A Brief History of the Coffee Table Book

 

Dena Bain Taylor

A Brief History of the Coffee Table Book

Coffee table books have their fans and their detractors. For some they are a waste of space, a time-filler in the waiting rooms of insurance companies, or a decorator’s focal point for a suburban living room.

But their purpose and history suggest otherwise.

Their history traces back to disgruntled comments by Montaigne about ladies displaying his books as parlour decoration, as well as to the ‘nonbooks’ of photos and other ephemera that were popular after the American Civil War. But they really are a mid-20th-century invention, appearing in response to the rise of—you guessed it—the coffee table.

Here’s what’s great about coffee table books:

They allow large audiences to experience topics ranging from classical art to psychics to architecture to the beauties of nature, often for under $100.

What we see when we are young is how we know what is available to us when we get older. Coffee table books allow glimpses into new possibilities.

We use books to showcase our personality and our style. Coffee table books are a great and beautiful way to do just that.

Regardless of your interests, there’s sure to be a coffee table book out there for you. You might even want to check out 'The Coffee Table Book of Coffee Table Books'.

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