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Book Talk > Books with Visual Appeal

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message 1: by Agathafrye (last edited Jul 31, 2009 07:49PM) (new)

Agathafrye | 751 comments Mod
I've been on a kick reading books that have a lot of visual appeal, inspired by my friend Dory. A few I have enjoyed lately...
Baked New Frontiers in Baking by Matt Lewis

Till the Cows Come Home by Roy Flukinger

[image error]

What are some of your favorite books that are also pretty to look at?


message 2: by Agathafrye (new)

Agathafrye | 751 comments Mod
Can you even see those covers? I haven't attempted that before...


message 3: by Jackie "the Librarian" (last edited Jul 31, 2009 09:02PM) (new)

Jackie "the Librarian" | 259 comments Mod
I can see them, Kelsey. I love these:

Collect Raindrops The Seasons Gathered by Nikki McClure

The Arrival by Shaun Tan

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message 4: by Brian (new)

Brian (nerdbrarian) Several of Alasdair Gray's books include his artwork, mostly illustrated frontispieces and illuminated capitals. The Amazon preview for shows a bit of the artwork. Lanark: A Life in Four Books is his best work, both in terms of writing and art, but I can't find any decent images online. is the closest I came up with...


message 5: by Sarah (last edited Aug 01, 2009 09:40AM) (new)


message 6: by Agathafrye (new)

Agathafrye | 751 comments Mod
Those books look really cool, Brian, and they also look kind of hard to find! I just put a hold on "Unlikely Stories, Mostly." Sarah, I totally adore that "What the World Eats" book. Loved "the Arrival," too. Good choices.


message 7: by Agathafrye (new)

Agathafrye | 751 comments Mod
I forgot to post my current favorite, The Oxford Project...

The Oxford Project


message 8: by Brian (last edited Aug 01, 2009 11:46AM) (new)

Brian (nerdbrarian) Yeah, I don't know why Alasdair Gray is so obscure here. He's won all manner of literary awards, Anthony Burgess and Will Self both describe him as one of the greatest contemporary Scots authors, Iain Banks' novel The Bridge is practically an homage to Lanark, and yet Gray's relatively unknown in the US.

A few unrelated graphic novels...

Black Hole by Charles Burns
Abandoned Cars by Tim Lane




message 9: by Brian (new)

Brian (nerdbrarian) This is a photo essay about the transformation of the town where I grew up in inland Southern California from a largely agrarian community into a enormous housing-development boomburb. McCulloh began by looking at exploitation in the construction industry, but the project evolved into something bigger as the housing foreclosure crisis began in that area. Great B&W photography... There are a few on Scribd.

Dream Street by Douglas McCulloh


message 10: by Kristi (new)

Kristi Kelsey - this reminds me of the little girl who was in the library last week and only wanted "pretty books".

The folktales adapted and illustrated by Demi are lovely.


message 11: by Agathafrye (new)

Agathafrye | 751 comments Mod
Yes, also nice. Pretty books are underrated! I like pretty and BIG books.


message 12: by Sheri (last edited Aug 03, 2009 06:52AM) (new)

Sheri | 22 comments Oh, I'm excited to see this thread. I get the "pretty books" question all the time from kids at CE and I've started a list for that purpose.

As for adult books with visual appeal, I really like Beasts! Book One from Fantagraphics.

Beasts! Book One



message 13: by Agathafrye (new)

Agathafrye | 751 comments Mod
That's a great one, Sheri. Dory first showed me that book. She is the absolute QUEEN of books that are pretty to look at. Another good one that she just hooked me up with recently- Animal House


message 14: by Agathafrye (new)

Agathafrye | 751 comments Mod
My favorite visually pleasing book of the day, brought to me by my awesome coworker Jason...
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message 15: by Brian (new)

Brian (nerdbrarian) If any of you haven't seen this yet...

Kids Design Glass by Benjamin Cobb


message 16: by Elaine (new)

Elaine Nelson (epersonae) | 34 comments I hadn't seen the book, but last spring Mom, kid sis & I went to the glass museum, and Mom loved the display of some of those pieces. Might have to make a note of that for a future gift. :)




message 17: by Brian (new)

Brian (nerdbrarian) Also, saw this in the new non-fiction today and checked it out. I don't know if "appeal" is the word, but it's definitely visual. I'll have to bring it to book group.

Dissection Photographs of a Rite of Passage in American Medicine 1880-1930 by John Harley Warner


message 18: by Agathafrye (new)

Agathafrye | 751 comments Mod
Oooh, Brian. I look forward to seeing it. I'd put both of those books on hold immediately, but I have book-from-library-overload again. It comes in waves.


message 19: by Agathafrye (new)

Agathafrye | 751 comments Mod
Baking by James Peterson

Another one. Are you sensing a theme with my books? I like to eat.

Oh, also...
Lickshot A Photo Scrapbook by Ben Watts


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