Fall's Best Coffee Table Books Aren't All About Interiors

As temperatures drop and fall starts to make her presence known, the urge to buy new books becomes instinctual. There’s something about coffee table books in particular that call out to us during this "other" beginning of the near year. They are representative of both who we are and who we want to be; they make the inaccessible accessible, make us laugh and swoon, and all the while doing double duty as pieces of art and decor themselves. And of course, some of the best ones aren't even about interiors (though they might inspire yours). The following are some of our favorite picks for new and noteworthy coffee table books of all stripes to check out this fall. Your home will thank you!

A celebration of the contemporary artist known not only by his name but his Instagram handle: @drawbertson. Through its pages you'll see the world as Donald does—with limitless potential, bursting with color, and creativity at every turn. (Sept. 1, Assouline)

It’s true that the person makes the apartment, and these homes are as over-the-top, idiosyncratic, and creative as any New Yorker you might meet (Exhibit A: the home of Annie Schlechter, who photographed the whole collection). You’ll feel like you’ve been invited to a dinner party where the conversation will not disappoint. (Sept. 5, Gibbs Smith)

This book dubs itself “a seek-and-find book for grown-ups,” and what better way to get your mind off a bad day than to search for items such as “six girls wearing their sunglasses at night,” within an intricately illustrated scene of topsy-turvy? It's Where's Waldo for the modern age. (Sept. 12, Chronicle Books)

Stay With Me shows just how magical the symbiosis of interior design, graphic design, and branding can be when they all pledge allegiance to the same overarching goal: providing an exceptional place to stay while one is away from home. Consider your next vacation(s) planned. (Aug. 31, Gingko Press Inc.)

Legendary British decorator David Hicks compiled 25 volumes of fastidiously executed scrapbooks before his death in 1998. Compiled here by his son Ashley Hicks, they transcend both his personal and professional life—and, of course, contain every newspaper or magazine article to ever mention his name. (Sept. 26, Vendome Press)

A follow-up to the much beloved title Maddie on Things: A Super Serious Project about Dogs and Physics, this book is more than just a collection of photographs depicting the quirky coonhound, Maddie. It’s also about the profound relationship between a man and his best friend as they travel the country, content with only the company of one another. And a really strange, exceptionally cute dog, yes. (Sept. 12, Harry N. Abrams)

In these artful depictions of food from the pages of Vogue, singular ingredients are elevated to the forefront of the conversation. The resulting compositions are like a meal at a Michelin-starred restaurant: simple, strong, and flawlessly executed. The perfect thing to flip through while waiting for your eggs to boil. (Nov. 14, Abrams)

Best known for his aerial shots of beaches around the world, photographer Gray Malin mixes up the topography in his most recent title by adding ski slopes, swimming pools, and lush green lawns into the stylish mix. Warning: will incite wanderlust. (Oct. 3, Abrams)

Joseph Dirand’s interiors are like the man himself: sophisticated and chic in a way that only the French seem to be. His spaces exist in an alternate reality where there are no trends and one’s home will never go out of style. (Sept. 19, Rizzoli)