Just over 100 miles to the north-west of Las Vegas in Death Valley lies the Amargosa Mountain Range. An eroded landscape, formed from the sediment of a lake that dried up long ago. A particularly striking Badland of mythical dimensions, criss-crossed with deep gorges, in the middle of the Amargosa Range goes by the name of Zabriskie Point.
The French philosopher and psychologist, Michel Foucault, declared his LSD trip here to be the most amazing experience of his life. In his film of the same name – which is the bookshop is named after -, Michelangelo Antonioni used this swathe of land as a symbol for the soul of wild nature, which was threatened by the plans of real estate developers. The ruthless agents and construction companies in the film are contrasted with two youngsters (she’s a hippie and he’s a rebellious loner), who after fleeing from the city, find themselves reunited with nature in a orgiastic ball, rolling in the dust of the desert floor at Zabriskie Point. In the final cathartic scene of the film, a luxury villa explodes in the Death Valley desert, with several slow-motion shots cut back-to-back. Objects, acting as symbols of consumer society and Western civilisation, are scattered through the air, splintering into a thousand pieces as part of a stunning choreography of destruction: Fridges, televisions, clothes’ rails, food packaging and last but not least, a gigantic pile of books.
Counterculture, Nature & Visions
Zabriskie is a specialised bookshop with a focus on sub/cultural and natural phenomena. It is almost like a private library – because we only present books that we personally value and like. You can find extraordinary things from the fields of natural history, nature writing, ecology and sustainability; gardening, self-sufficiency and DIY; underground music and film; visionary ideas and alternative ways of living; small press and artist publications; idleness and slowness; drugs and consciousness; walking, travelling and places; essays on philosophical and social issues; countercultural movements; strange and occult phenomena; phantastic, imaginary and speculative fiction; landscape and nature poetry.
From November 2013 to March 2020, the bookshop was located in the premises at Manteuffelstraße 73. Since April 2020, you can find us at Reichenberger Straße 150, about 50 m away from the old location, in brighter, larger and sunnier rooms!
In addition to books and magazineIn addition to selling books and magazines, we regularly organise readings, book presentations, walks.
Pictures from our former space (November 2013- March 2020)
