These are independent reviews of the products mentioned, but TIME receives a commission when purchases are made through affiliate links at no additional cost to the purchaser.
Why do we have addresses? The question is at the center of Deirdre Mask’s book, which is an impressive examination of the origins of street names around the world. Mask, a lawyer and academic, reveals that addresses hold greater and more nefarious purposes than the accurate distribution of mail. She picks apart street names in Germany, the Caribbean, the U.S. and beyond to argue that addresses organize people not only by where they live, but also by who they are. It’s a damning look at the intersection of place, power and identity, tied together through Mask’s absorbing and thoughtful voice.
Buy Now: The Address Book on Bookshop | Amazon
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Cybersecurity Experts Are Sounding the Alarm on DOGE
- Meet the 2025 Women of the Year
- The Harsh Truth About Disability Inclusion
- Why Do More Young Adults Have Cancer?
- Colman Domingo Leads With Radical Love
- How to Get Better at Doing Things Alone
- Michelle Zauner Stares Down the Darkness
