Recommend good coffee table books

[Fuuma]

This can be good because depending who you get home they'll be scandalized the guy just writes dates and get away with having an illustrious career.

http://www.amazon.com/Kawara-Tableau...6535816&sr=8-1

 

[kwilkinson]

I think The French Laundry cookbook or the Alinea cookbook would make good coffeetable books for foodies. They're both very large and full of great pictures and short little stories.

 

[robbie]

taschen is a good source, as is phaidon

I have just nabbed a lot of older magazines, catalogs, yearbooks from antique malls they are usually a bit more unique and you stand a better chance of not being one of many who own/display it.

 

[binge]

Why is uniqueness important to you? If you had a coffee table book that you really liked, but then found out that many others did too, would that diminish your enjoyment of it?

 

[Spatlese]

Originally Posted by kwilkinson

I think The French Laundry cookbook or the Alinea cookbook would make good coffeetable books for foodies. They're both very large and full of great pictures and short little stories.

Ha...I've actually got them both sitting on my coffee table, amongst a stack of other cookbooks. This is more from laziness to put them away as opposed to a concious decision to showcase them.

 

[likeitaloud]

Originally Posted by Kent Wang

The Codex Seraphinianus is my coffee table book.

I just realized there are only 4000 copies..did you actually buy it for over $600?

 

[freshcutgrass]

I just realized there are only 4000 copies..did you actually buy it for over $600?

It's been re-printed a few times by different publishers over the years (Rizzoli published it back in 2006 for about $100 ). Not sure how many copies there are, but all combined, there are a lot more than 4000.

It's less a "book", than performance art in the form of a book.

 

[likeitaloud]

Originally Posted by freshcutgrass

It's been re-printed a few times by different publishers over the years (Rizzoli published it back in 2006 for about $100 ). Not sure how many copies there are, but all combined, there are a lot more than 4000.

It's less a "book", than performance art in the form of a book.

Yea but after I read the wiki entry I knew I had to have it

Where did you order the 100$ version? Isn't it only sold in Italy?

 

[Bradford]

It's hard to recommend good coffee table books because everyone is into different things.

My suggestion is go to your local Borders or B&N and check the clearance section right up front. There's almost always racks full of coffee table books at great discounts.

I recently picked this up for about $5

and I also own books like

And I'd really like to own

Basically, it just depends on what you like.

Heck even Urban Outfitters sells coffee table books.

 

[Kent Wang]

Originally Posted by likeitaloud

Yea but after I read the wiki entry I knew I had to have it

Where did you order the 100$ version? Isn't it only sold in Italy?
I bought the Rizzoli reprint for about $130.

Some Italian dealers will ship to the US.

 

[robbie]

Originally Posted by binge

Why is uniqueness important to you? If you had a coffee table book that you really liked, but then found out that many others did too, would that diminish your enjoyment of it?

not necessarily... if its stuff everyone has already seen it doesn't stand a very good chance of ever being looked at /read and then the book defeats its purpose no?

 

[likeitaloud]

Originally Posted by robbie

not necessarily... if its stuff everyone has already seen it doesn't stand a very good chance of ever being looked at /read and then the book defeats its purpose no?

I agree i love the moonlight sonnet but I'd never play it over dinner.

 

[binge]

Originally Posted by robbie

not necessarily... if its stuff everyone has already seen it doesn't stand a very good chance of ever being looked at /read and then the book defeats its purpose no?

I don't think so. But then, my purpose of having books on my table and/or shelf is to satisfy myself, not others. Is your purpose to have these things primarily to entertain others?

 

[likeitaloud]

Isn't that what these books are for? So others have something to do while you are making coffee in the kitchen?

 

[Gradstudent78]

Not sure if these are what your looking for, but I'd put them on my coffee table:

Cary Grant: A Celebration of Style
http://www.amazon.com/Cary-Grant-Cel...=3V0Q5BTTMUQLB


Gentleman: A Timeless Fashion
http://www.amazon.com/Gentleman-Time...6663447&sr=8-1


The Complete Far Side 1980-1994
http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Far-S...6663541&sr=1-1