18 Coffee-Table Books to Gift This Holiday Season
Forget jewelry and and bottles of wine. This year, our go-to holiday gift is a gorgeous, new coffee-table book. Here are 18 titles we’ll be buying for our near and dear (and, OK, ourself).
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Annie Leibovitz: Portraits 2005-2016 by Annie Leibovitz
Leibovitz is one of the most influential photographers of our time, and this latest collection of her work features both iconic portraits and never-before-published photographs of subjects ranging from Gloria Steinem and George Clooney to Stephen Colbert and Michelle Obama.
Avedon's France by Robert M. Rubin and Marianne le Galliard
American fashion photographer Richard Avedon was famously fascinated with France. This book is a collection of his photographs, interviews, letters and essays that explore his lifelong love affair with the country.
Fred Herzog: Modern Color by Fred Herzog
Best known for his unusual use of color photography in the ’50s and ’60s (when art photography was almost exclusively black-and-white), Canadian artist Herzog was a pioneer, as evidenced by this book’s 230 images (many of which have never been reproduced before).
Takashi Murakami: The Octopus Eats Its Own Leg by Michael Darling
A definitive survey of the paintings of Japanese contemporary artist Murakami, The Octopus Eats Its Own Leg explores his relationship to traditional Japanese painting and the many contrasts in his work—high and low, ancient and modern, Eastern and Western, commercial and high art.
Cy Twombly by Jonas Storsve
With an oeuvre extending over six decades, American artist Twombly fused abstract expressionism with classical European and Mediterranean culture. This gorgeous book accompanies a retrospective at the Centre Pompidou in Paris, one of the largest exhibitions on his work to date.
In Full Flower by Gemma Ingalls and Andrew Ingalls
Calling all non-traditionalists: The Ingalls’ tome is a celebration of a new wave in contemporary floral design, featuring artists who combine traditional techniques with an organic, free-form style.
100 Buildings by Thom Mayne and Eui-Sung Yi
To create this primer on iconic modern buildings, more than 40 internationally renowned architects and educators—including the late Zaha Hadid—were asked to list their top 100 20th-century architectural projects. The results—from the Gehry House in Santa Monica to the Museu de Arte de São Paulo in Brazil—do not disappoint.
Haute Bohemians by MIGUEL FLORES-VIANNA
Photographer Flores-Vianna traveled across four continents to capture a group of creatives who embody the idea of modern bohemia both in their personal lives and in their homes, which range from country cottages and beach bungalows to East Village apartments and fancy châteaux.
Obama: An Intimate Portrait by Pete Souza
Souza was Chief Official White House Photographer for both of President Obama's terms. He took more than two million shots of Obama, in happy times and devastating, many of which are reproduced (along with behind the scenes stories) in this fascinating collection.
Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirrors by Mika Yoshitake and Alexander Dumbadze
This whimsical and kaleidoscopic book explores renowned Japanese artist Kusama’s best-known series, the Infinity Mirror Rooms (you’ve probably seen it on Instagram) and its influence on contemporary art over the past 50 years.
Donald: The Book by Donald Robertson
Funny and smart, Robertson has been called “the Andy Warhol of Instagram.” (We’re huge fans.) His illustrations are stylish, playful and well-worth a spot on your coffee table.
Food in Vogue by Vogue Editors
Featuring original essays by longtime Vogue food critic Jeffrey Steingarten and elegant, mouthwatering food photography by the likes of Irving Penn, Food in Vogue examines the magazine’s relationship with and treatment of food.
Dream Spaces by Victoria Hagan
Hagan is an eminent interior designer (who always gets a spot on Architectural Digest's AD100) best known for timeless and comfortable American style. Her much-anticipated second book presents a showstopping glance at her soft, modern aesthetic and pointed juxtaposition of luxury and simplicity.
New York Behind Closed Doors by Polly Devlin
A look inside the homes of 24 New York artists, designers, writers and influencers, Devlin’s book examines how each space expresses the resident’s unique personality through captivating photographs and in-depth interviews.
Houseplants and Hot Sauce by Sally Nixon
A cheeky seek-and-find book for grown-ups, Houseplants and Hot Sauce pairs illustrated scenes from the life of a modern gal—including brunch with friends and shopping for succulents—with clever and funny visual puzzles.
Dalí: Les D?ners de Gala by Salvador Dalí
Originally published in 1973, this surrealist cookbook features 136 recipes—illustrated by Dalí—that were served during the opulent dinner parties the artist threw with his wife and muse, Gala. The recipes are also accompanied by Dalí’s extravagant musings like: “The jaw is our best tool to grasp philosophical knowledge.” Hmm…
Diane Arbus: Portrait of a Photographer by Arthur Lubow
This definitive Arbus biography is an absorbing exploration of the link between the 20th-century photographer’s life and her iconic photographs (many of which are featured in a gorgeous insert).
At Home with Dogs and Their Designers by Susanna Salk
Salk’s delightful new book features the high-style-meets-pet-friendly secrets of 22 designer dog parents. Essential reading for anyone with an eye for design and a heart for man’s best friend.
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