Atomic Books

Hampden's Atomic Books is what an indie bookstore should be: clean, brightly lit, stocked with cool, hard-to-find, local, as well as indie books and 'zines. Even if you thought of yourself as a weirdo as a youngster, you'll see in the book subjects that clearly, there are others like you. Whether it's Japanese tattoo art, graphic magazine authors, Grrrl power or whatever, you're likely to find what you're looking for . . . or don't be embarrassed to ask. Indie 'zines, some the size of a deck of playing cards, are often someone's heart and soul printed and stapled at their home. You'll also find a small selection of cool, fun gifts. Co-owner Benn Ray has got his finger on the local literary and political scene. As such, you can write an actual letter to John Waters and he'll make sure the hometown boy gets it.