Dwell Picks: The 11 Books We’re Cozying Up With Right Now
There’s no better way to spend a cold day than indoors with a good book. Here are the ones we’ve been reading and won’t stop talking about.
Jenny Xie, Executive Editor:
"Powerhouse poet Ocean Vuong—who just won a MacArthur 'Genius Grant'—makes his fiction debut with this tenderhearted novel, written in epistolary form to his mother, who doesn't speak English. It's a meditation on place and identity, from war-torn Vietnam to rural America."
On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous: A Novel
On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous is a letter from a son to a mother who cannot read. Written when the speaker, Little Dog, is in his late twenties, the letter unearths a family’s history that began before he was born — a history whose epicenter is rooted in Vietnam — and serves as a doorway into parts of his life his mother has never known, all of it leading to an unforgettable revelation. At once a witness to the fraught yet undeniable love between a single mother and her son, it is also a brutally honest exploration of race, class, and masculinity. Asking questions central to our American moment, immersed as we are in addiction, violence, and trauma, but undergirded by compassion and tenderness, On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous is as much about the power of telling one’s own story as it is about the obliterating silence of not being heard. With stunning urgency and grace, Ocean Vuong writes of people caught between disparate worlds, and asks how we heal and rescue one another without forsaking who we are. The question of how to survive, and how to make of it a kind of joy, powers the most important debut novel of many years.
Shop"This dreamy collection of off-grid homes celebrates sustainability and self-sufficiency, and also a spirit of adventure."
Off the Grid: Houses for Escape
The ultimate escapist collection of environmentally sustainable houses, cabins, and retreats, this book circles the globe to find the best eco-architecture in the most stunning and remote locations. The imperative to reduce our carbon footprint and focus on renewable energy is having a profound impact on our daily lives and the way we think about living spaces. Surveying some of the world’s most innovative off-grid homes, Off the Grid reveals the creative architecture and cutting-edge technologies that are redefining where and how we live―enabling us to escape to some of the most extraordinary and secluded natural environments on the planet. Dominic Bradbury tells the story of how innovative architects have made everyday living in the most wild and remote locations of the United States, Europe, Asia, and Australia not only feasible, as all of the homes featured are largely self-sustaining in terms of energy, water, and in some cases food, but also a rewarding and tempting reality. From snowbound cabins in the far Northern Hemisphere to coastal retreats that can only be accessed by boat, this fully illustrated overview explains the diverse ways in which architects are tackling extreme climates, remoteness, and sustainability challenges to enable a new way of life that is both liberating and responsible, wherever on Earth you happen to be. Publisher: Thames & Hudson Photo Courtesy of Amazon
ShopSam Daly, Associate Editor:
"This is a wholly excellent read."
Year of the Monkey
From the National Book Award-winning author of Just Kids and M Train, a profound, beautifully realized memoir in which dreams and reality are vividly woven into a tapestry of one transformative year. Following a run of New Year's concerts at San Francisco's legendary Fillmore, Patti Smith finds herself tramping the coast of Santa Cruz, about to embark on a year of solitary wandering. Unfettered by logic or time, she draws us into her private wonderland with no design, yet heeding signs--including a talking sign that looms above her, prodding and sparring like the Cheshire Cat. In February, a surreal lunar year begins, bringing with it unexpected turns, heightened mischief, and inescapable sorrow. In a stranger's words, "Anything is possible: after all, it's the Year of the Monkey." For Smith--inveterately curious, always exploring, tracking thoughts, writing--the year evolves as one of reckoning with the changes in life's gyre: with loss, aging, and a dramatic shift in the political landscape of America. Smith melds the western landscape with her own dreamscape. Taking us from California to the Arizona desert; to a Kentucky farm as the amanuensis of a friend in crisis; to the hospital room of a valued mentor; and by turns to remembered and imagined places, this haunting memoir blends fact and fiction with poetic mastery. The unexpected happens; grief and disillusionment set in. But as Smith heads toward a new decade in her own life, she offers this balm to the reader: her wisdom, wit, gimlet eye, and above all, a rugged hope for a better world. Riveting, elegant, often humorous, illustrated by Smith's signature Polaroids, Year of the Monkey is a moving and original work, a touchstone for our turbulent times.
Shop"A great biography on the quietly influential botanist David Fairchild. If you've ever had a question about where the produce we put on our table comes from, this is the book to add to your shelf."
The Food Explorer
The true adventures of David Fairchild, a late-nineteenth-century food explorer who traveled the globe and introduced diverse crops like avocados, mangoes, seedless grapes—and thousands more—to the American plate. In the nineteenth century, American meals were about subsistence, not enjoyment. But as a new century approached, appetites broadened, and David Fairchild, a young botanist with an insatiable lust to explore and experience the world, set out in search of foods that would enrich the American farmer and enchant the American eater. Kale from Croatia, mangoes from India, and hops from Bavaria. Peaches from China, avocados from Chile, and pomegranates from Malta. Fairchild’s finds weren’t just limited to food: From Egypt he sent back a variety of cotton that revolutionized an industry, and via Japan he introduced the cherry blossom tree, forever brightening America’s capital. Along the way, he was arrested, caught diseases, and bargained with island tribes. But his culinary ambition came during a formative era, and through him, America transformed into the most diverse food system ever created.
ShopErin V. Mahoney, Community & Social Media Manager:
"I’m surprised the term 'Scandiphile' has yet to make it into the English lexicon, but you saw it here first. As a self-described Scandiphile, this tome is a no-brainer."
Modern Scandinavian Design
Designers from Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Norway, and Iceland have long pursued the shared goal of social equality through design, believing that well-designed everyday goods not only enhance daily life, but should also be the birthright of all. Modern Scandinavian Design is the ultimate guide to the distinctive design tradition arising out of these five Nordic countries since 1925. Bestselling design authors Charlotte and Peter Fiell have extensively researched all aspects of the aesthetic, along with contributions from Magnus Englund of Skandium. With sections on architecture, furniture, lighting, glass, ceramics, metalwork, woodenware, plastics, textiles, jewelry, and graphic design, this will be an indispensable resource for any design enthusiast, collector, or casual reader seeking inspiration for their home.
ShopMaris Berkowitz, Marketing & Sales Assistant:
"Four words: I love Sea Ranch."
Lauren Conklin, Editorial Fellow:
"This is so much more than a cookbook; it’s more like a collection of recipes and conversations with incredibly cool people from all over the world. Like a potluck dinner where everyone brings a super inventive and representative dish, then William Wegman’s Weimaraners stroll in and steal the show. The only cookbook I’ve read cover to cover."
Salad for President: A Cookbook Inspired by Artists
The creator of the immensely popular Salad for President blog presents a visually rich collection of more than 75 salad recipes, with contributions and interviews by artists/creative professionals like William Wegman, Tauba Auerbach, Laurie Anderson, and Alice Waters. Julia Sherman loves salad. In the book named after her popular blog, Sherman encourages her readers to consider salad an everyday indulgence that can include cocktails, soups, family style brunch dishes, and dinner-party entrées. Every part of the meal is reimagined with a fresh, vegetable obsessed perspective. This compendium of savory recipes will tempt readers in search of diverse offerings from light to hearty: Collard Chiffonade Salad with Roasted Garlic Dressing and Crouton Crumble, Heirloom Tomatoes with Crunchy Polenta Croutons, or Flank Steak and Bean Sprouts with Miso-Kimchi Dressing. On the lighter end there are Grilled Hearts of Palm with Mint and Triple Citrus, Persimmon Caprese, and fresh Blood Marys. The recipes, while not exclusively vegetarian, are vegetable-forward and focused on high-quality seasonal produce. Sherman also includes insider tips on pantry staples and growing your own salad garden of herbs and greens. Salad—with its infinite possibilities—is a game of endless combinations, not stifling rules. And with that in mind, Salad for President offers a window into how artists approach preparing their favorite dishes. She visits sculptors, painters, photographers, and musicians in their homes and gardens, interviewing and photographing them as they cook. Utterly unique in its look into the worlds of food, art, and everyday practices, Salad for President is at once a practical resource for healthy, satisfying recipes and an inspiring look at creativity.
Shop"My admiration for Georgia O'Keefe knows no bounds, and her connection to so many key players in the design world of the 20th century is baffling. Unsurprisingly, her own approach to the interiors of her two New Mexico homes is outright beautiful in a way that both inspires and is inspired by her artwork."
Georgia O'Keeffe and Her Houses: Ghost Ranch and Abiquiu
Georgia O’Keeffe’s two houses in New Mexico—at Abiquiu and Ghost Ranch—are essential elements in her paintings, but their history has never before been detailed. Quoting liberally from the artist’s letters, Barbara Buhler Lynes and Agapita Judy Lopez create a vibrant picture of O’Keeffe (1887–1986) and her homes, which have long intrigued the public. An essay by architect Beverly Spears describes the distinctive characteristics of adobe construction.
ShopJim Redd, Lead Developer:
James Turrell: A Retrospective
Copublished with the Los Angeles County Museum of Art for the major touring retrospective and concurrent exhibitions at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York and The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, this comprehensive volume illuminates the origins and motivations of James Turrell's incredibly diverse and exciting body of work--from his Mendota studio days to his monumental work-in-progress Roden Crater. Whether he's projecting shapes on a flat wall or into the corner of a gallery space, James Turrell is perpetually asking us to "go inside and greet the light"--evoking his Quaker upbringing. In fact, all of Turrell's work has been influenced by his life experiences with aviation, science, and psychology, and as a key player in Los Angeles's exploding art scene of the 1960s. Enhanced by thoughtful essays and an illuminating interview with the artist, this monograph explores every aspect of Turrell's career to date--from his early geometric light projections, prints, and drawings, through his installations exploring sensory deprivation and seemingly unmodulated fields of colored light, to recent two-dimensional experiments with holograms. It also features an in-depth look at Roden Crater, a site-specific intervention into the landscape near Flagstaff, Arizona, which will be presented through models, plans, photographs, and drawings. Fans of this highly influential artist will find much to savor in this wide-ranging and beautiful book, featuring specially commissioned new photography by Florian Holzherr. Publisher: Prestel Photo Courtesy of Prestel
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Haley Heramb, Branded Content Manager:
"As the weather is getting cooler, I'm cozying up at home dreaming of my next trip to warmer places. I'm a sucker for a well-designed hotel and find myself flipping through the pages of the Design Hotels Book to inspire my next travel destination."
The Design Hotels Book: Edition 2016
A worldwide affiliation of independent hotels, Design Hotels has collected 296 of the most groundbreaking accommodations from its portfolio in the 2016 edition of The Design Hotels Book (Gestalten). Pairing stunning photography with stories about the hoteliers who founded the establishments, the book showcases unparalleled designs in the hospitality sector. The "Influencers" series returns in this edition, spotlighting 10 outstanding forces in architecture and design. Photo Courtesy of Gestalten Publisher: Gestalten
Shop"I can't wait for this to come out next year!"
The Design Hotels Book: New Perspectives
A special 25th year anniversary edition of The Design Hotels Book presents an in-depth look at 25 boutique properties around the world that are changing the way we think about hospitality. For a quarter century, Design Hotels(TM) has been at the forefront of a movement in hospitality, curating a global collection of independent, design-driven hotels that function as social hubs and platforms for extraordinary experiences. In celebration of this benchmark, Design Hotels(TM) sent some of the world's leading editorial and lifestyle photographers around the world to capture the unique character of 25 hotels at the vanguard of their hand-selected collection. Each hotel tells a story, rich with emotion and steeped in the history, culture, and nature of its local environment. The new, special edition of the brand's wildly popular annual brings these stories to life through evocative photo essays and reportage. This edition of The Design Hotels(TM) Book is a distillation of a quarter century of pioneering design and original experiences, as well as a must-have for a worldwide community of travelers, likeminded in their pursuit of singular aesthetic environments, genuine local culture, and transformative, boundary-pushing travel experiences that defy conventional notions of luxury.
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