Atomic Books

 

5

65

John S.

Washington, DC

This is my own personal bat cave, where I can let my inner geek revel in comic books (er, graphic novels, thank you), alternative and indie literature and other fleeting pursuits. Located in the quirky Hampden neighborhood, this is one of Baltimore's mainstays for counterculture.

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Elite '08

26

78

Marion P.

Evanston, IL

This place is wonderful. I could spend hours in here just browsing through all of their books and comics, their zines and cards and fun knickknack and the small but juicy music and dvd selection.

They also have the best magazine selection in the whole area. They have everything you like to read, and some magazines you've never heard of!

My favorite time to come here was always on Sunday afternoons, after brunch across the street at the Golden West. The Avenue is such a great place for a great, lazy afternoon with friends.

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20

75

Katie M.

Portland, OR

I love this shop. I have made a conscious effort in the past few years to start getting more books from the library instead of buying them for space and financial reasons, but I have never left Atomic empty handed. I always seem to go in with someone else and promise myself that I'll just look and not buy, but I can never do that. They have so much awesome stuff- from books to magazines to comic books and dvds, so much stuff you never knew you needed!

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4

45

Carrie P.

Baltimore, MD

I mean, I can hardly complain about a bookstore, right?  But their selection is very limited--think conforming non-conformists--and that gets old fast.  I mean, sure, it's fine; any bookstore is fine, but I'd rather buy an artsy conforming non-conformist book straight from the source or at a used bookstore.  I don't know who can afford books at full prices anymore.  So, like, ya, whatever.

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Elite '08

9

56

Susan T.

Ashburn, VA

This is a great bookstore...I heart the Christmas cards from John Waters they have displayed.  They have taken a lot of their comics and graphic novels and stuff to a second storefront down the street.

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18

57

Albert O.

Washington, DC

It's always great dropping by on a quirky bookstore in any city.  I knew I had to visit when John Waters mentioned that this is one of his favorite establishments.  The place doesn't disappoint.  There is an extensive graphic novel section and a large rack of esoteric art magazines.  it certainly maintains the weirdness that is Hampden even though it has long shed its artsy and edgy past due to gentrification.

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1

16

debilitatingly f.

Baltimore, MD

I was in Hampden near Atomic Books tutoring some kid intent on spending  her 18th birthday in middle school; She was complaining/explaining that the only reason she couldn't read aloud was because she couldn't identify with the material I'd given her.
so we ran over to Atomic Books, by-passed the porno and the surprisingly extensive comic book section and headed straight for literature. She didn't want any stupid artsy fiction book or anything publiched by mcsweeny's. She didn't want any counter culture magazine either. She wanted something she could "relate to."

We left with a true crime book about child killers.

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