with you was Rebecca Solnit’s  Infinite City: A San Francisco Atlas. If you know me, you know my heart bleeds for San Francisco, so seeing this book easily sucker punched me in the aorta. It’s a collection of essays and illustrated maps from various writers and artists, that describe the make-up of this amazing city by not just its geographical locations but by the people that live there, the natural landscapes, the histories, the food, and every other odd and end that creates this urban environment.  All the essays are written beautifully by people who, you can tell, have a true heart for the City. The maps are aesthetically intriguing, and accompany each essay in a manner that greatly assists the visual learner. SFMoMA even did a Live Art program with Solnit, inspired by her book! Overall, this book is awesome and you should buy it. If you’ve ever lived in San Francisco, live there now, or want to go—this is worth checking out.  

For a more thorough review of the book, click here.

x Carissa