Mid-Century Ads

Celebrate a golden age of consumerism with Mid-Century Ads: Advertising from the Mad Men Era ($60). Arriving in a slipcase, this two-volume set contains over 700 pages of advertisements from the '50s and '60s, including full-color ads and interesting insights from authors Jim Heimann and Steven Heller. Arriving in February 2012, or just in time to brighten up the middle of a dreary winter. [Scouted by Jimmy]

The Cult of Lego

Sure, they might have taken the title from a similar book about Macs and the people who love them, but that doesn't make The Cult of Lego ($27) any less awesome. Weighing in at over 300 pages, this interesting tome looks at the Lego community and its creations, from a tiny Yankee stadium to a remote-controlled Jawa Sandcrawler, all lovingly photographed and presented in high-quality, full-color images. It's the next best thing to buying yourself a 1,000+ piece model.

Apple Design

Share your love for the fruits of Jony Ive's magical bunker workshop with all your holiday guests by giving Apple Design ($40) a prominent spot on your coffee table. This 320-page hardcover tome mixes photos of over 200 Apple products produced since Ive took the design reigns at the company with stories of the products' development and explanations of the production methods and materials applied. Also makes a perfect gift for the design- and Apple-obsessed.

Nano House

Explore the small interiors of space-limited homes in the pages of Nano House ($20). Prime coffee table fodder, this 224-page tribute to the tiny takes a look at forty shining examples of interesting, innovative living spaces 650 square feet and under. It's almost enough to make you rethink your current living arrangement, until the realization that you'd need to jettison your LEGO collection snaps you back to reality.

Behold the awesome old school goodness of these vintage-printed, buttery-soft Homage T-Shirts. They turn back the clock with shout outs to eclectic moments and personalities in sports, music, politics and popular culture. From Bruce Lee to Larry Bird, the tees tell stories of triumph, individualism and hustle. Pay Homage.

All Access

What do you do when you're given total access to the most recognizable stars of the music business over the course of forty years? Well, you take pictures, of course! At least that's what Ken Regan did. All Access ($50) chronicles Regan's best work, from his early shots of Dylan and the Rolling Stones to later photos of Bruce Springsteen, Sting, James Taylor, U2, The Who, Madonna, and others, accompanied by backstage stories that are often as entertaining as the photos themselves.

Serious Eats

We're big fans of the seriously stupendous blog Serious Eats, so when we found out they were bringing out a book, we quickly hopped on the pre-order wagon. Serious Eats: A Comprehensive Guide to Making and Eating Delicious Food Wherever You Are ($20) sidesteps traditional cookbooks by offering up not only recipes — and there are plenty here — but also tips on where to go for the most mouth-watering morsels in town, from Ft. Lauderdale to Fargo.

Malcolm Gladwell: Collected

Winter is a great time to catch up on some reading, and you'll be hard-pressed to find more interesting writing than the three tomes of Malcolm Gladwell: Collected ($50). This hardcover set includes Gladwell's groundbreaking books The Tipping Point, Blink, and Outliers, repackaged and redesigned, complete with all-new illustrations from Brian Rea.

Whole Beast Butchery

Talk up your local organic grocer all you want, but if you're looking to get the most wholesome, freshest meats possible, there's no better way than to cut them yourself. Whole Beast Butchery ($25) is a step-by-step guide on how to procure, prepare, and utilize whole animals, illustrated with 500 photographs, and penned by self-taught meat guru Ryan Farr. As an added bonus, should society collapse around you, you'll be able to have a useful new profession.

Brooklyn Brew Shop's Beer Making Book

Did The Oxford Companion to Beer whet your appetite for brewing? Well, the Brooklyn Brew Shop's Beer Making Book ($14) has all the information you'll need to start your own microbrewery at home. It offers up 52 seasonal recipes that are designed to be made in small batches, as well as tips on brewing, growing hops, and pairing the right beer with the right food. It also has four gluten-free recipes within its pages, so your Celiac-suffering neighbor will at least have something to drown his sorrows when his beloved Browns manage once again to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. [Scouted by Eric]

West by West

Most autobiographies tend to be rather tame affairs — so we were pleasantly surprised to find that West by West ($18) is anything but. Penned by hoops legend Jerry West and Jonathan Coleman, the book tells West's journey from his childhood and college years in West Virginia though his 40-year stint with the Lakers, chronicling both his greatest triumphs and his intermittent battles with depression along the way. Pretty gripping stuff, especially for a guy who literally became an icon.

The American Cocktail

If a trip across the country isn't in your near future, why not do the next best thing and virtually drink your way from coast to coast? Written by the editors of Imbibe Magazine, The American Cocktail ($14) will let you do just that by offering up 50 recipes from top bartenders across the U.S., each focused on regionally produced spirits, sodas, fruits and herbs, but simple enough to make that you can sub in your own local favorites when necessary. After all, what else do you have to do this winter?

The Art of Pixar

Whether you're an animation buff or simply like learning more about the creative process, The Art of Pixar ($35) is a requirement for a cool coffee table this fall. Spanning over 300 pages, this unique tome offers a behind-the-scenes tour of every Pixar film to date, including the complete color scripts, select visual development art, and a foreword by Chief Creative Officer John Lasseter. A fitting accompaniment for Steve Jobs, and way more flip-through friendly for your couch-dwelling guests. [via]