Christmas Gift Guide: Books

A museum in a book, a field guide to coffee and a compilation of letters written by the most influential people in the world – these books deserve a permanent place on your loved one's shelf or coffee table

Animalium, by Jenny Broom
Big Picture Press
£20

A museum in a book? A sure Ernest pleaser. While away the hours poring over this satisfyingly large book with its curated 'rooms' and beautifully detailed illustrations of over 160 animal specimens. A work of art. 

Coffee: A Modern Field Guide, by Mat North
We Hunt & Gather
£8

Mat North featured in our slow coffee feature in print issue 1 and he owns the buzzing Full Court Press cafe in Bristol. A coffee guru? Yep we'd say so. In this marvellous little book he is your guide to the coffee bean from plant to cup.  

Inventions That Didn't Change The World, by Julie Halls
Thames & Hudson
£19.95

Beautiful drawings of Victorian inventions, which hadn’t seen the light of day for over a century, are compiled in this new book – some clever, some downright bizarre. Ernest’s particular favourites are the Anti-Garrotting Cravat (born out of the garrotting scare in the mid 19th century) and the ventilating top hat.

The World in 1900, by Marc Walter
Thames & Hudson
£24.95

The photochrome process, perfected in 1889, harnessed new technologies to combine the accuracy of a photograph with the richness and colour of a painting. In this book you'll find 300 images from the heyday of this technique. A vanished world comes alive - landscapes and portraits from all over the globe. 

Letters of Note, by Shaun Usher
Canongate Unbound
£30

Features editor Abi bought this book after hearing Benedict Cumberbatch recite extracts from it at Hay Festival back in May and she read it from cover to cover in three days. Heartwarming, hilarious and at times heart breaking – this book demonstrates the power of letter writing and why it's so important to keep the art alive. Features letters written by Charles Dickens, Iggy Pop and Virginia Woolf.

The Outsiders: New Outdoor Creativity, by Robert Klanten
Die Gestalten Verlag
£36.99

Buy this book for anyone drawn to life in the great outdoors. A stunning compilation of inspiring images, ideas, essays and products by the most creative and visionary outdoor brands. A life changer and a keeper.