6 Cool Coffee Table Books You’ll Love Showing Off

What’s the first thing you do when invited inside a new friend’s house? If you’re a book nerd, you scan the shelves looking for books you’ve loved, books you’ve hated, and titles that can provide some glimpse into the inner life of your host. She loves fractals? Who knew! He has the entire Sherlock Holmes collection? Indeed!
Today, more and more people are making their way to the digital dark side, leaving their shelves suspiciously bare and forcing guests to turn to the last bastion of books—the coffee table. Surely even the most strident minimalists must admit the power of a good coffee-table book. Lay these lovely tomes out at your next cocktail party or scatter them for a casual “Want to come up for drinks?” date to find and show the world your literary soul.
Pen & Ink, by Isaac Fitzgerald
Everyone loves to talk about tattoos! Do you have them? How many? Where? Spark the conversation with Pen & Ink: Tattoos and the Stories Behind Them, based on the popular Tumblr. Fitzgerald has collected fascinating tales from happily tattooed folks including writer Cheryl Strayed and a blue-collar union organizer.
An Ocean Garden, by Josie Iselin
Do you own a seaside cottage? (Or maybe just dream of escaping to one?) Let your fellow beachcombers recognize you with this lovely guide to the secret life of seaweed. Iselin’s photographs are magical and sure to inspire wistful conversations about long walks on the beach.
The Where, the Why and the How, Featuring the Work of 75 Artists
The best dinner party conversation doesn’t just cover the latest trips to Kathmandu and troubles at work, it delves into the mysteries of the universe. Smarty-pants guests will be drawn to this intriguing celebration of science, art, and curiosity. Your conversation is sure to enriched by the book’s discussion of everything from dark matter to hiccups.
Humans of New York, by Brandon Stanton
Your guests may not all be New Yorkers, but they are (most likely) all human, and this book will delight every one. Filled with stories and photographs inspired by the popular blog of the same name, this heartwarming book will charm even the most reluctant guests. And while it may not solve the age-old question of whether it’s better to live in the city or out, it will certainly make everyone glad to be human.
Epic Tomatoes, by Craig LeHoullier
Luscious photo-heavy cookbooks are practically already coffee-table books, and this one crosses right over the line to prove there’s a coffee-table book out there for even the most specific obsessions.  It covers more than 200 types of tomatoes and everything you need to know about planting, growing, and cooking them. Just be sure to serve a good tomato bruschetta hen you have this book out for guests!
The Louvre, by Erich Lessing
A great coffee-table book makes a grand thunk when it lands on the table. The heavier the better! If your guests turn up their noses at tomatoes and refuse to chat about tattoos, pull out this classic. At least one of the 3,000 paintings in this book should prompt a discussion on the meaning of life.
Are there any great books on your coffee table?