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The Bibliophile

These three visually stunning coffee-table books embrace beauty inside and out, man-made and natural. They make perfect gifts for interior design enthusiasts, outdoor adventurers, art collectors, nature lovers and armchair tourists.

Life Unstyled: How to embrace imperfection and create a home you love, by Emily Henson, photographed by Debi Treloar, 160 pages, Ryland Peters & Small hardcover, 2021

No one wants to live in a museum-like atmosphere, afraid to touch, handle, move or break designer furnishings. Everyone wants to save money yet make their abode fashionable with a flair for color and style.

This book is a treasure trove of down-to-earth design ideas that make any home a warm and comfortable place that reflects the interests, personalities and needs of its residents.

Interior design guru Emily Hanson provides imaginative ideas on how to incorporate your tchotchkes, refurbished flea-market finds and keepsakes into a magnificent setting that will be admired by guests.

Life Unstyled addresses a wide variety of homes: apartment, suburban, loft and townhouse. Henson shows how, with a little imagination, small spaces and overlooked nooks can be transformed into productive and decorative areas.

She helps pack-rats display with finesse their treasures — however prosaic they may appear to others. The book also includes tips on decorating home offices and children’s bedrooms.

More than 200 color photographs that illustrate the design concepts accompany the easy-to-understand text. At the back of the book, 12 U.S. sources are listed, as are relevant websites with short descriptions.

Emily Hanson is an interior stylist and art director. Photographer Debi Treloar has more than 30 books to her credit.

Gift this book to someone moving into new digs, planning to redecorate, or needing sound advice on refreshing their surroundings.

Liquid Horizon: Photographic Works 2007-2020, by Daniel Fuller, 208 pages, Rizzoli International Publications hardcover, 2021

This exquisite coffee-table book of photographs is beautiful and enchanting. Photographer Danny Fuller describes the theme of Liquid Horizons as meditations on the surf and sea.

In more than 130 photographs, the hues and moods of the ocean are evoked primarily in vivid color as well as subdued, tasteful monochrome and black-and-white. Fuller captures the moon’s glow shimmering over the waves as well as the bright sky at sunrise.

Turning the pages will take you on a journey to the calm and fury of the beach, the serenity and turbulence of ocean waves. Your ultimate destination is the inner peace that the beauty of nature elicits in silent contemplation.

Words do not encumber the pages. An index identifies the works of art referencing page numbers.

Fuller is a Hawaiian-born surfer and photographer. As an athlete, he has travelled the world in search of big waves. As a photographer, he has mounted ten exhibitions in art galleries in New York and California.

In the depth of winter, thoughts of summer at the shore are a welcome gift.

Ride: Cycle the World, by DK Eyewitness, 256 pages, DK Eyewitness Travel hardcover, 2021

Travel the world on two wheels. This large-format book of 100 amazing bicycle routes on six continents is illustrated with more than 300 color photographs.

For those wanting to stay within the U.S., 12 routes completely within our nation’s borders are presented, including one originating in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Notable rides include 7,000 miles down the African continent from Cairo to Capetown. A 35-mile loop encompasses the iconic climb of Alpe d’Huez of Tour de France renown. Combine ferry crossings as you island-hop along Finland’s Turku Archipelago loop trail. Cycle 754 miles along the Danube River from Donaueschingen, Germany, to Budapest, Hungary, through four countries and three capital cities.

An introductory chapter covers planning. For each route, you’ll find detailed information on distance, elevation, type of road surfaces and tourist attractions along the trail — not to mention mesmerizing photos. There’s also a weblink provided so you can download the course onto a mobile device.

Whether the recipient of this book travels vicariously or on two wheels, Ride will be a treasured keepsake to return to for inspiration and enjoyment.