37 Best Coffee Table Books for Men

Ken Burns is renowned for making some of the best-known, most-beloved, and most insightful documentaries, including many following the progression of American history over the last 40+ years. Now, in the pages of Our America: A Photographic History, he shares his deep knowledge of America’s soul through images that best embody our country’s progression, from its founding over 200 years ago to modern-day society.

Featuring striking images of civil war and stirring tributes to great people who changed the country, it’s a visual journey through the moments and events that made America what it is today—entirely raw and unfiltered truth through the lens of a camera.

Cocktails are so much more than just “a nice drink”—they are an expression of individuality and a work of art unique to each city, region, or country where they were created. Look at the distinctions between the Mai Tai, Mojito, Michelada, and Moscow Mule and it immediately becomes clear.

In the pages of Signature Cocktails, you will be taken on a fascinating journey through 200 of the most celebrated cocktails from around the world. From classics like the Bellini and Martini to striking newcomers unique to world-renowned mixologists and bars, you will learn the story behind the cocktails, the artistry and chemistry that goes into making them, and the unique character that sets them apart from every drink that came before.

Spanning more than six centuries of history, this Phaidon published coffee table book will teach you everything you ever wanted to know about cocktails.

Whether you’re a professional mixologist or just a guy like me who loves to mix up a stiff drink at the end of the day, this will be your ultimate guide to making the “perfect” cocktail—not only the classics, but maybe even a signature drink of your own.

When published 30 years ago, Come as You Are: The Story of Nirvana offered some fascinating insights into the iconic rock band and the sound that shaped Generation X. Now, on its 30th anniversary, the book is getting some huge updates.

The Amplified Come as You Are: The Story of Nirvana takes what the original book offered—exclusive interviews with the band, including the only interviews ever done with Kurt Cobain before his suicide—and adds a fresh layer of polish.

The book has been re-written and “amplified”, featuring new annotations, thoughts by the author, retrospective analyses of the impact Nirvana has had on the modern music world, and deeper, more refined insights into the creativity and life of one of the greatest songwriters ever to rock a concert.

Nirvana fans, this is the coffee table book you will absolutely want to add to your collection.

Anyone who has spent significant amounts of time catching, cleaning, and gutting fish will tell you that there is both an art and science to the process. Now, you can learn all about it in the pages of Fish Butchery: Mastering The Catch, Cut, And Craft.

Written by culinary trailblazer and James Beard award-winner Josh Niland, this beautiful cookbook is intended to be the “complete guide to fish butchery”. It will teach you everything you need to know about catching, butchering, and ultimately crafting the perfect meal using 15 different species of fish, each with fascinating potential to be used in creative ways.

By the time you’re done, you’ll be raring to put your newfound knowledge to the test and take your culinary skills to the next level.

In its 568 pages, The Atlas of Car Design features 750 photos & illustrations that show off the 650 most beloved (and hated) car designs throughout the decades.

Iconic German, Japanese, French, Italian, British, and American vehicles that have revolutionized the car industry—both in form and function—are on glorious display on every page of this illustrated coffee table book.

Follow along to see how cars have evolved from their first creation little more than a century ago, and how the world (including travel, advertising, and photography) has changed right along with them.

It’s an in-depth look into every aspect of the car industry, from design to engineering to economics to culture to fandoms, one that will keep you hooked from start to finish.

As the legend known to the world as “Ozzy” Osbourne approaches his 75th birthday, Ozzy at 75 explores 75 of the greatest accomplishments and highlights of what has been a truly eventful career and life.

From his early days co-founding Black Sabbath to his co-founding of Ozzfest to his Parkinson’s diagnosis, this book explores the man who has more than earned the title of “godfather of heavy meal”, offering you a glimpse behind the scenes through interviews, candid photos, and never-before-told stories.

Learn about the music that shaped who he became, the albums that are his legacy to the music world he forever changed, the collaborations that are still monuments of music history, and the crazy adventures both on and off the stage that makes him the singularly great Ozzy that he is and always will be.

There is no doubt about it: the computer revolutionized every single industry and changed the world as we once knew it. Without it, our modern society would be drastically different, and marvels of technology would simply not exist. Now, take a visual journey through the history of the computer through the pages of Taschen’s The Computer.

In the book, you’ll learn about the ancient and historical mechanical machines that gave rise to the idea of a modern computer, the earliest digital machines, and the technology that led to computers being present in virtually every household around the globe.

It’s filled with richly colored archive images, an ongoing glossary of evolving computer technology language, and profiles of the men and women responsible for significant advancements in the field.

This book is guaranteed to be a fascinating exploration of where computing started, how it got to where we are today, and where it might yet take us into the future.

Ultimate Collector Motorcycles is the creation of Charlotte & Peter Fiell, authors renowned in the field of transportation design. In its pages, you’ll find a curated selection of the 100 most beautiful and desirable motorbikes on the planet—some dating back more than 100 years!

Not only will you get to enjoy full-color, high-definition photographs of these iconic and game-changing motorbikes, but you’ll read the stories behind them, see the designs that inspired them, and learn more about their history and construction. This is the coffee table book every biker enthusiast and collector will want to have on their shelf.

It’s no exaggeration to say that Jimi Hendrix is one of the most influential musicians—and, likely, the finest guitarist—in rock and roll history.

Though his life was short, the mark he left on the music world is undeniable. Now, in the pages of JIMI, you can take a journey through the icon’s life, music, and the legacy he left behind.

Written by Janie Hendrix, Jimi’s sister, in collaboration with John McDermott of Experience Hendrix L.L.C., JIMI is a visual journey through music history, filled with never-before-published song lyrics, photographs, and personal memorabilia, as well as quotations by musicians who were influenced by Hendrix—from Paul McCartney to Dave Grohl to Drake.

Music fans will love this glimpse behind the curtain and gain invaluable insight into the man who set the music world on fire with his groundbreaking songs.

Time to step up your home mixology game—not with fancy cocktail bitters or new kitchen gadgets, but more knowledge. In the pages of Raising the Bar, you’ll learn the basic “formula” for constructing the perfect cocktail, walking you through every bottle in your bar to explain how each can be used to maximum efficiency to make as wide a variety of drinks as possible.

As it builds on the foundation, you’ll learn more and more ways to use the liquor already in your cabinet. By the end of the book, you will have no trouble whipping up all your favorite cocktails along with a few new ones. Best of all, you’ll be armed with the knowledge you need to craft recipes that will be a surefire hit among your friends and family.

The Race of Gentlemen, affectionally known as “TROG”, is an annual event held on the beaches of Wildwood. Every year, gentlemen from around the country bring their vintage cars and motorcycles to the Jersey shore to take part in a spirited race—both to compete in the true American spirit, and to show off their classic hot rods.

In the pages of The Race of Gentlemen, you can see some of the most iconic vehicles that have taken part over the years, and experience a bit of the excitement for yourself first-hand through the pictures, stories, and commentary from the race’s founder. Read this book, and you’ll be convinced to make the trek out to the race for yourself.

Fifty years ago, mankind did something utterly unprecedented: they took their first steps on the moon. The success of the Apollo mission forever changed the landscape of space exploration, and gave us our first insights into what it means to walk among the stars.

Now, in the pages of Apollo Remastered, you can see the original NASA photographic film of that mission, brought to life by image restorer Andy Saunders. In crystal-clear quality, these photos offer breathtaking and vivid insights into the marvels of outer space, life aboard the Apollo spacecraft, space-walks, and so much more never before seen until now.

In the pages of this beautiful coffee table book, you will see 1,000 of the most iconic designs brought to life in glorious detail. Each features an in-depth history and origin of each item, along with an explanation of what makes them such works of art.

From mystery pieces by anonymous creators to masterpieces by the world’s most famous designers—including modern designers whose works have captivated audiences in the last decades—the book is filled with eye-catching, inspiration-lighting ideas that any design enthusiast will love to explore.

Few authors have left a mark on 20th and 21st century fiction like Stephen King, the man behind The Stand, The Dark Tower, Carrie, and countless other works of horror. Now, in celebration of his 75th birthday, The Stephen King Ultimate Companion recounts his journey through author-hood, telling the stories behind the stories that made him a household name.

There are even never-before-seen pictures from the author’s private collection that offer a glimpse into the man from whom such mind-bending tales were born. Fans of Stephen King—and the horror genre in general—will devour every page of this fascinating book.

Have you ever wondered exactly how police detectives conduct their investigations? Not the over-dramatized way you see it on TV, but the real-life, down-to-earth truth? Now, through the pictures captured by author and photographer Theo Warner, Homicide pulls back the veil on what it really means to conduct a police investigation.

As the first photographer to be given access to the NYPD, Wenner snaps the ugly, nitty-gritty, behind-the-scenes images of actual investigations conducted over the course of two years. It’s an eye-opening look into America’s most iconic city, and the murders that put a stain on its reputation.

Showcasing legendary and infamous guitars from many of the greatest players to ever plug-in, Immortal Axes is the latest from acclaimed photog’ Lisa S. Johnson, & in stunning images, documents the legendary instruments of B.B. King, Kurt Cobain, St. Vincent, the Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, and many more covering more than one hundred and fifty icons of rock.

Drawing on hundreds of hours of exclusive interviews with the cast and creators of The Office and illustrated with 100 bts photos, this new book is billed as the hit show’s definitive oral history.

It features a foreword by Greg Daniels, who adapted the series for the U.S. and is “narrated” by star Brian Baumgartner aka Kevin Malone. Out November 16.

Academy Award–winning director of Free Solo and National Geographic mountain photographer Jimmy Chin has collected his works into a new collection titled There and Back: Photographs from the Edge that features more than 200 original images from his global adventures with the world’s top alpine athletes.

From Tibet’s Chang Tang Plateau to Antarctica’s Queen Maud Land, Chin’s images take you up close to the action.

From the hosts of the popular Talking Sopranos podcast, this new oral history captures some of the iconic show’s most important voices, covering the beloved series from every angle with the people who lived it: the creators, actors and writers who shaped a truly classic show. Edie Falco, Steven Van Zandt, David Chase, and Lorraine Bracco all share their tales.

More than a decade in the making, Soled Out is the definitive – and only – collection of sneaker advertisements from the footwear industry’s golden age. Written and compiled by Simon ‘Woody’ Wood, founder of Sneaker Freaker magazine, this 720-page volume collects nearly 900 vintage ads.

Carefully assembled & edited by Adrienne Stillman, author of Where Bartenders Drink, Spirited is a full-color reference guide to more than 600 cocktails from around the world.

From certified classics to the truly exotic, it merges images, recipes, infographics and cultural texts to present an authoritative global guide to booze.

Created as a true collector’s edition, Nike: Better is Temporary is a landmark publication charting Nike’s transformation from rebellious upstart to global phenomenon.

It is an immersive visual survey offering a deep, behind-the-scenes exploration into Nike’s ethos-driven design formula, and places industry-defining innovations and globally recognized products alongside previously unpublished designs, prototypes, insider stories, and more.

This is not your standard music memoir, the Beasties would never do that. Yes, Beastie Boys Book tells their whole story but alongside the band narrative you will find rare photos, original illustrations, a cookbook by chef Roy Choi, a graphic novel, a map of Beastie Boys’ New York, mixtape playlists, pieces by guest contributors, and many more surprises.

There may be no other guitarist who’s worked with both Bruce Springsteen & Wu-Tang. But that’s Tom Morello.

Impossibly versatile & just as influential. Especially to guitar nerds. As the cofounder and axe-man of Rage Against the Machine, Audioslave, and Prophets of Rage, Morello has made some of the loudest & most important rock-n-roll of the modern era.

In this biography he shares his incredible journey as a guitarist, songwriter, singer, and political activist.

As a Guitar God spanning generations, Jimmy Page has amassed an extensive private archive of iconic guitars, stage costumes, and personal ephemera. He packs all of it into this 400-page book.

In it, he guides reader through hundreds of rare items, many of which are unseen, others of mythic status, such as the Gibson double neck guitar, his dragon emblazoned suit, his white embroidered poppy suit, and the outfit worn in the concert film The Song Remains the Same.

Also included are handwritten diaries, correspondence, rare vinyl pressings, previously unpublished photos and lots more.

Showcasing more than 750 iconic album covers that shaped rock history, this collection from Taschen combines the classic covers with insightful fact sheets, insider interviews, and lists from leading collectors of their top 10 records.

From Elvis Presley, The Beatles, The Sex Pistols, Pink Floyd, The Cure, & Iron Maiden to Sonic Youth, it catalogs decades of rock music’s rich visual history.

To celebrate the Golden Anniversary of the National Football League, NFL 100 celebrates a hundred years of history, tracking America’s most popular and highly watched sport from its humble beginnings in Canton, Ohio, to its current state of high stakes commercial influence.

All the key moments and famous athletes are honored within the pages of this handsomely produced book.

Based on the popular website of the same name, Cabin P*rn is a 336-page full-color photo collection packed with shocking acts of hardcore cabin action.

Created by DIY.org & Vimeo co-founder Zach Klein, the original Cabin P*rn picture book has sold over a quarter-million copies. That’s a lot, so no surprise there’s a follow-up.

Where the original book showed sexy exteriors from around the world, this one takes readers deep inside. To show you how these delightful little hideaway homes are decorated.

The first pressing of this book sold out instantly. Now it’s back: a giant-format tome nearly ten years in the making celebrating the one and only Godfather of Comics, Stan Lee.

From his childhood in Depression-era New York, to transforming Marvel into the world’s number one comics publisher, to his 21st-century reinvention as Chief Creative Officer of POW! Entertainment, Stan Lee remains the most legendary name in comic book history & this 624-page book proves it.

The Washington Post called this book “the ultimate literary bucket list.” Covering fiction, poetry, science and science fiction, memoir, travel writing, biography, children’s books, history, and more, this book is not a definitive list of literary classic works but instead a celebration of story & discovery.

It also offers recommendations from one work to another, so in all, there are actually 6000 books listed inside.

Once you figure out how to handle edibles, it’s a welcome alternative to smoking flower. Inspired by the Vice Channel show of the same name, Bong Appétit the cookbook teaches you how to make your own THC-infused meals, dishes, and munchies.

It includes 65 easy-to-follow recipes, techniques, and guidance for cooking with cannabis. It’s also packed with great, full-color photos.

Made with the full cooperation of George Lucas and Lucasfilm, this premium-quality, oversized 604-page volume from Taschen covers the making of the original Star Wars trilogy—Episode IV: A New Hope, Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, and Episode VI: Return of the Jedi—and features an exclusive interview with Lucas.

The book is profusely illustrated with script pages, production documents, concept art, storyboards, on-set photography, stills, and posters.

In June, 1963, on assignment from Sports Illustrated, peerless portrait photographer Steve Schapiro traveled to Louisville to spend some time with Cassius Clay, the young Olympic champion boxer who even then was well on his way to becoming Muhammad Ali.

The two spent five days together, with Schapiro gaining intimate access to this legend-in-the-making.

Ali is a collection of the photographers best images—many of which have never been published before.

This is the only guide you need to find a proper cup. In Where to Drink Coffee, 150 top baristas and coffee experts share their secrets: 600 killer coffee spots across 50 countries.

From cafés, bakeries, and restaurants to more surprising spots—a video store and an auto shop, the recommendations include insightful reviews, key information, maps, and easy-to-navigate geographical organization.

Starting with Marilyn Monroe from 1953, this complete, unabridged and titillating tome includes over 734 nude centerfolds from the pages of Playboy covering 6 decades.

Consider it the definitive reference on the female form, a celebration of skin that captures the complete cultural and aesthetic arc of the Playboy centerfold.