As a man, there is an expectation that our personal spaces are minimalist. Lawn chairs and floor lamps (or table lamps sitting on the floor because there are no tables) clustered in front of a large and expensive TV with a video game console attached. But the times are a changin’, and we have been owning our spaces in similar ways that women are known to. We’re paying attention. Our spaces are being more intentional. Comfortable, designed, curated. Not long ago, a good friend of mine (and brilliant artist, writer, and impeccably stylish), Karlton Miko Tyack, wrote about elevating your space. It got me thinking. And I have discovered the beauty of the coffee table book. And also, my obsession with Assouline. But what is it about the coffee table book?
At my age, men start taking their interiors seriously. A sensible time to do so, I’ve collected five recommendations for cultivating your den, smoking room, or basement. – Karlton Miko Tyack
Spoiler alert…one of them is coffee table books.
Remarkable Books: The World’s Most Historic and Significant Works
This book about books will be one of the most interesting
The Man Behind the Maps: Legendary Ski Artist James Niehues
Black diamonds and blue squares and overpriced lift tickets and stunning views aside, there’s something else almost every ski resort in America has in common: James Niehues. From Big Sky to Vail to Jackson Hole to Squaw Valley, the trail maps handed out by the hundreds down near the ticket lines and posted on huge panels atop lifts were created by Niehues, an artist who has spent more than 30 years hand painting gorgeous (and useful) maps of every trail a mountain has to offer. Here he also offers colorful commentary to go with each map.
Visual Encyclopedia
This visually stunning new coffee table tome is the book equivalent to Reddit: It will suck you in and rob you of your time in the most enjoyable and informative way possible. Sure, as you’d expect from any encyclopedia it has information on Ancient Egypt and the planets and the American Civil War and all, but it’s also packed with pages you’ll love perusing even though you never even knew you wanted to understand more about how fish navigate using neuromasts set into lateral lines that convert water pressure changes into electrical pulses helping them avoid obstacles or predation or to find their own food.
Cliffhanger: New Climbing Culture & Adventures
There are a lot of words you could use to describe a lot of the climbing feats featured in this book. Two that come to mind are impressive and insane. But alongside images of and anecdotes about some of the world’s best climbing the world’s hardest rock, so to speak, are much more approachable tales of boulders any of us could try, info on gear and techniques amateurs can use, and a look into climbing culture that makes it seem more accessible rather than more remote.
The Last Stop: Vanishing Rest Stops of the American Roadside
Celebrate America’s remaining unique rest stops and celebrate the nation’s golden-age of car travel when the journey was just as important as the destination itself. Travel back in time through photographs of these retro landmarks that millions of travelers have used for solace and serenity through the decades, and marvel that many of them are still standing and can still be seen today.
Looking for more like this? We’ve also found the best history books to add to your shelves.
100 Years, 100 Buildings
Indulge in a century-long journey through the best existing structures built around the world between 1915 and 2015. You can experience not only how these buildings vary in design and development, but architecture enthusiasts will also learn the importance behind these architectural masterpieces, beam by beam.
75 Years of Marvel Comics
Follow Marvel down the rabbit hole of the comic book golden age and its progression to worldwide popularity by bringing resiliency and stark heroism into reality. Sift through over 700 pages and nearly 2,000 comic images of your favorite characters that still manage to deliver a fascinating fantasy escape today. 75 Years of Marvel Comics XL: From the Golden Age to the Silver Screen also gives you an inside look at the masterminds that bring Marvel Comics to life.
Cabin Porn
Be inspired by some of the most inviting handcrafted homes of America’s backcountry and others from around the world. The photographers of Cabin Porn: Inspiration for Your Quiet Place Somewhere created this collection of unique structures and warm interiors so you can take a moment to reflect on the beauty of the simple things in life.
Off the Road
Join another four-wheel, off-the-grid journey by delving into Off the Road’s details of adventures on roads less traveled. The book captures the special mood of such explorations through the eyes of travelers and adventurers cooking breakfast out of the back of their homey vans along with families who aim to teach their children the ways of the wilderness.
The Art of American Whiskey
Nothing speaks to an American man like a visual history of the art of bourbon and, more broadly, American whiskey. Told through hundreds of whiskey bottle labels, from pre-Prohibition-era days to the present, learn the stories of the pioneers and places behind the labels. Bonus: Each chapter features an era-appropriate recipe from mixologists that will tickle any tippler’s tongue. It’s not a crime to drink whiskey, but it used to be, so take advantage of your rights.
100 Years of Menswear
Everyone likes a man with style. One Hundred Years of Menswear lays bare a collection of images concerning the revolution in menswear over the last century. From rare photographs detailing the immaculate tailoring of Savile Row to the impact of high-end designers like Ralph Lauren and Pierre Cardin, to the explosion of street style in the punk and club scenes, this book covers the evolution of menswear from practical and elegant to exuberant and eclectic and everything in between. Not only will you learn what looks good, but you’ll also learn why.
Hemingway: A Life in Pictures
Every great man should be a fan of famed writer Ernest Hemingway. Better yet, a list of coffee table books for men wouldn’t be complete without something about Hemingway. This collection of 350 photos compiled by granddaughter Mariel will quickly change that. It captures Mr. Hemingway in his youth with a glimpse of the future man he would become, all while revealing intimate details about the writer’s character, dreams, and disappointments. While you’re at it, why not check out the 10 best books by Hemingway, ranked for your reading pleasure.
Bob Marley and the Golden Age of Reggae
This is a must-have not just for fans of Bob Marley, but for any serious fan of Reggae culture. Photographer Kim Gottlieb-Walker’s incredible access to the Reggae scene in the 1970s makes for a comprehensive history of the artists who took the genre to an international spotlight and the conditions that made the music so real and so relatable. Artists featured include none other than Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Lee “Scratch” Perry, Toots Hibbert, and more.
One Thousand Beards: A Cultural History of Facial Hair
Like the clothes you wear and the food you eat, if you wear a beard you should know where that beard came from. Of course, it grows out of your own face, but it has been influenced by many styles throughout the years. Follow the continuous rise and fall of beards as a trend and pick from style guides, grooming advice, and sort through hundreds of photos of fantastically bearded faces for inspiration.
Modern Huntsman
Launched in October 2018, Modern Huntsman celebrates the freedom and privilege that we as Americans have to explore, hunt, fish, and recreate on public lands, as well as highlight the contributions from private landowners to conserve and help maintain the parks, trails, and forests we all deeply appreciate. It’s all about celebrating your love for the outdoors while recognizing the importance of protecting it.
Hit the Road: Vans, Nomads, and Roadside Adventures
Hit the Road details the lives of men who yearn for an on-the-go life outside the big city, following them into the natural landscape. From Volkswagen campers and refurbished Airstream trailers to stunning photographs and nifty tricks and tips to survive on the road, this has everything the overland adventurer needs for on-the-road inspiration.
Banksy, You Are an Acceptable Level of Threat, and If You Were Not You Would Know about It
Banksy is an anonymous artist and, even if you don’t realize it, you’ve likely consumed some of his politically driven, satirical street art at one time or another. The British graffiti maven is also a man of complete mystery: Although there’s some speculation, nobody really knows who he is or how he moves so stealthily around the world, but it only adds to the artist’s immense intrigue. You Are An Acceptable Level of Threat by Patrick Potter is a comprehensive collection of Banksy’s lively street art career, spanning the late ’90s to the modern day, including historical favorites such as his dystopian amusement park “Dismaland” and “Balloon Girl.”
The Nomad Cocktail Book
The James Beard award-winning collection, The Nomad Cocktail Book, is a coffee table book that you must make space for in your living room. It’s a visually appealing wet galley that features nearly 300 cocktail recipes from NoMad Bar’s highly decorated vault, including innovative concoctions from cheeky bartender Leo Robitschek to traditional mouthwatering aperitifs that reflect the bar’s continued devotion to the craft of the cocktail. If you don’t live in New York, Los Angeles, or Las Vegas to experience one of the brand’s lively locations, you can still taste a sip of the NoMad life with this collection of complex and eclectic cocktails.
Virgil Abloh: Figures of Speech
From disc jockey to fashion pioneer, Virgil Abloh can do it all. Figures of Speech is a three-in-one book that provides new and old fans with over 1,900 images and essays that detail Abloh’s influences and creative process regarding high culture, streetwear fashion, racial justice, and more. If you’re an Off-White fanatic or are just simply attracted to Abloh’s unparalleled drive to “question everything,” this book is a perfect coffee table companion.
Dogs
“Man’s best friend” has long been the term used to describe our furry friends. A delight for dog lovers, Dogs is a multimedia anthology on the relationship between dogs and man that details everything from our ancestors’ first interactions with wolves to the complex and close connections we share with dogs today. The book features work from multi-award-winning photographer Tim Flach, who captures these canines in their most characteristic configurations for our amusement.
American Christmas
If you ever wondered whether or not America is a rather odd country (or parts of it, anyway), then this book will confirm as such in the best possible way. A fine Christmas gift and part of your holiday decor, it will be a welcome distraction any time of year. American Christmas features imagery and stories from 40 different families who go all out for the season, creating folk art masterpieces of exterior decoration.
A letter from our publisher
Ian Bell is a leader in a lot of ways. The Manual is his brainchild, and it comes from his love of everything elevated. So, of course, when a collection of coffee table books began coming together, we had to reach out and find out what was on his table and what he shows off to his guests.
The Art of Tequila: Spirit of Mexico
I spent some time in the city of Tequila and Guadalajara, Mexico earlier this year with the team at Jose Cuervo learning about their company and Reserva de la Familia specifically (link to interview). The perfect follow-up to learning in person about the company’s rich heritage is this amazing coffee-table book, which pays homage to tequila’s close relationship with the amazing artisans and artists of Mexico, tying that connection back to the Reserva de la Familia, Maestro Dobel, and 1800 Tequila products and their rich foundations. The book features beautiful photography and a detailed timeline going back to the founding of the country.
Coffee Table Art Book
Anyone who knows me understands that I am obsessed with coffee. I wouldn’t consider myself a coffee elitist, but I like learning about the rich heritage, culture, and processes that are involved with the coffee industry. The Coffee Table Art Book is a beautiful, high-quality hardcover packed with coffee-inspired art, photography, and mixed media from 65 incredible artists around the world. It captures coffee culture through paintings, collages, illustrations – and some pieces are even made with real coffee. And if you fall in love with a piece, you can purchase museum-quality prints through their site so you can hang it up in your own home or studio. The book itself isn’t as thick or high quality as some of the Assouline books mentioned, but at $59 dollars, it’s half the price of some of these other
