Veins Books is a research library and bookstore based in Milan specialising in rare, out-of-print books and underground cultural artefacts. Founded by Nicola Bortoletto in 2022, Veins Books acts as a vehicle for collecting and documenting underground and avant-garde culture, embracing the intersection of art, fashion and counterculture while offering the ultimate inspiration moodboard for a community equally passionate about authentic artistic expression. This may be Young Idol Now, a super rare photobook documenting The Runaways in 1977, The Cramps’ 1986 EU promo tour programme, A Date with Elvis, or a highly-covetable Japanese edition of Larry Clark’s Tulsa photobook. While currently operating online, last week saw Veins Books open a pop-up library in Milan, with plans to visit more cities in the near future, We asked Bortoletto to curate an edit of ten items from the Vein Books shelves that everyone should see, want, cherish.

Seventh Heaven by Patti Smith, 1972

“Seventh Heaven is a poetry collection you’ll return to time and again. It lingers in your mind, leaving a lasting impression. It’s a journey into the intimate depths of what it means to be human, woven from both light and shadow.

Patti Smith has pioneered a new kind of poetry, blending raw rock ‘n’ roll energy with literary depth. This book is the perfect gateway to her unique fusion of words and music.”

Leather Trade

“Leather Trade is a book with an intense sexual charge. Skin on leather on human skin, in a dance of domination and submission. Young cops and open fetishes. I recommend it to those who enjoy having their imagination teased.”

Young Idol Now, 1977

“Rock and roll, baby doll. This Japanese edition of Young Idol Now is loud, rebellious, youthful, and sparkling. “Girls don’t play rock ‘n’ roll” – The Runaways proved the exact opposite.”

xxgirls by Richard Kern

xxgirls, published early in Kern’s career, is an explicit collection of nude photographs featuring girls he knew and worked with in the vibrant art and music scene of New York’s downtown.

Wrapped in its striking yellow PVC dust jacket, the book is captivating, provocative, and unapologetically sexy. How to sum it up in a few words? “A girl is a gun.”

Fotosequenzen 1972-1980 by Jürgen Klauke, 1982

“Fotosequenzen is an iconic book that encapsulates a profound visual reflection on identity and representation, an artwork that breaks the boundaries between photography and performance art. The highly theatrical images evoke surrealist works as the artist – through poses, movement, absurdity, and staging – seems to scream, provoke, declare, and strike.”

Tulsa by Larry Clark (Japanese edition), 1996

Japanese Haiku: Born in Tulsa, ’43, Needle in at sixteen years, It never comes out.

“Tulsa is a groundbreaking photography book, a fearless portrayal of a subculture consumed by self-destruction, drugs, sex and violence. An honest representation of Clark’s personal experiences growing up in Tulsa.”

I Need More: The Stooges and Other Stories by Anne Wehrer and Iggy Pop

“This book not only captures the essence of Iggy’s music but also uncovers the core of who Iggy truly is.

I Need More …love! more truth! more sex, drugs, and thrills! More laughs! More culture! More dynamite and disaster! More clouds! More dreams! I need more than I ever did before, but everything is going up in price.

“And how can you blame the Godfather of punk? We need more too.”

The End of Living: the Beginning of Survival by Dash Snow, 2007 (Pirate Copy)

“End of Living, Beginning of Survival is a raw, striking glimpse into the chaotic world of Dash Snow, a pivotal figure in New York’s underground art scene. It’s a battle cry against banality, celebration of living intensely, and the pursuit of meaning in a collapsing world. A must-read for anyone seeking to understand underground culture and the most subversive contemporary art.”

Pictures: Robert Mapplethorpe, by Robert Mapplethorpe, 1999

“The cover of the first edition of Pictures perfectly reflects the book’s content, featuring a leather glove, a studded bracelet, and elegant handwriting. Mapplethorpe exposes the raw intensity of his intimate experiences, fantasies, and firsthand depictions of fetish behaviours – rarely seen in coffee table art books. His keen sense of design and refined taste allows viewers to engage with images that might otherwise seem too disturbing or unsettling to observe.”

Whether it’s a cock or a flower, I’m looking at it in the same way, in my own way, with my own eyes.”

Christiane F. – Wir Kinder vom Bahnhof Zoo Japanese Booklet 

“Japanese movie souvenir programme book for Christiane F. by Uli Edel. The film, released in 1981 and later promoted in Japan in 1982, became a cultural phenomenon, especially due to its raw, gritty portrayal of teenage drug abuse and use of David Bowie’s music.

These programme books are a staple of Japanese cinema, offering fans detailed insights into the film, with behind-the-scenes photos, director’s notes, actor profiles, and sometimes exclusive content that wouldn’t be available elsewhere. Given the rarity of these books today, owning one is like holding a piece of cinema history in your hands!”

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