The Encyclopedia of Punk ($19. 56 at Amazon) lives up to its name with A-Z coverage of approximately 500 bands, zines, clubs, labels, subgenres and scenesters.
The text is peppered with hundreds of pages that capture the movement in all its sweaty, ripped denim and tattooed glory.
With a cover the size of a vinyl jacket and 400 glossy pages that make the tome thicker and heavier than your first laptop, it should make for an impressive presence on any self-respecting punk enthusiasts' coffee table — or that old speaker box doubling as one.
This article appears in Nov 26 – Dec 2, 2008.