Books + Music + Film

André Leon Talley: Style is Forever

The companion book to the show at SCAD’s museums, André Leon Talley: Style is Forever celebrates the improbable achievements of one of fashion’s most influential people of the last century. If you ever crossed paths with André he truly was larger than life—a style icon, creative director, fashion and cultural savant. Diana Vreeland famously said “You had to hire André. He was the only person who knew more about fashion than I do.” The exhibit and book follow André’s personal and professional journey, and his decades-long, deep connection to SCAD, honored by his bequest of his personal belongings. His influence at some of the most highly regarded fashion publications, both privately and publicly, helped shape fashion for decades. The book brings you along for his work and journey, alongside the many who were touched by his gifts.

This product is sold by Shop SCAD

Design and Visual Communication by Bruno Munari

This book, published in Italian in 1968, is translated to English for the first time. A blend of lecture notes, class materials and letters invites designers and thinkers to reconsider how visual communication operates, spanning everything from typography to optical illusions. Munari’s clear voice, steeped in curiousity, makes connections between art, architecture, design and daily life, urging readers to see the world with fresh tools and new awareness. The annotations by scholar Jeffrey Schnapp deepen the experience, making this historic 1968 text feel thoroughly modern and relevant for today,

This product is sold by Inventory Press

Studio Maria Mayer Feng Custom Book

This isn’t your average coffee table book—it’s a deeply personal work of art. Maria Mayer Feng, known for her meticulous eye and impeccable taste, has reimagined the art of the personal archive. Each custom book is a one-of-a-kind creation: a tactile time capsule filled with your own photographs, invitations and keepsakes, bound in a variety of luxury materials and designed to feel like a piece of art in itself. Whether it’s documenting a milestone birthday, a summer in Capri or an entire creative career, Mayer Feng transforms memories into heirloom-quality objects you’ll actually want to leave out on display. Custom books are available by private commission through her studio.

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Schott’s Significa

Schott’s Significa, A Miscellany of Secret Languages, is the latest from CH friend Ben Schott, master of minutia, trivia, erudite history and wit. From a thorough vexillology of pride (flags) to a photo illustrated guide to fatto a mano con amore (Italian hand gestures) to typographical anatomy, art auctions, tv production, casino gambling, graffiti, cosplay and so so so much more, it may not only be Ben’s best book, it may also be the best toilet companion of all time. Thanks, Ben, for sharing everything that we don’t need to know but are glad we do.

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Ahead of Time

This witty title plays both on the brand’s watchmaking and on the conversations its founder, Benoît Mintiens, an industrial designer, has with his friends—many of them customers of Ressence—as they share their thoughts on the future. It’s a book celebrating the brand’s anniversary, but looking forward instead of back. Mintiens speaks with Sam Altman (founder of OpenAI), Marcus Engman (Chief Creative Officer at IKEA), Lonneke Gordjin (Co-Founder of Studio Drift), Ivy Ross (Chief Design Officer at Google), architect Daniel Libeskind and fifteen other visionaries. It’s a great resource and thought exercise for anyone who leans into their work with a foot in the future.

This product is sold by Ressence

Vik Muniz on Photography, Mind, and Matter

In Aperture’s latest edition of its The Photography Workshop Series, Brazilian photographer Vik Muniz explores the concept of seeing familiar objects in unexpected ways in Photography, Mind, and Matter. With a focus on whimsical, imaginative and sometimes surprising scenes—like his playful spaghetti portrait titled Medusa Marinara or his “Pictures of Garbage” series—Muniz blurs the line between surrealist painting, sculpture, photography and more. Through both his writing and capturing one-of-a-kind tableaus on film, this book inspires readers to learn more about his creative process while questioning their own perception of how the ordinary can become extraordinary.

Vik Muniz on Photography, Mind, and Matter is published by Aperture and available at aperture.org/books.

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Psychedelic Now

Julia Chaplin’s “Psychedelic Now” explores the current cross-cultural psychedelic renaissance through text and images. She looks at four different themes and how they have the potential to create a better world—Rainbow Utopists (including A$AP Rocky), Cosmic Technophiles (including Leo Viallareal and Es Develin), Sprititualizers (including Olafur Eliasson and James Turrell) and Afrofuturists (including Kid Kudi and George Clinton).

This product is sold by Assouline

The Four Horsemen: Food + Wine For Good Times

Opening a decade ago, Brooklyn’s acclaimed, Michelin–starred The Four Horsemen restaurant has remained a hotspot for its exquisite food, delicious wine list and laidback, boisterous vibe. Their first cookbook is a pragmatic and user-friendly recipe book that’s separated into predictable categories (meat, seafood, salads + vegetables) and unexpected ones (a bowl of, bread + toast). With a humorous introduction, a section on wine and tempting photos throughout, it’s a warm, casual but impeccable cookbook that just makes sense—much like the restaurant itself.

This product is sold by Abrams Books

Kaikado, a Book Celebrating the Company’s 150th Anniversary

Kaikado was founded in Kyoto in 1875 by Kiyosuke Kaikado, who developed Japan’s first tinplate tea canisters (chazutsu), which offered a significant advantage over traditional earthenware, wood, or copper jars by providing an airtight seal to maintain tea freshness; the company is recognized as the oldest handmade tea canister manufacturer in Japan. Kaikado’s craft and heritage have been passed down through six generations, with Takahiro Yagi currently leading the family workshop, and he’s currently leading the celebration of the company’s 150th anniversary with the debut of Kaikado, a comprehensive and beautiful book created with ERG Media.

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THE B-52’S: The Warner and Reprise Years Remastered Box Set

Timed with Pride month, The B-52s have just dropped a newly remastered box set of their albums on Warner and Reprise labels, representing eight albums between 1979 and 1992 (The B-52s, Wild Planet, Mesopotamia, Party Mix!, Whammy!, Bouncing Off the Satellites, Cosmic Thing, and Good Stuff), each in a different  color. The set is available on eight CDs or nine LPs (the LPs are limited to 2,000 sets). Their 20+ million album sales celebrate their fun, punky rock party ballads, fueling dance floors for more than four decades. LP set is $175, CD set is $60

This product is sold by Rhino

Mycelium Wassonii

Mycelium Wassonii, Brian Blomerth’s beautifully illustrated book, shares the story of R. Gordon and Valentina Wasson, the scientists who worked to popularize the benefits of psychedelic mushrooms. Their research and journeys explored Russian folk wisdom, Mazatec indigenous traditions, science and mysticism, all captured through Blometh’s vivid illustrations and storytelling.

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Meyers Manx 60th Anniversary Coffee Table Book 

CH contributor Basem Wasef is one of the best writers in the automotive space, and its a joy to read the story of Bruce Meyers, inventor of the dune buggy in the 1960s that bore his name. The beautifully designed book is full of color, graphics, new and old photography, and stories that celebrate the man, the company, and its contributions to American culture. Celebrate the journey of this iconic car as it enters a new era.

This product is sold by Meyers Manx

Biblioscents Scented Bookmarks (set of four)

Perk up your books and reading time with Biblioscents scratch and sniff bookmarks made with essential oils. Created by master natural fragrance maker Mandy Aftel. Four bookmarks come in each pack, one each of vetiver, geranium, frankincense, and ginger.

This product is sold by Bookshop.org

PINOT by Wahyu Ichwandardi

The artist Wahyu Ichwandardi goes by the name PINOT, and this 1,000 run limited edition substantial hardcover book celebrates his illustrations, colorful pixel art and more. Wire bound with inserts, inlays and mini flip books make this a work of art in its own right, with multiple reading / viewing experiences. 244 pages, published in 2024.

This product is sold by twelvebooks

Richard Dupont Works/Writings 2000–2022

For the last two decades artist Richard Dupont has explored surveillance culture and our increasing exposure to technology, rendering us into digital reductions and reflections of ourselves. Across media, he’s explored many representations of people and often himself through distorted renderings based on 3D body scans. Covering his work from 2000-2022, this book shares his work, process and evolution.

This product is sold by Artbooks

Hemingway Paris Adventure Kit + Experience

From our friends at the Nomadic School of Wonder and the Ernest Hemingway Estate, their unique Hemingway Paris Adventure Kit contains A Moveable Feast edited by Sean Hemingway in a limited edition cover, a field journal, sketch book and writing tools, a literary map of Paris in the 1920s, bespoke objects and membership in a unique experiential Hemingway Adventure Club. Through four online Zoom salons in February and March 2025, Hemingway scholar Dr. Hilary Justice will guide you and your fellow adventurers through the author’s time in Paris, bringing the book to life with your unique adventure kit and informed conversation. A truly unique experience for you or that special someone. Your Paris Adventure Kit arrives prior to the first online session.

This product is sold by Nomadic School of Wonder + the Ernest Hemingway Estate

Design: The Leading Hotels of the World

Curated by former Surface editor-in-chief Spencer Bailey, with a foreward by Pulitzer Prize-winning critic Paul Goldberger, this coffee table book dissects how 70-plus properties comprising the coveted Leading Hotels of the World collection properties transform architecture into experience. Norman Foster’s sinuous Singapore courtyard, Jacques Garcia’s Parisian indulgences, Axel Vervoordt’s Zen New York penthouses—each space reveals why these properties consistently dominate hospitality and design awards time after time. The book cuts through gloss with candid conversations between Eleven Madison Park’s Daniel Humm and designer Gabriela Hearst, plus sharp insights from design luminaries André Fu, Stephanie Goto, and Samuel Ross. For anyone who grasps that hospitality design shapes how we experience the world’s finest hotels, this is your essential blueprint.

This book is sold by Amazon

Madonna Songbook

A shout out to CH Contributor Giulio Mazzoleni and his new book, Madonna Soundtrack. Having worked with the artist for years he was inspired to tell the stories behind her songs in a comprehensive way for the first time. This compendium covers more than 500 songs from the 1970s on, and features a range of interviews, tour coverage and playlists. This thoroughly researched and meticulously completed book is a must for any Madonna fan.

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John Derian Picture Book II

John Derian’s second Images book features a selection of colorful favorites from his world-class collection, Whether you’re seeking inspiration or beauty you’ll find beautiful illustrations of typography, nature, animals, sailboats and more.

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nwm ONE

The nwm ONE headphones have an open-air design to blend premium sound quality with environmental awareness. Equipped with two-way drivers and NTT’s dual sound enhancement technology, they deliver rich, immersive sound yet are nearly inaudible for people nearby. The lightweight, ergonomic design ensures all-day comfort and advanced features like 360 Reality Audio and Bluetooth LE Audio/Auracast enhance versatility. Perfect for music lovers who want to also hear their surroundings, these headphones offer a seamless fusion of sound and comfort, redefining the auditory experience. They’re available in dark or light gray and the USB-C rechargeable battery delivers 20 hours of use.

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The Singularity Is Nearer: When We Merge with AI

For nineteen year’s Kurzweil’s The Singularity Is Near has been the standard bearer of the future of technology. Most of what he predicted then is now part of our daily lives. The Singularity Is Nearer: When We Merge with AI is an entirely new book with the same objective. While we’re always up for a fun, light summer read, this has captured our attention as we think about the rapid advancements in AI and how it’s impacting, or soon will be, nearly every aspect of our lives. He shares his views on biotechnology, after life technology, nanotechnology, AI, 3D printing and more. It’s not light or fun, but it’s certain to inform your understanding of the near future.

This product is sold by Viking / Penguin Random House

Traveling: On the Path of Joni Mitchell

A new biography of Joni Mitchell by NPR music critic Ann Powers seeks to share what makes Joni such a beloved, enduring artist. Through her childhood, music, collaborations and musings this “kaleidoscopic in scope, and intimate in its detail” book is number one on our summer reading list.

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Everything Is Illuminated

When The Other Collection creates an edition of a book you know you are getting one of the most considered, artistic and deeply design nerd experiences in print. For this edition of Jonathan Safran Foer’s multiple award winning  “Everything Is Illuminated,” first released in 2002 when he was 25 years old, TOC called upon Paul Smith to create the book’s jacket. A single drawing was turned into a pattern by Susanna Dulkinys, which looks amazing in letterpress. Type designer René Bieder’s “Vitruv” font was selected to complement Safron’s centuries-spanning story. Their editions are set digitally and their lasersetter then generates letterpress plates which are then run on their 1954 Original Heidelberg Cylinder press. Then there’s the 90 gsm paper by Schleipen Werkdruk & Gmund, a linen wrapped cover and the author’s signature on each of the 998 books in the edition. For you or anyone on your gift list who cares about great books printed in the most thoughtful manner, it’s a considered addition to any library.

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VISITORS

Adam Abdalla, a friend of CH, loves wrestling, and his latest book project documents a “death match” wrestling show at Tokyo’s Korakuen Hall in October 2023, the first show created by an American independent wrestling company (Game Changer Wrestling). It featured 20 wrestlers and referees from the US and Mexico. Adam felt there wasn’t enough storytelling in previous efforts, so he recruited his photographer friend Nick Karp to document the event. This limited-edition book of 1,000 copies features 200 pages with images both behind-the-scenes as well as in the ring, and is  being shown during NY Art week (28 April – 5 May 2024). The photographs capture, in graphic detail and with a sense of primal and theatrical expression, this subculture of wrestling. Now available for pre-orders.

All photographs by Nick Karp (they have been cropped for our square format)

This product is sold by Orange Crush Art

Rapper’s Deluxe: How Hip Hop Made The World

Dr. Todd Boyd’s thorough history of hip hop starts in the 1970s and shares how it has become central to music and American history, impacting nearly every aspect of pop culture since then. For both the informed and those who love today’s hip hop but lack some of the genre’s history, Boyd breaks it down into its key players, defining moments, and sprawling influence.

This product is sold by Amazon