CITYist

We’ve found the official clothing line for bibliophiles (or hipsters who like ironic T-shirts). Out of Print takes famous (and usually out of print) book covers and screens them onto tees, so you can literally wear your favorite novel on your sleeve (read on to see our favorites). Even better, for every shirt sold, the brand donates one book to Books for Africa, so everyone can have access to these iconic tomes. The only question is, are you a Catcher in the Rye person or a Lolita person?

They’re among the most recognizable in the world, so it only makes sense they’d get their own book. Manhattan Skyscrapers by Eric P. Nash (coming out in October by Princeton Architectural Press), is the ultimate guide for architecture nerds and lovers of the city in general. From the Empire State Building to the Standard Hotel, the book examines the stories behind these multi-storied behemoths. Take a look at some of our favorites after the jump.

It’s only fitting that in photographer Paul Rodriguez’s book, Final Notice, two of America’s most beloved icons are featured side by side. Who, you ask? Elmo and Dennis Hopper (R.I.P.). These random yet somehow insanely cohesive ideas are just an inkling of what you’ll discover thumbing through Rodriguez’s book. It’s raw, voyeuristic nature, will surely rev up a conversation.The well-edited selection was gathered from the photographer’s work from 2006 to 2009 and although a very limited amount of copies were printed, the book itself is available in digital version for free. Check it out. The video promo is also pretty rad.

Fresh off the heels of Sex and the City’s foray into the Middle East and Muslim culture comes a book sure to ignite a few controversies. Part Almost Famous and part Rock Star (yes, we’re talking about that Mark Wahlberg movie), the scandalously named The Last Living Slut: Born in Iran and Bred Backstage tells the story of Roxana Shirazi, who fled to England from Iran at 10 years old and was sucked into the rock ‘n’ roll underworld. This book is billed as the rock version of The Satanic Verses. Really.

Kate, Karlie, Kim. Who were they before they were supermodels? Just girls from the UK, Midwest and Netherlands, respectively. The fashion world is famous for plucking girls from average stations at tender ages and occasionally skyrocketing them to fame. Valentina Vos, a young photographer, has made it her mission to capture the original state of 25 recently scouted models. According to Vos, the goal of her new book, One Seventy Four (out in June and available for pre-order on her site), is to capture the girl—not the model. While we can’t say we know that many 15 year olds who exude the same level of hipster cool as many of her subjects, glimpses of innocence and vulnerability are found through goofy poses and self-conscious slouches. And there’s plenty of beauty to go around, too. For a healthy selection of some of our favorite shots, read on.

Now readers of the Internet age can forget Barnes and Noble or that (sadly) antiquated establishment, the library, and opt for the anonymity of the web to obtain their reading material. Bookswim—billed as the “Netflix for books”—is an easy way for voracious readers to get bestsellers and keep potentially embarrassing summer reads under the radar.

All the minutiae of every day life—the planning, executing and discussing of daily tasks, suddenly becomes a lot more interesting when you add art the equation. A new book, Lists: To Dos, Illustrated Inventories, Collected Thoughts, and Other Artists’ Enumerations from the Smithsonian’s Archives of American Art (that was a long one), by Liza Kirwin, offers some insight into the business of making art, from the every day struggles with technique to lists of paintings sold and supplies to get. With often funny and poignant illustrations or fanciful scrawl, the lists shed some light on the artistic process. Check out some more works from the book after the jump. We promise: they’re more interesting than your grocery list.

Call it bizarre, but when it involves David Byrne of the Talking Heads, you may as well call it brilliant as well. Byrne is back with a 22-song double-disc CD and a 114-page clothbound book all about the life of, strangely, former Philippines First Lady Imelda Marcos—and signing the set in person next week at MOMA.

Planning a good party (and a visually stunning one, at that) is an art. Just ask David Stark, founder and creative director of his own event-planning firm. Similar to Tara Donovan, Stark uses every day objects to create decorative installations—say, using coffee cups to create a castle. Now, he’s not only funneled that creative energy into major events, but into a new book: David Stark Design.

Anyone who’s ever crammed all of their belongings into just about any apartment in Manhattan understands the importance of making the most of the space that you’ve got. For those of us who might need a bit of help, Mark Montano has you covered with his Big Ass Book of Home Décor, hitting coffee tables everywhere April 1st.