The best books to give (or keep) this Christmas
‘Alexander Girard: Let the Sun In’
A leading figure in mid-century American design, Alexander Girard is perhaps best known for the vivid colour and geometric patterns he brought to Herman Miller textiles, as well as for his commercial projects, such as the Braniff International Airways rebrand and the La Fonda del Sol restaurant in New York. This monograph explores Girard’s prolific and varied career, which encompassed interiors, furniture, fabrics, graphics and architecture. It’s modernism at its most playful. £89.95, whsmith.co.uk
‘Donald Judd Furniture’
The late American artist first started making furniture for his Spring Street home and studio in New York, before creating beds, chairs, tables and desks for his buildings in Marfa, Texas, after being unable to find what he wanted. This vast volume features over 100 of Judd’s furniture designs, spanning 1970 to 1991, including archival sketches, drawings of each design, photographs of the pieces in his interiors and two essays by Judd himself. £65, waterstones.com
‘Brunch in London’
Nonprofit charity OnePlate asked some of London’s biggest chefs, restaurants and cafés to contribute their favourite brunch recipes to this book, with 100% of profits going to support sustainable food projects across Africa and Asia. The likes of Yotam Ottolenghi, Angela Hartnett, Dishoom, Claridge’s and more have shared delicious dishes that have previously been closely guarded industry secrets. Our picks? Nobu London’s salmon and scrambled egg donburi or the cinnamon buns from E5 Bakehouse. Delish. £39.95, waterstones.com
‘Great Women Sculptors’
From Yayoi Kusama to Barbara Hepworth by way of talents such as Mona Hatoum and Simone Leigh, this book, with an introduction by curator Lisa Le Feuvre, is a celebration of more than 300 groundbreaking women sculptors. Though it spans 500 years of remarkable artistry, the straightforward format – artists are organised alphabetically, with each entry receiving an image and an essay – allows readers to easily dip into the rich history and form their own connections to the collective output of women who have shaped the world of sculpture. £49.95, waterstones.com
‘An Eye For Couture’
At its finest, fashion is as powerful an expression of human creativity as any art form, and couture takes the discipline to sublime levels. Through lavish photography and evocative prose, this book places the best examples of 20th-century French haute couture beside the stories of the women who wore them. It’s the passion project of art dealer Francesca Galloway, who has amassed a collection of more than 100 pieces by the greatest couturiers, from Poiret to Lanvin, Chanel and Balenciaga. £75, whsmith.co.uk
‘How They Entertain: At Home with the Tastemakers’
If you’re looking to elevate your next dinner party, try delving into this lavish tome. The work of Pierre Sauvage of Parisian brand Casa Lopez, it takes us into the homes of 21 individuals from the worlds of design, interiors and the arts to show how they entertain with originality, wit and flair. Remy Renzullo, Laura Gonzalez, Nathalie Farman-Farma and Aurélie Bidermann are among the stylish hosts sharing their tips for throwing the best parties, from flower arranging and tablescaping to their signature recipes. £55, waterstones.com
‘Living in a Dream’
We’ve debated the merits of AI design; now, a new book captures the best of this emerging discipline. Defying real-life restrictions with the help of the latest AI tools, the most talented digital-dreamscape artists working today have let their imaginations run wild in its pages, concocting interiors and architecture. Crisply realised with an intriguing, hyper-real quality, these beach houses, skyscrapers and cabins blur the boundaries between reality and fantasy, giving us a glimpse into what the future might look like. £35, whsmith.co.uk
‘London Lost Interiors’
Take a tour of a vanished world through remarkable images of London homes that no longer exist, from art deco flats to townhouses that were destroyed in the Blitz, turned into hotels or demolished in the name of progress. With images dating from 1880 to 1940, Steven Brindle provides a rare and sometimes melancholy look into a time when rooms were decorated by Paul Nash and Rex Whistler, and when innovations such as electricity, plate glass, aluminium and chrome shook up the design scene. £50, Atlantic Publishing / Historic England, waterstones.com
‘Lost gardens of London’
Continuing the theme of vanished treasures in the capital, this book explores gardens that either no longer exist or are unrecognisable today. Released to accompany an exhibition at London’s Garden Museum running from 23 October until March 2025, it collects everything from allotments to aviaries and royal palace gardens. Enjoy the beautiful illustrations, watercolours, engravings and photographs of gardens ranging from the grand to the humble, the literary to the aristocratic, those dedicated to parties and others to contemplation. Urban jewels each one. £25, heywoodhill.com
‘Marina Abramović Turned Herself Into Art and Wasn’t Sorry’
The pioneering conceptual and performance artist Marina Abramović is the subject of the latest release in Phaidon’s bestselling series of artist biographies for young readers. The project is the work of painter Fausto Gilberti, who wanted to make contemporary art accessible to his own children, but these brilliant books are definitely not just for kids. £12.95, whsmith.co.uk
‘Mies Van Der Rohe: An Architect in His Time’
In this landmark survey, renowned architectural historian Dietrich Neumann offers a new perspective on the life and work of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, challenging established interpretations of his key works. Drawing on overlooked archival and primary sources and presenting previously unknown buildings and furniture designs, this deeply researched account places the pioneering modernist architect’s output firmly in the social and political context of the period. A must-read for anyone with even a passing interest in 20th-century architecture. £60, whsmith.co.uk
‘When Two or More Are Gathered Together’
First published in 1976, photographer Neal Slavin’s snapshot of American society offers fascinating insights into group dynamics, status and human nature. Slavin travelled around the US during the 1970s documenting different gatherings of people, from bodybuilders and ballroom dancers to Star Trek conventioneers. This expanded 50th-anniversary edition includes an essay by art historian Kevin Moore and new group portraits (think dogs, chambermaids and fencers). £35, waterstones.com
‘Secret Cars’
What if Lamborghini had built a school bus? Or if Ferrari had made a camper van? This book imagines what might have happened if the world’s top car brands had designed some out-of-the-box vehicles. It’s the brainchild of Mr Francois, aka François Mercier, a Brussels-based film-maker and ‘promptographer’ – someone who prompts AI to create an image with a few words. It’s the perfect gift for car fanatics or anyone fascinated by the possibilities of AI. £22, waterstones.com
‘This Creative Life: Fashion Designers at Home’
From compact flats and cosy cottages to English manor houses and the grandest of 14th-century palazzos, the homes of fashion folk are many and varied. Photographer and author Robyn Lea turns her lens onto the sanctuaries of 20 style tastemakers to discover how they build their own private worlds away from catwalks and ateliers. Her intimate photographs and profiles of Bella Freud, JJ Martin, Gilles Massé and Andrea Tartaglia give an authentic insight into the spaces where these creatives rest, work and play. £40, waterstones.com
‘Sketch’
From the moment it burst onto the scene in 2002, Sketch felt like a London institution, from its famous ‘egg’ pod loos to its three-Michelin-starred Lecture Room and Library restaurant (one of only five so honoured in the UK). It was the brainchild of celebrated restaurateur Mourad Mazouz and renowned French chef Pierre Gagnaire, and its historic Mayfair building remains one of the city’s most intriguing and avant garde destinations. Filled with exclusive recipes and fascinating facts about its history and the people who made it happen, this sensory compendium is a love letter to an extraordinary London icon. £75, waterstones.com
‘The Martini’
Whether you like yours shaken, stirred, dirty or dry, the martini is the undisputed king of cocktails. In Alice Lascelles’ fascinating book, this deceptively simple drink gets the love it deserves. Part history, part guide for at-home mixologists, it’s packed with fascinating facts and trade secrets, plus 60 intriguing recipes spanning a century of high spirits that will please purists and experimental types alike. £18.99, waterstones.com
‘The Story of Drawing: An Alternative History of Art’
There is no simpler creative act than picking up a pencil, a piece of chalk or a stick of charcoal and sketching something. Drawing may be the purest distillation of creativity in its rawest form, so it is fascinating to follow Susan Owens as she dissects the sketches of artists ranging from Michelangelo to Käthe Kollwitz as they observe the world around them, escape into their imaginations or explore an idea. It offers a way of understanding artists at their most unguarded. £25, whsmith.co.uk
