Creative Books For The Bibliophile

aspire Gift Guide 2023

Lodge

Max Humphrey shines a light on 10 rustic National Park lodges in all their airy, timeworn splendor. No historic photos here; the images of the architecture and interiors are as they look today, highlighting these storied places in a fresh, alluring way. Humphrey writes about the buildings themselves in terms of the historical goings-on at the time, why they were built, and the players involved

Just Above Midtown

Just Above Midtown (or JAM) was a New York art gallery and self-described laboratory for experimentation established in 1974 by Linda Goode Bryant with the intention of presenting African American artists “on the same platform with other established artists.” This richly illustrated catalogue provides the most complete account to date of the gallery’s history.

Cowboy

Perhaps no other figure in the American popular imagination conjures the respect, mystery, and adoration than that of the cowboy. And it’s long been a favorite subject of artists from the early twentieth century to today. In this unique exhibition and accompanying catalogue, the cowboy is explored in depth from diverse perspectives and lived experience, ushering in a new vision for this long-standing pop icon.

Ikoyi

Ikoyi, run by childhood-friend duo Iré Hassan-Odukale and chef Jeremy Chan and named as one of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants in 2022, is one of the most original, flavor-driven restaurants of its time. This book includes narratives throughout illustrating Ikoyi’s inspiration and inception, as influenced by Chan’s experiences living, cooking, and traveling in Hong Kong, Canada, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Europe.

I Care a Lotta, I Wear Collina Strada

Launched in 2008 by Hillary Taymour, Collina Strada has spent the last decade successfully injecting the generally colorless style of downtown New York with acid-colored dye jobs, off-kilter dresses, sparkling hair pins, and fearlessly fluid ensembles. Rooted in interconnectedness, self-expression, and thoughtful production, the brand screams nonconformity.

Illustrators’ Sketchbooks

Intimate and often unseen, the sketchbook means something different to each illustrator. The boundaries between sketchbooks, notebooks and visual journals are often blurred, lending to the creativity that fills their pages. Martin Salisbury draws on decades of experience as an illustrator and educator to shed light on the lives and work of each artist featured here.

The Garden

With its easy-to-use A-Z format, The Garden examines over 200 modern and historical garden styles, features, types and ornaments, with definitions and informative descriptions and more than 500 spectacular images. This accessible, inspirational book is perfect for both amateur gardeners and specialists alike.

Emerging Ecologies

Published to accompany the first expansive survey of the history of environmental thinking in architecture, Emerging Ecologies studies the role architects have played in defining our understanding of “nature” and the “environment,” specifically during the emergence of the environmental movement.

Manu

In this much anticipated book, award-winning chef Manoella Buffara (known as Manu) invites readers to discover how her love for her native Brazil became her greatest motivation. Through 60 never-before-published recipes and four evocative ‘menu’ collections, a set of welcome drinks, and petit-fours, Manu tells the story of a full culinary career.