In 'The Address Book,' Deirdre Mask delves into the deeper significance of street addresses, revealing how these mundane markers go beyond aiding in navigation and mail delivery. Mask illuminates the multifaceted stories street names tell about our society—reflecting our history, politics, and the hierarchy of race and class. She scrutinizes the naming of streets after Martin Luther King Jr., the wayfinders of ancient Rome, and how addresses, or lack thereof, often delineate social standing and can even determine access to services. By examining institutions from tax systems to social constructs, Mask showcases addresses as instruments of power, shaping identity and dictating who matters within the cultural tapestry of human settlement.