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Home / Gift Guide
Gift Guide

11 Chic Coffee Table Books You Need for Your Living Room

By Annie Davidson on December 20, 2018

Coffee table books can be more than just decoration.

© Courtesy of respective publishers

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Like the Edge of Order—which explores famed architect Daniel Libeskind’s impact and inspiration, and Destination Art which acts as a global guide paired with vivid imagery to Murals of Tibet which comprises more than a decade’s worth of work by photographer Thomas Laird in an oversized tome—these items not only illustrate but also inform. Even more, Kate Moss by Mario Sorrenti explores her humble beginnings as a model and undeniable beauty (as many books have before) but this particular interpretation of the icon views her through a more personal, vulnerable lens; that of her intimate relationship with her former partner, photographer Mario Sorrenti.

And here, Departures has rounded up the most entrancing books about art, fashion, and travel that cater to the watch aficionado, the art lover, and the car buff.

 
Courtesy Rizzoli

Henry Taylor

For three decades the iconic artist Henry Taylor has documented his interpretations of New York, Los Angeles, Europe, and Africa—including artists, musicians, writers, performers, and personal friends.

And this survey (with contributions from such friends such as Charles Gaines, Rachel Kaadzi Ghansah, Sarah Lewis, and Zadie Smith) offers over 200 of the painter's portraits and street scenes.

To buy: $65; rizzoliusa.com

Courtesy Assouline

Windows at Tiffany’s & Co

Everyman and his dog know that Tiffany’s & Co holiday windows are a bucket list must-see. This Ultimate Collection edition book provides an exclusive view of the displays at the Fifth Avenue flagship—from the legendary designer Gene Moore’s Christmas and Valentine’s windows to never-before-seen concept sketches.

To buy: $845; tiffany.com

Courtesy Clarkson Potter

Edge of Order

As one of the foremost architects of our time, Daniel Libeskind is responsible for the creation of some of the world’s most iconic structures such as the Jewish Museum Berlin and New York’s World Trade Center Redevelopment. Here, the mastermind himself gives access to his distinct creative process, major commissions, unexpected favorites, and more.

To buy: $80; penguinrandomhouse.com

Courtesy Assouline

New York by New York

There is no place like New York. From Manhattan and Brooklyn to the Bronx and Queens to Staten Island, this book navigates through New York and all of its ages—stories of immigration to the discos at Studio 54.

To buy; $250; assouline.com

Courtesy Assouline

The Impossible Collection of Rolex

The Rolex Daytona has become one of the most-coveted watch styles by everyone from an industry outsider to the most seasoned watch collector. And Rolex as a brand, has been one of the most legendary watchmakers for over a century, breaking records along the way (the Paul Newman Daytona auctioned for $17.8 million by Phillips New York in 2017). Here, a comprehensive survey with vivid imagery of the one-of-a-kind brand’s history.

To buy: $845; assouline.com

Courtesy Yale University Press

Andy Warhol—From A to B and Back Again

In conjunction with the Andy Warhol exhibit on view at the Whitney Museum in New York, this book examines the artist’s work across all media throughout the scope of his career.

To buy: $70; shop.whitney.com

Courtesy Phaidon

Kate by Mario Sorrenti

There have been a number of books published on the iconic Kate Moss. But unlike any other, this tome features intimate, never-before-published photographs taken in the early 1990s by her boyfriend at the time, Italian photographer Mario Sorrenti, before her rise to fame.

To buy: $100; phaidon.com

Courtesy Clarkson Potter

All About Cake

Two-time James Beard Award-winning chef and owner of Manhattan’s Milk Bar, Christina Tosi, is the ultimate authority on all that is cake. And now, she’s giving readers the chance to recreate to all of her sugar-fueled creations at home—everything from two-minute microwave mug cakes and buttery Bundts and pounds, to her famous cake truffles and signature naked layer cakes.

To buy: $35; penguinrandomhouse.com

Courtesy Taschen

Murals of Tibet

For over a decade, photographer Thomas Laird traveled the corners of Tibet’s plateau to capture the land’s spectacular Buddhist murals in all their vastness, intricacy, and their spiritual, emotional, and psychological impact. This oversized Collector’s Edition (limited to 998 copies) has been signed by His Holiness the Dalai Lama himself, and is accompanied with a bookstand designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Shigeru Ban.

To buy: $12,000; taschen.com

Courtesy Taschen

Ferrari

From 1947 when Enzo Ferrari founded his eponymous Italian powerhouse, the bright hue of red would never look the same. An exploration of Ferrari as the authority of luxury, this handcrafted leather-bound and hand-stitched Collector’s Edition (limited to 1,947 signed and numbered copies by Piero Ferrari) is equally extravagant—it’s encased in cast aluminum designed by Marc Newson.

To buy: $6,000; taschen.com

Courtesy Phaidon

Destination Art

Destination Art acts as a global guide to the 500 works of permanently installed modern and contemporary art worth traveling to experience—including Marina Abramović, Alexander Calder, Jenny Holzer, Yayoi Kusama, Henri Matisse, Henry Moore, Richard Serra, and more—over the past century. The book is complete with addresses, websites, and symbols indicating access points for smooth traveling.

To buy: $35; phaidon.com

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