Book of the Day Posted May 14, 2026

Book of the Day: "Chelsea Hotel" by Albert Scopin

From the publisher: "The Chelsea Hotel in New York has been an iconic spot for the art and music scene since the 1960s. From 1969 to 1971, the artist Albert Scopin, who was, at the time, an assistant to photographers Mikel Avedon and Bill King, also lived there. The hotel was always abuzz with activity and everyone who lived there seemed to be searching for something. What the young Scopin was searching for was an unfiltered view of the people who came and went. To capture the lively goings-on as discreetly as possible, he often didn’t even look through the viewfinder of his Kodak Instamatic. The resulting images depict an as-yet unknown Patti Smith and Robert Mapplethorpe as a fledgling couple, both individuals on their path to fame; film directors Wim Wenders, Rosa von Praunheim, Milos Forman and Jonas Mekas are there; the Warhol crowd performs a play; the hotel staff throw a crazy party in the basement; up on the roof, people contemplate what the future might hold, looking down on a city just waiting to be conquered. Brief accompanying texts by the artist as well as an interview complete the volume, which provides an unusually intimate look behind the façade of what is perhaps the most famous hotel in the world." Book of the day. (Kerber Verlag, 2026)
Book of the Day Posted May 06, 2026

Book of the Day: Miles Davis - Three Days in Malibu

From the publisher: "On May 26, 2026, Miles Davis (1926–91), an icon of jazz and one of the most influential musicians of the twentieth century, would have celebrated his centenary. This book, published to mark the occasion, brings together photographs of Miles Davis taken by German photographer and documentary filmmaker Ralph Quinke between 1971 and 1989. The centerpiece is a reportage that was photographed in 1989: together with Swiss journalist Marco Meier, Quinke traveled to Malibu to accompany the artist for three days and interview him for an issue of Swiss art and culture magazine Du. He got surprisingly close with his camera, taking shots of Miles boxing, in his car, in the kitchen, while painting, sometimes posing, or as an observer of him in conversation. Du’s issue 843 of August 1989, in which Quinke and Meier’s reportage featured, is long out of print and still sought-after by Miles fans. Inspired by German music journalist and jazz expert Arne Reimer, this photo book draws on Quinke’s unique archival material. A revised version of the 1989 interview and a new conversation between Quinke, Meier, and Reimer supplement this 'director’s cut.' A selection of the best images that Quinke took of Miles Davis between 1971 and 1987 rounds off this unique homage to one of the most eminent personalities of all musical genres." Book of the day!
Book of the Day Posted Mar 28, 2026

Book of the Day: "Tempo Redux" by Sean Maung

The East Hollywood gay (and more) bar Club Tempo is a genuine L.A. institution, and friend of Arcana Sean Maung has a new zine out of his photographs taken at Tempo—which has been a longtime subject of his. Fun! Joy! Companionship! It is our book of the day. (self-published, 2026)
Book of the Day Posted Mar 19, 2026

Book of the Day: "Modern Barragan"

"Modern Barragán is a personal book that unfolds and recounts multiple encounters the contemporary Mexican artists Lake Verea have had with Luis Barragán's oeuvre since 2006. This book unveils photographic depictions of the architect's work and private spaces as a tribute and a celebration, an anthem of love and admiration. While spending time in his private home, as enthusiastic aficionados enchanted by the elements of his house, the game unfolds. In his home, the artists' quest was to get as close as possible, so close as to caress the walls and floors. The artists measured their own bodies with his, sat in his chairs, opened his closets, listened in silence and kissed in the enchanted garden. The house is portrayed in daylight, under the light of the full moon, by streetlight, in thunderstorms, using flash and by rubbing the walls and floors with aluminum sheets to reveal its history through the textures." Book of the Day. (Hatje Cantz, 2026)
Book of the Day Posted Jan 31, 2026

Book of the Day: Five Footnotes Toward an Architecture by Mark Lee

From the publisher: "Architect Mark Lee presents a body of work on the basis of five considerations: on history, on cadence, on autonomy, on America, and on point. On the occasion of his fifth and final year as Chair of the Department of Architecture at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design, architect and educator Mark Lee strings together five 'footnotes' to assess the relationship between architectural education, research, and professional practice. Evoking a similar position that marked his tenure, Lee delivers a lecture that embraces dialogue, context, and precedent, and rejects the notion of a heroic manifesto in favor of the footnote: 'something ancillary, something used for referencing and providing citations for metanarratives that already exist.' And why five? 'It’s a ubiquitous number in the culture of architecture. Five orders, five architects, five points.' Copublished by Harvard Design Press." Extra credit: Mark Lee designed the entire of our store! Book of the day!
Book of the Day Posted Jan 23, 2026

Book of the Day: Dolly Parton - Journey of a Seeker

From the publisher: "Country Music Hall of Fame member Dolly Parton has enjoyed seemingly effortless success as a singer, songwriter, movie and television actor, author, businesswoman, and philanthropist ever since she first hit the record charts in 1967. The sheer magnitude of her talent and charisma has created the impression that Parton merely fulfilled her destiny in becoming an entertainment icon. But she had to fight for each major step forward. Quite intentionally she broke precedents to follow her instincts, even when music industry veterans advised against her daring moves. This book is a companion to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s 2025–2026 exhibition on Parton. Like the exhibition, this book focuses on turning points in Parton’s life and career through the decades, where she overcame obstacles and ignored naysayers. It also includes stories behind four of Parton’s most well-known songs, in her own words: 'Coat of Many Colors,' 'Jolene,' 'I Will Always Love You,' and '9 to 5.' Dolly Parton has come a long way from Locust Ridge, Tennessee, and in the process, she’s become one of the most beloved and widely recognized celebrities in the world. Includes 85 archival images and artifact photographs."
Book of the Day Posted Jan 22, 2026

Book of the Day: Luigi Serafini

From the publisher: "The volume Luigi Serafini is an excellent compendium to the exhibition scheduled at the Labirinto della Masone. Widely illustrated with the artist's multifaceted paintings and sculptures, some of which, like the Codex Seraphinianus plates, are already known, others unpublished. The book includes three chapters, written by Pietro Mercogliano, arranged to compose a 'backward' biography of the artist. Moving through time and space, the text restores an artistic trajectory that is always unpredictable and multifaceted as well as the traces of the strange and brilliant world imagined by the artist. Thus, the book presents a network of cross-references and allusions, of ironic and self-deprecating quotations, of jokes and mental pitfalls, of glimpses and winks, of leaps, digs, and glares, which manifest themselves as much in words as in images. In the opening, the introduction by Labirinto della Masone director Edoardo Pepino will focus on the link between Serafini and Franco Maria Ricci, the first editor of his best-known work, the Codex Seraphinianus." Book of the day.
Book of the Day Posted Jan 16, 2026

Book of the Day: Loving II - More Photographic History of Men in Love, 1850s - 1950s

From the publisher: "A stunning new companion to Loving: A Photographic History of Men in Love, 1850-1950 (2020), featuring all new photographs from the Nini-Treadwell collection. Loving II, the sequel to Loving: A Photographic History of Men in Love, 1850s – 1950s, is a stunning collection of vintage vernacular photographs of romantic male couples. Drawn from the Nini-Treadwell Collection of over 4,000 photos, some as much as 175 years old, the selection conveys the unadulterated joy – longed for by all of us and recognizable to anyone – of being in love. Starting from the earliest years of photography and continuing through the 1950s, this collection comprises daguerreotypes, silver gelatins, tintypes, ambrotypes, snap shots, and many more – a cross section of a century of photographic technique. The subjects come from all walks of life: soldiers, farmers, students, the young and the old, the poor and the affluent. These photographs were taken when being recognized as gay was to risk retribution, ridicule, banishment, imprisonment, and possibly death. They remained locked away during their subjects’ lifetimes for their very survival. The journeys that eventually brought them to the attention of Hugh Nini and Neal Treadwell are mostly unknown, with only a few exceptions. Discovered in a variety of ways, sometimes tucked away in antique shops and flea markets, they had slipped into the cracks of photographic history before being added to the Nini-Treadwell Collection one at a time, over a 25-year period. These courageous couples, from so long ago, who took and protected these photos, could not have imagined that one day their mementos of love would appear in a book that has been embraced all over the world. So much so that a second volume was necessary. These couples sent a message to the future. The question now is, what message will we send?" Book of the day.
Book of the Day Posted Jan 11, 2026

Book of the Day: Patti Smith Horses, Paris 1976 by Claude Gassian

From the publisher: "Patti Smith: Horses, Paris 1976 is a gorgeous collection of never-before-published photographs of music legend Patti Smith, taken by rock-n-roll photographer Claude Gassian during the release of her iconic album Horses. In 1975, Patti Smith released Horses, a seminal album in punk and rock music history. Lauded by critics, and often cited as the first punk rock album, Horses has influenced artists like U2, Madonna, and R.E.M. Over the following year, she and her band visited Paris multiple times to perform, to accept awards, and to absorb the city's culture. Gassian beautifully captures this moment in time. As Patti writes, Claude Gassian's photography is 'a glimpse of the highly charged atmosphere of 1976 and the joyful hubris of a rock n' roll band.' These are previously unpublished images that show a young artist on the cusp of world stardom, and they will be catnip for her fans and for music historians." Book of the day, and bonus, we have Patti Smith's excellent new memoir Bread of Angels in-store now as well! 
Book of the Day Posted Jan 10, 2026

Book of the Day: Snack Sakura by Greg Girard

From the photographer: If you know Japan you’ll know a certain kind of drinking place called a snack. They are found all over the country, in large cities and small towns. Typically they consist of a counter and a few stools, perhaps a booth or two, usually presided over by a middle-aged woman, the mama, or less often, by a man, the master. The customers tend to be regulars. Unlike a regular bar where a first time customer simply walks in and sits down, the etiquette in a snack for a newcomer is to first ask the mama if it’s ok to come in. The entertainment, if one can call it that, apart from a simple drink menu, is conversation with the mama, conversation with other customers, and karaoke. At the time of writing they are considered the least fashionable places in the country to have a drink. Some years ago while travelling in Japan I noticed that every town seemed to have a snack named Sakura. Sakura, or cherry blossom, is so common a name for a business as to be a bit unimaginative perhaps. Though in a way that seemed in keeping with how unfashionable these places were. It really did seem like every town had one and, upon checking with the All Japan Snack Owners Association, they confirmed that indeed, among their members, Snack Sakura was the most common name. And so I decided to try and visit and photograph as many as I could, across the country from Okinawa to Hokkaido. In the beginning I had simply stumbled across Snack Sakuras, without looking for them. Once I decided to actually try to find them, things got rather more difficult. Many of them have no phone numbers or web presence. For others that do, by the time you get there you discover they have changed their names, or the building was torn down, or they closed and never re-opened. But little by little I started to make headway. Until after six years of travelling the country I’ve now photographed snacks named Sakura in more than half of Japan’s forty-seven prefectures. [My book of photos] Snack Sakura introduces this not exactly 'hidden' world of snacks but one that only comes into view when you look at it from a certain angle." Book of the day. Signed copies in-store now. (Kominek, 2025)
more