Christmas Market in Basel Switzerland

Get ready ! Our recommendations of 2014 Holiday Books to give or buy for your own library will be out in a few weeks. We’ve been saving dozens of books – new and recent — on cities, exciting places, photography, design, the natural world, food and more. What’s more: You’ll have several ways to decide if this book’s the right gift: read a book review, listen to an author interview or scan a book excerpt.

While you’re waiting, take a look at some of our recent book round ups

The Sea and its Abundance: Current and recent books of the seas and their creatures explore species that have prevailed for millions of years –broadbill swordfish, sharks, eels, horseshoe crabs – with amazing adaptations . The writers we are highlighting are great researchers — you won’t find a lot of fluff here — and passionate about the urgency of taking steps now to protect the rivers and oceans of life everywhere.

Swordfish Courtesy of Duke University

Books: Homage to Paris: Our selection is as light as a soufflé or as dense as a cassoulet. You choose which:  French cuisine, American expats, literary figures, favorite walks, and memoirs.

My Life in France image by Paul Prud homme

Wonder what we featured for Christmas 2013 ? Check out our favorites from last year.

Cities and Places: 23 books on Europe, New Orleans, Chicago, walkable cities, New York’s High Line and more.

Promenade Plantee Viaducts, Paris

Photography – out of this world: From the Mars expedition to the power of water and war photography.

Rings of Saturn from Planetfall

Food: Art, Science, Scam: Want to learn more about the history of food, how coffee became a world beverage, and the secret world of making/branding/marketing food. We’ve got you covered.

Coffee – a world commodity and beverage

Plants, Trees, Gardens:  A king’s ransom – 16 selections — of  beautifully written books and facsimile editions  on trees, tulips, arcane garden ornaments, plants and manmade landscapes for year-round reading and looking.

Van Dongon may spend hours waiting for the right moment to photograph tulips. From Tulip Anthology, all rights reserved.

Come back in December for our Winter 2014 book lineup!