The Address Book by Deirdre Mask

THE ADDRESS BOOK by Deirdre Mask explores “What Street Addresses Reveal About Identity, Race, Wealth, and Power.” Mask looks at situations over time and around the world (Europe (London, Vienna, Berlin, ancient Rome), Haiti, India, Iran, Japan, Korea, and South Africa), concluding that a street name and number signifies much more than merely ensuring mail and package delivery. In fact, she learned that “most households in the world don’t have street addresses” and tells numerous stories while exploring the development, origins and politics involved with street names. Each of her chapters is headed with a city and a question so, for example, Mask looks at “Philadelphia: Why do Americans Love Numbered Streets?” and “St. Louis: What Do Martin Luther King Jr. Streets Reveal about Race in America?” This debut work is a fascinating look at history, economics and society, a non-fiction book filled with unusual facts (e.g., Second Street is the most common street name in America). THE ADDRESS BOOK received starred reviews from Kirkus, Library Journal, and Publishers Weekly.