1. “The Art Museum” by Phaidon
This one is basically a portable museum condensed into a single, gorgeous volume. Spanning thousands of years of artistic movements and masterworks, it's a book guests will crack open for just a minute and suddenly find themselves sifting through for at least half an hour.
2. Taschen's “Arts & Architecture”
For the design-curious guest, few things are more visually compelling than great art and architecture done right. Taschen deep dives into iconic early mid-century modern pioneers from Richard Neutra to Eero Saarinen and pairs stunning visuals with digestible blurbs that don't require a lot of design knowledge to appreciate.
3. “Where to Go When” by Lonely Planet
Equal parts aspirational and practical, this is the perfect pick for a guest who always has a trip in the early planning stages. Full of stunning destination photography and write-ups, it's easy to pick up and put back down without losing your place, and almost guaranteed to spark some travel inspiration.
4. “Humans” by Brandon Stanton
The book adaptation of the beloved Humans of New York project, this one is genuinely hard to put down. Portraits of everyday people paired with intimate snippets of their stories make for a read that's equal parts emotional and indulgent.
5. “Annie Leibovitz: Photographs”
If you're only going to have one photography book on your table, make it this one. Leibovitz's iconic portraits are among the most recognizable images of the last half-century, and seeing them collected in one volume is simply amazing.
6. “Vogue: The Covers” by Dodie Kazanjian
Glamorous and colorful, this one earns its place on the table on visual impact alone. Decades of iconic Vogue covers collected in one place makes for a fascinating cultural time capsule that fashion lovers and browsers alike will find themselves reaching for.
7. “National Geographic: The Photo Ark” by Joel Sartore
A stunning collection of portraits of endangered animals from around the world, this one tends to pique any guest’s interest. The photography is breathtaking, the mission behind it is compelling and it manages to be both beautiful and meaningful.
