9 Gorgeous, Highly Giftable Coffee Table Books

There’s no greater pleasure than curling up on the couch and getting lost in the glossy pages of a coffee-table book. The best ones are wholly immersive, so you're not only giving them them a book, but a glorious post-holiday escape. Here are nine new-ish, completely knockout titles to consider.

CBK: A Life in Fashion by Sunita Kumar Nair, $82 

There are few women in history more enigmatic than Carolyn Bessette Kennedy. This tome celebrates her minimalist  style with commentary from fashion luminaries such as former British Vogue editor Edward Enninful as well as never-before-published anecdotes. (A close confidante says Carolyn would be “amused” by the book.)

 Didion & Babitz by Lili Anolik, $40 

The glittering world of Hollywood in the ’60s and ’70s is immortalized in this braided biography of two California literary legends, Joan Didion and Eve Babitz, whose complicated legacies are forever entwined. Several sealed boxes of letters found in Babitz’s apartment after her death in 2021 help unravel the fraught friendship and complex rivalry that existed between the two women.

An Anthology of Exquisite Birds by Ben Hoare, $34 

Birders of all ages will delight in learning about the 90 species of winged creatures included in this children’s anthology. Fascinating facts—did you know that pelicans can soar as high as planes?—are accompanied by gorgeous illustrations and photography.

Milk and Honey: 10th Anniversary Collector’s Edition by Rupi Kaur, $30 

Canadian poet Rupi Kaur’s debut collection of sparse poetry about love, heartache and trauma was one of the bestselling poetry books of the past decade. This 10th-anniversary collector’s edition includes a new introduction by the author as well as insightful annotations throughout.  

Iris Apfel: Colorful, $63 

Between her bug-eye glasses, piled-on patterns and plentiful necklaces, the late Iris Apfel was a spirit guide for avowed maximalists. Featuring many of the trippy, ornate textiles she created in her early career as an interior designer as well as a trove of personal photos, this volume will provide a wealth of style inspiration for your most more-is-more friend.

The Official Bridgerton Cookbook by Regula Ysewijn, $48 

Devotees of the saucy series about fictional British nobility can throw their own Regency-inspired banquet with dishes such as Lady Featherington’s Salmagundi Salad and Queen Charlotte’s Pink Perfection (a giant macaron—they deserve nothing less).

Sofia Coppola Archive by Sofia Coppola, $90 

This sumptuous volume is a collection of everything from behind-the-scenes photos to marked-up scripts from films like The Virgin Suicides and Marie Antoinette. Coppola’s signature gauzy aesthetic is on display throughout, and a new interview with the director sheds light on the origins of her singular gaze.

Nora Ephron at the Movies by Ilana Kaplan, $63 

Romcom fans will love this illustrated monograph dedicated to the legendary wit. It’s packed with film stills and visual ephemera celebrating Ephron’s 50-year career. The sheer genius of her striking observations and snappy dialogue is even more apparent when collected in book form.

Naomi in Fashion: Naomi Campbell, $85 

The iconic supermodel is now  the subject of a career retrospective at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London; Naomi in Fashion is a tribute to her astonishing trajectory, from her stint as Azzedine Alaïa’s muse to modelling for Ellen von Unwerth, Steven Meisel, Peter Lindberg and more.