Favorite Midtown bookstores east of Fifth

The main floor of Argosy Book Store on East 59th Street

Although you might not know it by wandering the streets, there are close to a dozen booksellers on the east side of midtown Manhattan. Most of them are tucked away in lobbies or require elevators rides to get to. And many carry only rare or specialty books. But Argosy Book Store and Posman Books, two of my favorite shops in the area, are pedestrian-friendly and not completely rarified. An ordinary browser can step inside and not be intimidated by upscale mystique.

Argosy Book Store - 116 East 59th Street (near Park Ave.) 212-753-4455

Argosy is one of the most magical bookstores in New York. With its old-fashioned arcade entrance, window displays of historic maps and an ancient table out front covered with bargains, it looks like an establishment out of Dickensian London. Inside, mahogany shelves stretching almost to the ceiling hold out-of-print books, and green shaded lamps hang over bins of botanical prints, 19th-century fashion plates and lithographs of square riggers. Any minute, it seems, you could bump into Mr. Micawber, dressed in a frock coat, muttering about how he is sure that, eventually “something will turn up.” And it seems possible you might glimpse Albus Dumbledore sitting in the corner, pouring over a Victorian atlas, considering another passage through the time-space continuum.

Although it doesn’t include new books, the Argosy’s collection covers the gamut from rare collectors’ items, like a first edition of Darwin’s Origin of the Species for $125,000, to mystery novels for $3 on the table outside. On the first floor and in the basement, you’ll find general out-of-print and rare books. Antique maps and prints are on the second floor, American history and literary first editions are on five, while autographs can be found at the top of the building on six.

One of the oldest bookstores in New York, the Argosy is still run by the same family that started it. In 1925 Louis Cohen opened the shop on 4th Avenue, then known as Booksellers’ Row. He relocated to the present building six years later and soon began an acquaintance with President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, whose library he eventually stocked. The Argosy is now owned by Cohen’s three daughters, Judith, Naomi and Adina, who run the shop with the help of a knowledgeable staff of 12, including Judith’s son Ben.

Inside information: Woody Allen shot a scene from his movie The Front at this bookstore. Its atmospheric interiors have been used for numerous fashion shoots and an episode of Law & Order. Sometimes President Bill Clinton walks in, and, when he does, he causes quite a stir.

Posman Books - Grand Central Terminal at 42nd St. (212) 983-1111

It may not have windows on the street, but you won’t find a more pedestrian-friendly bookshop than Posman Books. Located deep inside Grand Central Terminal, it caters to the thousands of visitors and busy commuters who pour through the station each day. To accommodate those caught up in the rat race outside its doors, Posman’s 25 uncommonly knowledgeable and helpful staffers are willing to jump through hoops.

When The Associate, John Grisham’s new legal thriller, was released at the end of January, Posman discounted it to exactly $20 (tax included), so folks could grab a copy, hand a bill to the cashier and dash for the train without waiting for change. The promotion was a big success, says Posman’s book buyer Robert Fader. “We sold over 100 copies in the first few days.”

Besides best-selling fiction, Posman carries a surprisingly broad selection of books, including literature, poetry, biographies, cookbooks, histories and travel guides. And they never lose track of who their customers are. They have stacks of Joe Torre’s The Yankee Years for Yankee fans and Paul Krugman’s The Return of Depression Economics for those in the financial industry. And there are journals, cards, candles and other cute items for people hunting for gifts on their lunch hours.

If you’re looking for a book that Posman doesn’t have, they’ll do everything they can to get it for you quickly. If you ask for it in the morning on your way to work, you can usually pick it up on your way home in the evening.

Inside information: One especially engaging member of the Posman staff is the tall and bespectacled Ron Kolm, a poet and member of a literary group called the Unbearables. Kolm’s bookstore cred dates back to the early ‘70s when he worked with poets Tom Verlaine and Patti Smith at the Strand. If you catch him at Posman on a calm, weekday evening, Kolm can be a font of New York’s downtown history…and he just may recommend a book you’d never come across on your own.

Note - This is number 6 in a series about the independent bookstores of Manhattan. Previous stories are:

1. Upper West Side community bookstores
2. Seductive bookstores of the East Village
3. Bookstores of the Village and SoHo
4. Bookstores of Chelsea
5. Perusing the bookstores of Midtown West

For more information about independent bookstores visit the website of: Independent Booksellers of New York City (IBNYC)