NEW YORK -- Coffee table books are always great gifts for just the right enthusiast, and they're plentiful at holiday time as quick grabs or advance buys.
A few suggestions, based on interest area:
FASHION & CELEBRITY
"Harper's Bazaar: Models," by Derek Blasberg: Christy, Naomi, Linda, Kate, Gisele and more. In all, the magazine's editor in chief, Glenda Bailey, and editor at large, Blasberg, have selected 28 famous faces, with essays, covers and interviews. Abrams, $65.
"Curves," photographs by Victoria Janashvili: Portraits focused on body esteem for women, all women -- short, tall, big and bigger. Janashvili ends with a nude self-portrait to, she writes, "see myself as a beautiful one -- like all the women that I photograph." Self-published, $51 at Curvesthebook.com.
"Creating the Illusion: A Fashionable History of Hollywood Costume Designers," by Jay Jorgensen and Donald L. Scoggins: The people behind movie fashion get their due in long essays accompanied by production shots, illustrations and behind-the-scenes candids. From the silent era of Greta Garbo to Johnny Depp's pirate. Running Press, $65.
"Peter Lindbergh: Images of Women II," designed by Juan Gatti, text by Werner Spies, Wim Wenders and Peter Handke: The German photographer's work spanning 2005 through 2014, black and white from the worlds of fashion, society and film. Portraits and nudes include Nicole Kidman, Tilda Swinton and Kate Winslet -- and a few famous men. Schirmer/Mosel, $99.95.
PHOTOGRAPHY, FILM & ILLUSTRATION
"Schatz Images: 25 Years," by Howard Schatz: A stunning, two-volume box set from the award-winning photographer spanning portraits of murderers and athletes, dancers and models, pregnant moms and "interesting nobodies," as the publisher puts it. A limited-edition retrospective. Glitterati Inc., $365.
"Fellini: The Sixties," by Manoah Bowman: Focused on the director's most iconic work, including "Dolce Vita," "81/2," "Juliet of the Spirits" and "Fellini Satyricon." Includes some never-before-seen archive photos, along with stills and essays from an array of contemporary writers. A collaboration between Turner Classic Movies and Running Press, $65.
"Nextinction," by Ralph Steadman and Ceri Levy: A follow to the cartoonist's wild collection of extinct birds. The 192 here, in Steadman's trademark trippy style, are alive but endangered, including the giant ibis, the kakapo and the spoon-billed sandpiper. Steadman and Levy have dubbed themselves the "gonzovationists." Portion of proceeds to BirdLife International. Bloomsbury, $50.
"Back to the Future: The Ultimate Visual History," by Michael Klastorian and Randal Atamaniuk: Marking the 30th anniversary of the original movie, hundreds of images from all three in the time-travel trilogy. Concept art and storyboards are also included, along with cast and crew interviews. Harper Design, in conjunction with Universal Pictures, $50.
TV & MUSIC
"Dr. Who: Impossible Worlds," by Stephen Nicholas and Mike Tucker: For the hard-core fan, this volume offers a 50-year history of the show in art and design. Extras at the back include sketches, schematics and full-colour sets on cards tucked into an envelope. Harper Design, $45.
"Blue's Hands," by Joseph A. Rosen: The photographer chronicles his own 30-year love affair with blues music focusing on the working hands of some of the greats. In full colour close-ups, from juke joints to concert halls and luxury liners, Rosen sticks to his mission of letting the hands tell the story, with nugget bios of each artist at the back. Schiffer Publishing, $29.99.
"Bob Dylan All the Songs," by Philippe Margotin and Jean-Michel Guesdon: This is the story behind every track. That's 492 songs. Along with exhaustive notes on players, lyrics and production, the two have included bites of backstory for true "Dylanologists." Photos of the man and his famous friends and collaborators abound. Black Dog & Leventhal, $50.
"Dust & Grooves: Adventures in Record Collecting," by Eilon Paz: One need not be a vinyl head to appreciate this book, but one does need a healthy appreciation of music. This gem reads like "Humans of New York" of the crate-digging scene. Paz first self-published his ode to vinyl collectors, beginning in New York but spreading to collectors from Portugal to Japan to his native Israel and back again to Brooklyn. In all, he tells the stories and lovingly photographs the collections of more than 130 people, including Acid Jazz record label co-founder Gilles Peterson, among other notables. Ten Speed Press, $50.
TRAVEL & POP CULTURE
"Passage to Cuba," by Cynthia Carris Alonso: The photographer has spent 20 years shooting Cuba. At a time of openness for American visitors, she captures street scenes, historic moments and beautiful landscapes, from Havana to the sparkling blue shoreline of Varadero Beach. In thoughtful but spare text, she explains the Spanish architecture of Old Havana, poses the dancers of Cuba's water ballet team and shares her shots of a rally celebrating the return of Elian Gonzalez. Skyhorse Publishing, $45.
"John Baeder's Road Well Taken," by Jay Williams: Nobody captured "diner consciousness" quite like the realist painter Baeder. In this volume, Williams creates a full account of Baeder's life, including interviews with the artist and nearly 300 images of his collectable diner paintings, watercolours, vintage photos and memorabilia. The Vendome Press, $45.
"The National Parks: An American Legacy," photographs by Ian Shive: The National Park Service marks its 100th anniversary in 2016. From a portrait of a golden-mantled ground squirrel in Glacier National Park to a serene sunset at Denali, this book includes more than 200 never-before-seen images. A bald eagle guards prey in Olympic National Park, the stark dunes at White Sands create a wind pattern and the sunrise turns peaks yellow in Death Valley. Insight Editions, $50.
"Revolution: Mapping the Road to American Independence, 1755-1783," by Richard H. Brown and Paul E. Cohen: 60 detailed, full-colour maps tell the story of the American Revolution. Many document decisive battles, accompanied by essays putting them into context. Geeks of the period will revel. W.W. Norton & Company, $75.
