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Unnameable Books
Category: Shopping Books, Mags, Music and Video Bookstores Bookstores [Edit]
600 Vanderbilt Ave(between Dean St & St Marks Ave)
Brooklyn, NY 11238
Neighborhood: Prospect Heights
(718) 789-1534
- Nearest Transit:
-
7 Av (B, Q)
Grand Army Plaza (2, 3, 4)
Clinton - Washington Avs (A, C)
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 11 am - 11 pm
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
26 reviews for Unnameable Books
Review Highlights
"The shelves were floor to ceiling which I love."
(in 3 reviews)
"Adam has a great command of the inventory."
(in 5 reviews)
"They have a great selection and host a lot of local events."
(in 2 reviews)
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26 reviews in English
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Review from Jen A.
Brooklyn, NY
12/29/2011
I. Love. This. Place.
Whoever found Adam and his staff unfriendly must have been in on a very unusual day. I find the entire staff totally wonderful and helpful. Surprised to hear someone didn't find their outstanding (and pretty radical) Black Studies section, located right next to the register.
This is the Platonic form of a small, independent bookstore. When I moved to NYC, this was the place I dreamed of having in my neighborhood. Lucky me, I live right around the corner. -
Review from A K.
Brooklyn, NY
12/30/2011
Used Books = Me Happy. That being said, this place is awesome.
It's fun, small, full of great books, organized, not too stuffy but cozy and quaint. I have been here a few times and always came away with a few books to read. I need to stay away so that I do not overwhelm my already overflowing bookshelves.
The staff are nice, but not in your face. They let you roam and are knowledgeable about what they carry. I wanted to re-sell some books, but came at the wrong time day apparently, that was a bummer to carry 10 books back n forth. But it is ok, I'll go back, give them what I have and get some more. Great place, definitely check it out. -
Review from Melissa G.
Pasadena, CA
8/16/2011
What a great little bookshop! We had to buy some gifts for a nephew and tried finding some bookshops nearby. Instead, saw the glowing reviews for Unnameable Books and decided to give it a go. So glad I did.
It's a small lil shop but the minute you're in you're overwhelmed by the floor to ceiling books. It's quaint, cozy, and yet you'll still probably be able to find just what you're looking for.
Great lil childrens' book corner with unique finds. Naturally, we found a good couple of books go get our nephew...he loved em! Love to support those independent lil bookstores, seeing how the big ones are just becoming extinct and now it's digital everything. -
Review from Marygold H.
Brooklyn, NY
4/21/2011
Is this the one that used to be located on Bergen St.?
The stock is geared toward new books than the used ones. They are doing a good job nonetheless. On top of it, they stay open late.Listed in: Book Porn NYC
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Review from R. M.
Brooklyn, NY
3/24/2011
This is the best bookstore in NYC. Unfortunately the five boroughs have been depleted of independent bookstores due to giants like Barnes & Noble and Borders, and e-books.
Unnameable Books is the perfect little bookstore. The books are piled up on the floor and shelved in floor to ceiling bookshelves. It's a great place to browse or look for something specific. The staff are friendly and informative, and Adam always has what I am looking for. Books that I couldn't find at other spots in the city, like The Importance of Being Iceland by Eileen Myles or The Absence of Work about Marcel Broodthaers were sitting right on the shelf!
In the basement Adam hosts cozy poetry readings with free wine and good company.
It's worth the trek to Prospect Heights!Listed in: Best Bookshops in NYC
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Review from k m.
Brooklyn, NY
9/14/2011
Fun, unusual,connoisseur-level,yet down to earth. Going to a reading there tonight of Lucy Corin... trust them to break out great new talent early!
NYC needs more of this sort of thing, it's why we're here. -
Review from Asparagus t.
Brooklyn, NY
9/4/2011
Adam as created the perfect bookshop....his flow of well selected used books always makes you want to go back to explore, and you ALWAYS find a gem. The new book selection is impeccably curated but not alienating or overly snooty. Prices are fair as well... PLEASE shop here and support local bookstores, this is perfect example of why they are so great..
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Review from scott d.
Arlington, VA
4/5/2011
The operators of this establishment are evidently students of Ghostbusters. I have never seen so many books packed so efficiently into such a small store. They seem to deal primarily in used books, which is cool, cause I think it makes for a more unique, eclectic body of works. There's a wide range of subject matter, including political science, sociology, history, cultural studies, literature, and an extensive array of poetry. Atmosphere is very tranquil and conducive to long periods of reading in solace, as if the place was built to kill rainy days (like any good booksmythe should be). I'm just surprised there are no cats in here.
Listed in: greatest hits
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Review from J S.
Brooklyn, NY
8/9/2011
This store is great. Small, quiet, such a fun selection to browse.
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Review from La-asia L.
North Hollywood, CA
10/19/2010
Awesome place, I was visiting my sister and found this great used book store.
The shelves were floor to ceiling which I love. Pricing is extremely reasonable. -
Review from S N.
Brooklyn, NY
7/12/2010 1 Check-in Here
LOVE LOVE LOVE.
Sky high shelves and plenty of little step-stools to stare at the A authors.
A marvelous range of both used and new books, organized elegantly in a comfortably cozy space.
An excellent soundtrack.
Unnameable had the John Berryman volume I wanted - at 10:30pm.
While they did not carry any Zanzotto translations... no one carries Zanzotto translations. That's not a "hold back the 5th star" concern, it's a "If they had that on the shelf, they'd get a 6 star blowout." -
Review from Jennifer N.
Washington, DC
3/16/2011
Fantastic, fabulous, smart bookstore - love the mix of used and new, love the "stuff we like" shelves that reflect the lovely, quirky, literary taste of staff, love that they have a far more extensive music section than most local bookstores; love that the stuff they have is carefully chosen, intelligent, and eclectic.
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Review from Chey H.
6/20/2011
What a great bookstore. They have a great selection and host a lot of local events. Every time I go in the people working are friendly and don't mind if you just stopped in to browse. I also enjoy the super cheap book racks outside.
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Review from Jonas M.
5/5/2010
I ended up passing by this little nook of a bookstore while walking up Vanderbilt Ave. on a Tuesday evening. The selection of used (and new) books is carefully selected and well-organized, and the prices are reasonable (but not bargain-basement).
I think the quality of a used bookstore is predicated on two criteria: 1) how long you spend perusing their selection; and 2) whether you end up buying something when you visit. After looking through their their cooking section for 30 minutes, I ended up buying a used copy of "If You Can't Stand the Heat."
If you ever get the urge to buy a bunch of used books after a couple martinis, they're conveniently open till 11pm, seven days a week. -
Review from Elisa M.
Brooklyn, NY
2/21/2008
I like this little used bookstore. Also known as Adam's Books. Off 5th Ave in Park Slope just up from Melt. Small but full of goodies. Always end up leaving with something (a first edition Kurt Vonnegut, whatever they just made a movie out of, Phaidon book on modernism...).
The bearded and bespectacled Adam (at least I assume this is Adam) is a soft-spoken character who hides behind the cash register and a few precarious walls of books. Seems to have good and interesting taste in music (first time I went in he was playing a collection of spirituals from the library of congress). Prices are reasonable enough. Bargain cart outside. -
Review from Craig H.
Brooklyn, NY
9/5/2008
Nice place to waste an hour or two before or after grabbing a bite on 5th Ave. Each time I go into the place, the stacks are climbing higher toward the ceiling. I've been shopping here since he opened and his inventory just keeps getting better. Lots of interesting finds for the persistent browser.
As Elisa says, the music that Adam plays is always great and he doesn't disturb his customers with needless chatter. In fact, it is hard to get the guy to talk at all. But he clearly has a love for books and I'm glad he's opened a bookstore when most are closing down. -
Review from Maxx C.
Washington, DC
11/15/2009
Great neighborhood store. When I went there was a steady stream of people coming in looking to talk books, looking for new books, and looking to score old books.
Relatively spacious, good selection even on the used side, good prices, and the staff seem friendly.
One major flaw -- several nonfiction subjects (sciences, social sciences, culture studies) have been ghettoized to a weird narrow alcove with no lighting. If you're looking for those subjects, until they install a new lamp or move the shelves, you will need a flashlight. I'm not kidding. -
Review from Heath R.
Los Angeles, CA
7/19/2009
Might not have found my way to this small and narrow-aisled new and used bookstore had it not hosted a friend's poetry reading this weekend. They have a pebbled event space in the yard behind the building that they use for readings. It's a slightly noisy space with the active street traffic in front, but it's a nice touch to an otherwise small shop that wouldn't be able to host events otherwise.
Inside, I didn't get too much of a chance to look around because it was packed with people also there for the reading. What I did see was that their new and recommended shelves are smart, that they have a sizable comics and graphic novel section -- I picked up two books about manga. And they have a good mix of new and used books. The two aren't shelved together, and the used books are priced slightly higher than I'd like.
That's only a problem because I wanted a couple of items I didn't buy. They've got a Zendik Farm back issue zine for $8 (!!!) and two editions of a Whole Earth Catalog-like resource guide called The Source for $9-plus. Totally up my alley, and I suppose the items are worth that. I'd just have liked them to cost a little less.
If I lived in the area, I'd go there often. And they buy books -- select books -- so if you've got a smart set of books you want to unload, contact them to see if they'll check out what you've got.Listed in: Best NYC Book Stores
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Review from Rebecca L.
Brooklyn, NY
12/14/2008
There is definitely something here for everyone.
Great selection of new art books--recent releases and shows.
You can waste a ton of time here looking through all the used books, several which I wanted to buy, but they were slightly more pricey than I wished for used.
And I also love that the people who work here can barely be seen behind stacks of books in the back.Listed in: Places I will Miss after…
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Review from Sarah B.
Brooklyn, NY
1/3/2009
I have lived near Unnameable Books for nearly as long as it has been open, recently began shopping there, and am now wondering how I ever got by without it.
Adam, the owner & proprietor, is a nice guy to chat with, and while he's up for a brief conversation, you'll have to initiate--he's not about to barge into your browsing time. He's totally enthusiastic about the written word, which makes him a stand-up guy IMHO, and his is the first used bookshop that looks like the used bookshops of my imagination: a wonderful hodgepodge of bookstore styles that really does offer something for every type of shopper.
In the front, people who prefer to own a brand-spanking-new, never-been-kissed copy of whatever they want to read can choose from among the neatly organized new stuff.
Shoppers who don't mind if their book of choice has been around the block a few times can select reading material from the slightly less perfect but still very well organized used sections.
Finally, everyone can head to the back of the store to admire the ever-climbing stacks of recent acquisitions (and to contribute, if your old reads truly are the right stuff).
Adam has a great command of the inventory. I was looking for a few things, and he was able to tell me whether or not he had the titles, who wrote them, and whether his copies were new or used.
Bravo. Me and a chunk of my paycheck will undoubtedly be seeing you again soon. -
Review from Lindsay B.
Chicago, IL
10/13/2010
The selection of used books here is incredible. I stopped in while visiting from Chicago and had an armful of gems in about 20 minutes. If I stayed any longer, I would have had to check a bag on my flight home.
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Review from Shadora M.
Washington, DC
7/30/2011
HIGHLY recommended. My best friend and I spent 2 hours browsing in this bookstore. So many interesting titles! The one employee working at the time was very nice and helpful, as he knew exactly where to find Saul Williams. I will return.
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Review from Elizabeth J.
Brooklyn, NY
1/16/2010
Normally I do NOT shop used because WRITERS DO NOT GET ROYALTIES FROM THESE PURCHASES ( SHAME !) , but I like this place on a broke day. it's super small and very selective about what it takes on these days, which I appreciate. They had a lot of crap when they first moved in. I managed to sell a few books to them, but I would be careful to not sell a first edition because if you don't know your stuff you might be giving away something special. Kind of mad that my Anne Lebo book went for so little( sheesh!), but bibliophile horders can't be choosy. Took half cash and half store credit. Store credit is the better deal.
Tip: They don't buy anything that smacks of militant black people books ( funny enough, these were my caucasian husband's books) or anything that a hipster/ Park Slope champion might not read. LMAO.Comment from Adam T. of Unnameable Books 1/18/2010
We certainly DO buy militant black people books; yours were… More » -
Review from B. E.
Brooklyn, NY
4/2/2011
I feel like you have to have spent your whole life in bookstores to understand just how good Unnameable is.
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Review from Judie Rhed Y.
Brooklyn, NY
2/13/2010 1 photo
Upon moving back into the neighborhood from '07, stores have definitely changed on Vanderbilt Ave.. and Unnameable is one for the better change! I love the easy access of http://Amazon.com but this nook of cozy corners surely inspires to revisit novels and textbooks which evaded past attempts. Selections really vary but get this: I got Lonely Planet Indonesia, Vikram Chandra Red Earth and Pouring Rain, and Netters Atlas of Anatomy (albeit c1989) all for one Hamilton bill...and within 15 min of browsing.. and instantly in my hands... My new fave local haunts to regularly stop by..
Listed in: My Neighborhood
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Review from Kai A.
Brooklyn, NY
9/21/2009
The store has a good selection over a wide range but why do little book store workers always have to be assholes? It doesn't quite fit with the whole cute-neighborhoody bookstore vibe. I'd rather order from Amazon - thanks.
