A stellar selection of big, beautiful books is transformative: not just of the humble coffee table, but the design and mood of its surroundings. 

The right selection will speak for your style, interests and quirks, and it should spark conversation. If you’re looking to spruce up your interiors, coffee table books are a smart hack.

Whether you’re into New York street style, cartoons or recipes, curating an eclectic mix of beautiful books means you can switch things up at any time. Seek impact (in a legendary cover) and substance in equal measure; these books speak from the outside in, and you want them to express your idiosyncratic style.

We delved into this summer’s newest releases and unearthed older tomes to bring you a hit list of coffee table books that would make any New Yorker proud.  
 

D C-T
by Joana Avillez and Molly Young

This book of cartoons is for the true New York native. Set in the city, the collection of illustrations is printed alongside encrypted captions for you to decode (authors Avillez and Young recommend you do it aloud). 

Inspired by a 1968 work by artist and author William Steig, this is a bright, candid way to amp-up your living space.  



Facades
by Bill Cunningham

You won't find it cheap: it's rare and produced by a legend, and New York runs thick in its veins. Late street style photographer Bill Cunningham was obsessed with the city, where he explored thrift stores, auction houses, flea markets and streets atop his bicycle, ever-armed with his camera. 

Facades was the basis of a 2014 exhibition at the New York Historical Society, and chronicles Cunningham's eight-year photography project to capture sites and style in New York. This is as much a piece of history as a work of art. Cunningham megafans should pre-order his postumously-published memoir Fashion Climbing (released September 4) and sit them side-by-side. 



The Art and Craft of Chocolate
by Nathan Hodge

Preorder this chocolate masterpiece and you'll be in for all the treats when it drops August 7. This is the big, bad, grand tour of cacao, taking you from bean to bar and offering tips and recipes on how to make chocolate at home. 

Nathan Hodge is a world-renowned chocolatier, and co-founder of Brooklyn-based raw coffee brand Raaka. The barnd will be showcasing their innovative chocolate at The New York Coffee Festival 2018; why not stop by to say hey?



The Light of New York
by Jean-Michel Berts

New York is one of the greatest cities in the world, and this epic photo series is a thrilling homage to it. Captured at dawn by award-winning photographer Jean-Michel Berts, this is a testament to the mysterious, serene energy of the city.

Delve into the buildings, bridges, streets and parks of the Big Apple in a poetic, moving light.



The Kinfolk Table

One-third cookbook, one-third narrative tale and one-third international adventure, The Kinfolk Table is a beautiful addition to the coffee table of anyone with a penchant for food, travel and photography. 

The brief is simple; this but puts the emphasis on the relationships that surround eating. Expect 85 creative recipes to try hailing from home and away. You'll find Brooklyn, Copenhagen, Canada and the English countryside in these pages; the ultimate coffee break escape. 

Grace: The American Vogue Years
by Grace Coddington
 

This huge tombe features the last fifteen years of work by legendary American Vogue fashion editor Grace Coddington.

Bring her most beloved fashion stories and collaborators, from an Alice in Wonderland-inspired fantasy by Annie Leibovitz, to Linda Evangeilista's Highland Fling by Arthur Elgort. 



Diane Arbus: Portrait of a Photographer
by Arthur Lubow

Diane Arbus is one of the most influential and important photographers of the twentieth century, and this is her definitive, and beguiling biography.  This book brings her iconic photography into focus with vividness and immediacy, reminding us why she is considered one of the great American artists of the twentieth century. 




The Bridge
By Peter J. Tomasi and Sara Duvall

More than 130 years after its completion, the Brooklyn Bridge remains one of the most extraordinary landmarks and symbols of Brooklyn and New York City, and the story behind it is just as extraordinary.

In this graphic novel, author Peter J. Tomasi and illustrator Sara Duvall show the building of the Brooklyn Bridge as it has never been seen before, and the marriage of the Roeblings—anchored by intellectual equality and mutual support—that made the construction of this iconic structure possible.



The New York Coffee Guide
By The Allegra Group

Every coffee lover should own a copy of The New York Coffee Guide. Featuring all of the city's best craft coffee venues, roasters and articles from leading industry experts, this is the definitive guide. 

Be inspired to visit exciting new specialty coffee spots and stay one step ahead of the curve. You can purchase the new 2019 guide at The New York Coffee Festival (and VIPs receive a complimentary coffee).