Although we've been spending more time in our homes than we could have ever imagined, it has also given us a great excuse to liven up our decor. Chic coffee table books can help us do just that, coupled with a luxurious candle that maybe—just maybe!—will help us feel something after this mind-numbing couple of years. Whether you actually place the books on a coffee table (after reading them, of course), use them as a prop for your laptop, or plan on purchasing one as a holiday gift this season, allow us to present an excellent array of coffee table books spanning across fashion, art, travel, and culture, ahead.
'Gray Malin: The Essential Collection' by Gray Malin
For the World Traveler
Gray Malin: The Essential Collection is a gorgeous coffee table book featuring a decade of work from the renowned photographer, including never-before-seen photos shot in destinations across the world. The unsigned version retails for $54.
'Lady Bird' Screenplay Book
For the Water Sign
If you or someone you know loved watching Lady Bird, allow us to suggest purchasing this Lady Bird screenplay book. It's part of A24 Books' series that celebrates how notable directors brought their films from script to screen.
'Vital Voices' By Alyse Nelson and Gayle Kabaker
For the Changemaker
Featuring words of wisdom from 100 global leaders including Malala Yousafzai, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, and the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg, Vital Voices is a culmination of insight from powerful women alongside beautiful portraits painted by Gayle Kabaker.
'Moonlight' Screenplay Book By Tarell Alvin McCraney
For the Movie Buff
The Moonlight screenplay book is part of A24 Books' series that celebrates how notable directors brought their films from script to screen. Immerse yourself in writer and director Barry Jenkins's award-winning talent, complete with the Moonlight screenplay, Jenkins's acceptance speeches, and a prologue written by Frank Ocean.
'I Can Make You Feel Good' By Tyler Mitchell
For the Photographer
Tyler Mitchell, who photographed Beyoncé's iconic September 2018 Vogue cover, published his first monograph, I Can Make You Feel Good. Through his work, he aims "to visualize what a Black utopia looks like or could look like," he wrote on Instagram. "People say utopia is never achievable but I love photography’s possibility of allowing me to dream and make that dream become very real."
'Art =: Discovering Infinite Connections in Art History' By The Metropolitan Museum of Art
For the Art Connoisseur
For the art connoisseurs who miss strolling around New York City's Metropolitan Museum of Art, the museum's Art =: Discovering Infinite Connections in Art History, which includes more than 800 artworks from The Met, is the next best thing.
'HRH: So Many Thoughts on Royal Style' By Elizabeth Holmes
For the Royal Enthusiast
Veteran journalist Elizabeth Holmes has transformed her popular social-media series into a delightful book analyzing the sartorial choices of the four most fashionable British royals in recent memory.
'Black Futures' By Kimberly Drew & Jenna Wortham
For the Creative
Kimberly Drew and Jenna Wortham's Black Futures centers on the overarching question, "What does it mean to be Black and alive right now?" Through a collection of photos, essays, memes, poetry, lyrics, and more, the book exemplifies what Black creators are bringing to the world today. Start anywhere in the book—as the authors note, there's no beginning, middle, or end.
'Humans' By Brandon Stanton
For the Cancer Sun Sign in Your Life
Experience the print version of Brandon Stanton's popular Humans of New York Instagram account. Rather than focusing on New York residents, the book documents stories about life, love, and loss from humans across the globe. It's a necessary reminder that our humanity is what ties us together.
'Chinatown Pretty' By Andria Lo & Valerie Luu
For the Style Maven
A re-creation of Andria Lo & Valerie Luu's popular Instagram account, Chinatown Pretty captures the street style of the most fashionable elders in the Chinatowns of San Francisco, Oakland, Los Angeles, Chicago, New York City, and Vancouver.
'Dolly Parton, Songteller' By Dolly Parton & Robert K. Oermann
For the Dolly Fan
Celebrate the icon that Dolly Parton is with her new book, Dolly Parton, Songteller: My Life in Lyrics, that reveals the stories behind 175 of her most popular songs with never-before-seen images from the singer's archives.
'Naomi' (Updated Edition) By Josh Baker
For the Naomi Campbell Stan
Here, an ode to the legendary supermodel Naomi Campbell. Originally published in 2016, this updated edition of Naomi looks back at the model's life and career from the '80s to today. The best part? It comes in two volumes: one with images from her most famous shoots, and the other an assortment of magazine covers and ads with notes written by Campbell herself.
'Jewels That Made History' By Stellene Volandes
For the Jewelry Collector
If you've obsessively googled the stories behind the Queen's tiaras at least once in your life, you'll appreciate Town & Country Editor-in-Chief Stellene Volandes's Jewels That Made History. The tome showcases iconic jewels from the Cleopatra era all the way to today on celebrities like Jennifer Lopez and Lady Gaga.
'Zanele Muholi' By Allen Sarah & Yasufumi Nakori
For the Activist
Whoever said coffee table books are reserved for hard covers should make an exception for Zanele Muholi, a collection of work from the acclaimed South African visual activist. Their art, which documents the lives of Black lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex people, is currently on display at London’s Tate Modern.
'Interior Space' By Paolo Nespoli, Alice Gorman, Jeffrey S. Nesbit & Roland Miller
For the Space Nerd
Celebrating 20 years of the International Space Station (ISS), photographer Roland Miller and Italian astronaut Paolo Nespoli compiled captivating photos from inside the ISS. If you love all things space, be sure to read Marie Claire's Women & Space package.
