Reach for books as worthy gifts
NEW YORK – Books are an easy gift choice, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be fresh. There’s always a great selection around the holidays for a range of ages and interests.
Some ideas:
“Creature” by Shaun Tan. It’s as if, Tan writes, “I need to throw the artistic pebble far across a pond of weirdness in order to see some meaning in the ripples …” Those words in the introduction of his new book speak volumes. The artist, writer and filmmaker from Perth, Australia, has collected his dreamy, sometimes eerie paintings and drawings. Tan reflects at length on his childhood in thoughtful text. $35. Levine Querido.
“Ugly-cute” by Jennifer Mccartney. Is there beauty in just about anything? Mccartney thinks so. She has put together a small-in-stature, full-color look at “cuglies”: oft-underappreciated species both well known and obscure. Gaze upon the male star-nosed mole and its 22 pink, fleshy appendages in place of a face. Mccartney filled her little book with bite-size facts and fun quizzes. $14.99. Harpercollins.
“Africa in Fashion” by Ken Kweku Nimo. The Ghanaian researcher and designer explores the complex role the continent plays in the global fashion worlds past and present. He spotlights a new wave of African talent while looking back on vast textile, craft and embellishment traditions that are hundreds of years old. Nimo also delves into the potential of Africa as a luxury hub. $40. Laurence King Publishing. Also consider “Africa Fashion,” which accompanies an exhibition of the same name at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.
“Regeneration: Black Cinema, 1898–1971” edited by Doris Berger and Rhea L. Combs. This companion to an exhibition of the same name at the Academy Museum in Los Angeles focuses on independent film. Interviews with Charles Burnett, Julie Dash, Ava Duvernay and more. Essays, glamour portraits and a chronology by year included. The goal: To provide a more expansive view of how American cinema has been shaped by African American creative expression. $49.95. Delmonico Books/academy Museum of Motion Pictures.
“The Crown in Vogue” by Robin Muir and Josephine Ross. Published for the late queen’s Platinum Jubilee, the two take readers through more than 200 images from British Vogue of the British royal family, starting in the early 20th century. At some point, every last one of the top royals graced the magazine’s pages, starting with the queen mother on through to Prince Harry and Meghan. With a range of commentary, from Evelyn Waugh to Zadie Smith. $29.99. Thunder Bay Press.
“Emily in Paris: The Official Cookbook” by Kim Laidlaw. Filled with 75 recipes inspired by the Netflix series. Lots of food porn here, along with photos of ex-pat Emily (Lily Collins) as fans await Season 3. Remember Gabriel’s omelette? It’s in there. How about that moment Emily was struggling to pronounce un pain au chocolate? The tasty croissant is included, too. $32.50. Weldon Owen.