Saturday, July 12, 2008

Favorite Coffee-Table Books, Part 2


Continuing my list of favorite coffee-table books reminds me of the large number of art books I haven't looked at in years, setting on a shelf in a walk-in closet.

The eight books that I chose to share in the previous post and this, are special to me because of the topics, the beautiful pictures and words, or because of the reason they are in my possession.

Again, these are in no particular order, but this first book was a Christmas gift from my daughter. Quite surprised when I first opened the package, the greater surprise was the quality and wisdom contained inside.

Outhouses – Images and Contemplations. Brown Trout Publishers, Inc. 1998. Fascinating scenic views of all types, kinds, and sizes of outhouses accompanied by insightful quotes from such notables as Alexei Tolstoi, William Shakespeare, and Benjamin Disraeli. For such an odd topic, this surprising collection pulls one into the beautiful scenery and the profound insights offered lift this book to a surreal spiritual height.

The Encyclopedia of the Small Garden - Creating the Maximum Impact in a Limited Space. Compiled by Sue Phillips. Quadrillion Publishing, Ltd. 1999. This volume contains 348 pages of colorful pictures and detailed instructions and illustrations for anyone desiring to design a garden or landscape for a small space. At the time I purchased this book, I was living in an apartment and wanted to create a container garden.

Story of the Great American West. Reader’s Digest. 1977. This book begins with the coming of the Europeans to America and ends at the end of the 1800’s. With colorful pictures and detailed drawings, this large tome tells the fantastic story of the making of the West. When I was a child, I read every book and watched every TV show and movie that had anything to do with cowboys, Indians, and the wild Wild West. This book seems to find its way into various garage sales, but I always manage to pluck it back to safety.

There is a Season. Text by Joan Chittister. Art by John August Swanson. Orbis Books. 1995. There is a Season “provides a glorious meditation in art and words on the famous passage from the Bible.” That passage is Ecclesiastes 3:1-8. A fascinating phrase-by-phrase look at the well-known scripture that begins, “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven....” I can spend hours just looking at the beautiful illustrations, but it’s the tenderness and depth of the phrasing that brings out the true beauty of this meditation.

While compiling this list, I realized I haven’t spent much time of late with these treasured possessions of mine. I’ve enjoyed renewing old acquaintances. Time for another cup of hot chocolate with lots of marshmallows, me thinks.

What treasures do you have in your home that have found their way into your heart? Share them with us, if you please.

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