coffee table books

Writer-photographer team, Marybeth Flower and Joe Bauwens have won the Independent Publishers Book Award in the Best Coffee Table Book category for Piazza: Italy’s Heart and Soul. The book was among entries from all 50 U.S. states, 8 Canadian provinces and 17 overseas countries. It must be good; they’re saying it should come with airline tickets.

What a cool idea—a coffee table book with a purpose. Pop-up lamp makes a great gift for booklovers…and a pretty good conversation piece, I’d say.

The Wall Street Journal highlights three new additions to the "ultra-luxury" coffee table book market from Taschen. I have two comments. First: !!!!! Second: even outside of these pricey books, Taschen published some of the heaviest slabs in my 8 months as a book shelver last year. My back still hurts.