Book

Some people are hard to shop for, or alternatively you don't know someone well enough to get them something they really like. Then you have the added pressure of the Holiday season closely coming to its apex, and you are left stressing about what to get for those important people in your life. Usually the idea of a book doesn't get ones juices flowing as the idea of an exciting gift, but that isn't always the case. Here you have just one good example, of a world of image-rich publications that make a stunning presentation, and provide hours of interest. It is hard to go wrong.

This book is the Atlas of 21st Century World Architecture from Phaidon Press. Call it a coffee table book, but it is one that people will want to look through a lot. The big book is about 20 lbs and 800 pages of pictures and detail rich content that is perfect for anyone with even a mild interest in architecture. I can't put the book down - each full page is dedicated to a specific structure, complete with technical layouts, photographs, and discussions of the building function, design, and about the architect. Structures include single family homes to massive complexes. Further, the book is arranged into color-coded sections by continent. That makes it easy to see the differences in architecture by region as well as culture.

Remember that the Atlas contains new buildings, all from the 21st century. You really get an incredible survey of how varied modern architecture really is. In addition to this publication, Phaidon produces a range of topical publications that would likely suit just about anyone, of any age or interest type. A great gift or for yourself. I just got too excited about this book not to blog about it. Retail price is $195, available direct from Phaidon.

The aptly named "Wrist Watch Annual" line of yearly guides to the world of watches has now been released for 2010. Somewhere between a book and a magazine, this uber resource is the finest print publication that you can get when it comes to spending time in the world of watches. The guide covers many brands, each with a survey of their new and popular models - complete with images, movements, specs, and prices! The latter of which are hard to find.

The book also features a new pictorial glossary of watch terms both common and obscure. It is now possible for you, with this brief eduction, to know what I am talking about half the time in my many watch-centric articles. I personally give credit to a previous version of Wrist Watch Annual back in 2002, for really acting as the catalyst to my intense passion for watches that I have today. It is a powerfully enjoyable publication, and beautifully made. Price is just $35 direct from the publisher website here. 456 pages of horological enjoyment with 1,400 full color images. I don't say this too often, but the books are almost drool worthy if you are anything like me. After you click over to the publisher's page, you have access to more information as well as screen shots of Wristwatch Annual 2010's select pages. A must have for all new and existing watch lovers out there.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch review site aBlogotoRead.com.

One lucky British family happened to see a photo of the spine of a first edition of "On the Origin of Species" by Charles Darwin. Don't we have that at home?, they thought.

They did. According to Reuters, the book was purchased for "a few shillings" in the 60s or 70s and has been sitting on the shelf, undiscovered, until now. Tuesday marks the edition's 150 year anniversary, and it will be auctioned off at Christie's. It is estimated that the book is worth £40,000 - £60,000 ($66,000 - $100,000).

If you've got a first edition or a very old book on your shelf, if might be worth searching it on abebooks.com and alibris.com to see if it's commanding a high price. The price of your book will be affected by the rarity of the edition, condition, and things like typos or signatures. Empty Mirror Books offers more insight here.

**Update 9:20 PM, 11/24/2009**
Guess what it fetched at London's Christie's? Including the buyer's premium, it sold for £103,250 -- about $172,000 -- almost twice the maximum estimated price. The AP reports that the shelf it was sitting on was a "toilet bookshelf." If you've got Darwin in your collection, you might want to note that British authorities are reportedly "searching for a leather-bound notebook Charles Darwin used in developing his theory of natural selection."

[via Reuters]

Sometimes I find it challenging to get through an issue of Vanity Fair, with its overuse of the word "legendary" and its snobbiness. But I enjoy the back-page Proust Questionnaire, and VF is guessing the rest of the world does too. It just released a compilation of the monthly magazine's department -- which has been in VF since 1993 -- in a hardcover book, Vanity Fair's Proust Questionnaire: 101 Luminaries Ponder Love, Death, Happiness, and the Meaning of Life (Rodale Books, October 2009).

Edited by VF editor Graydon Carter with illustrations by Risko, who illustrates the department each issue, the 224-page book sells for $23.99.

Read Carter's take on his new book, and learn that neither Proust nor VF invented the questionnaire, in VF's November 2009 issue's Society section. And be sure to take the questionnaire yourself.

Sometimes we all need a reminder of the basics of good style. InStyle is releasing the latest new edition of its top-selling classic, The New Secrets of Style (Time, Inc. Home Entertainment, $29.95) on October 27, 2009. This comprehensive style resource features expert guidance for looking fabulous with confidence and ease. The book uses celebrity examples to discusses the finer points of effortless and timeless dressing. Each chapter analyzes different aspects of a wardrobe, from lingerie to coats, and features "flattery" charts arranged by body type. Written by the editors of InStyle, The New Secrets of Style includes chapters on shoes, bags, jewelry and shows how to combine the various types of accessories with specific outfits to create an elegant, unfussy look.

We received a copy of this book to give away to one reader. To enter leave a comment with your own style tip below.

Some other important details:

* To enter, leave a confirmed comment below.
* The comment must be left and confirmed before October 30, 2009 at 5:00PM Eastern Time.
* You may only enter once.
* One winner will be selected in a random drawing.
* One winner will receive a copy of The New Secrets of Style valued at $29.95.
* Open to legal residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia.

See complete contest rules here.

This contest is closed. Thank you for your participation.

My colleague Jared Paul Stern recently reported that Hugh Hefner's biography will run $1,300 a figure no doubt made more tempting by the inclusion of selections from Playboy magazine. But will readers pay $1,000 for Ted Kennedy's memoir, "True Compass?" The NY Times Media Decoder blog says that the publisher, Twelve, an imprint of Grand Central Publishing will issue a limited edition run of 1,000 leather-bound and electronically-signed versions of the memoir. The limited edition will include family photos that are not available in the standard hardcover. The edition will be sold through Hachette Book Group, the parent company of Grand Central of which Twelve is an imprint. Standard copies will sell for $35 and the book will be released in October.

Kennedy is said to have received $8 million for the book which he wrote with Ron Powers, an author of "Flags of Our Fathers." Kennedy is far from the first political figure with an expensive book. A limited edition of President Clinton's massive "My Life" sold for $350 and a leather-bound version of President Reagan's memoir "An American Life" was sold for $1,500 back in 1990.

The Harry Potter economy is alive and well. A softcover copy of the first Harry Potter book sold for a record $19,120 in a rare books auction through Heritage Auction Galleries in Dallas Texas on Friday. The 1997 first edition of Harry Potter and The Philosopher's Stone with the original publisher's illustrated softcover wrappers also featured an illustrated card signed by the author, J. K. Rowling. There were only 200 copies in the first printing and the winning bid this time was nearly double the previous record for this book set last October ($10,750). The winning bidder is from Dubai and is said to be a comic book collector whose wife is a Harry Potter fan.

As we mentioned recently, it's Barbie's 50th birthday. In addition to getting her own tiny Louboutins, she's also getting her own book. The Ultimate Collection: Barbie book from Assouline is a Barbie-pink book which is assembled using the traditional anglaise technique and color-tipped by hand on art-quality paper. The book covers Barbie history, Barbie fashion and features pictures of vintage Barbies and Barbie accessories. The book is 14" x 17" and has 128 pages. It sells for $500.

[via View On Fashion]

Everyone knows someone who loves The Godfather. Here's a gift idea for the true fan: "The Godfather Family Album" is a pictorial book with never-before-seen photos from the sets of all three films, taken from photographer Steve Schapiro's archives. This edition is limited to 1,000 copies, each numbered and signed by Schapiro. Also included are background articles and interviews about the films. This lavish, leather-bound book allows fans a privileged peek behind the scenes in the making of film history. Edited by Paul Duncan; color and black/white; hardcover plus box; 29 x 44 cm (11.4 x 17.3 in.); 444 pages; $700.

[Thanks, Ben]

I've covered many expensive books over the years but there aren't too many like "Michelangelo: La Dotta Mano" the new book by Italian publisher FMR. The book measures 18 by 28 inches and weighs a backbreaking 61 pounds. Why so heavy? The cover is a marble carving of a replica of the Madonna della Scala encased in a velvet binding. Inside there are reproductions of drawings by Michelangelo, photographs by Italian photographer Aurelio Amendola and writings on Michelangelo spanning centuries of scholarship. The book commemorates the 500th anniversary of the start of Michelangelo's work on the Sistine chapel. You can see the book at the New York Public Library's Bill Blass Public Catalog Room from Dec. 2-8. Or, if you have the money and sturdy shelves you can pick up one of your own from the limited edition of 99 for $130,000.

[via LA Times Jacket Copy]

Milkweed Editions Inc. was founded in 1979 in Minnesota with the intention of "making a humane impact on society." The independent non-profit publishing house puts out 12 - 20 new books each year and strives to use literature's unique ability to reach people and change their thinking to make the world a better place. They support writing creations of all kinds (fiction, nonfiction, children's, poetry) as long as it conveys a message in keeping with their mission of the essence of the human heart and spirit.

Designer Matt Carr found found two vintage coffee tables and was inspired to create a bookrack for his own home. Earning points for recycling and keepin' it green (possibly saving the tables from the landfill), he configured them into the Biblioteca Bookrack, offered by Umbra.

The shelves have a natural mahogany top and black lacquered legs. Dimensions: 44" x 37" x 11" (111 cm x 93 cm x 20 cm).

$525 on the Umbra site, but pssst, Unica Home offers it for $500.

See the gallery below for more views.

Heston Blumenthal from world-renowned The Fat Duck in Bray, England is known for his expensive and innovative cuisine and now one of the world's best chef is creating one of the world's priciest cookbooks. He is partnering with the jewelry company Asprey to created a limited edition £1,000 luxury leather-bound book. The book will also come with two surprise 'silver gifts' from Asprey. The Independent reports that in spite of a weakening global economy luxury books are still big business. We've certainly seen more than a few, check out some examples in the gallery below.

Whether or not you support the reasons and politics behind why our troops are deployed, the troops themselves always deserve our support to make their service more pleasant and bearable. Books for Soldiers is a non-profit corporation that sends books to soldiers to help alleviate some of the boredom they face when isolated on bases in foreign countries and facing massive amounts of downtime. It's a great way to get rid of books you've already read (instead of taking them to a used book store) or why not buy the soldiers some books brand new? They certainly deserve it.

Thanks for the tip, Chad!

It seems like I barely have time to read anything anymore that isn't online, but I still love books. Bookshelves of books are relaxing and interesting, and they bring extra depth to a room's decor. The best thing is an established home with an established library of books, but what if you're just starting out or are completely redoing the interior design of a room? It could take years to find and collect the right kind of books if you do it yourself, but if you go through New York City Strand Bookstore you can order custom designed books by the foot. Looking for a collection of old leather-bound classics? Or maybe a bookshelf full of your favorite hobby? You can spend as little as $10 per foot (for a random mix) or as much as $400 per foot (for 19th century antique leather hardcovers).

I think it would be fun! Kind of like a big grab bag of books.