Awesome Books

Instantly upgrade skateboards, club bathrooms, and anything lame with some of the world’s coolest street art by slapping on a peel-off sticker from these two legendary Stickerbomb books. Updated for Laurence King, each edition is awesomer than ever with more than 300 artist-commissioned stickers. Grab both books: Stickerbomb 1 and Stickerbomb 2.

Take your cooking to the next level with Saucy, a cookbook filled with 50 yummy sauce recipes. Written by Ashley Boyd and Maren Caruso, the book is organized by flavor profile, including sweet, spicy, savory, herbaceous, and more. Each recipe is accompanied by appetizing color photography and ideas about dishes to pair them with.

Laurence King Publishing’s beautifully illustrated mini set of tarot cards by artist Oliver Munden and author Diana McMahon Collis features vintage tattoo designs in a convenient palm-sized deck. The 78 tarot cards are inspired by traditional iconography and come with a how-to intro to conduct your own readings and interpret the cards.

This practical survival guide offers an entertaining approach to a serious topic. Its 212 pages are filled with techniques to survive encounters with wildlife and natural disasters, along with practical skills like starting fires, building shelters, and navigating outdoors. Written by documentarian Rob Nelson and science show host Haley Chamberlain Nelson.

The product of over 6,000 hours of research, writing, and drawing, Hungry Minds’ The Book: The Ultimate Guide to Rebuilding a Civilization covers many “incredible inventions and discoveries throughout human history.” The coffee table book contains 400 pages of text and hand-drawn Medieval-style illustrations to entertain and educate kids and adults alike.

This unique recipe book is a great gift for science lovers and home mixologists. Dr. Logan Richardson of Flavor Lab explains the science behind beverages with step-by-step guides to making alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. You’ll learn to make cola, hard seltzer, and kombucha from scratch, along with unusual drinks like Viking Blaand and buttered popcorn soda.

Video game artist Duncan Harris spoke with the game director, writer, and other staff behind the original WipEout game to write about the futuristic drift racer’s history and future. Aside from the interviews, WipEout Futurism: The Visual Archives also features concept art, in-game photography, promotional materials, and more.

Pickled foods are all the rage in culinary circles these days. This fantastic cookbook from Boston’s Grillo’s Pickles packs 100 recipes for unique and mouthwatering dishes that incorporate deliciously sweet, sour, and spicy flavors. The book also includes tips and techniques for making your own Grillo’s Pickles at home.

We love Hacksmith Industries’ YouTube channel. They also have a store that sells gadgets, toys, brand merch, and books. The Handyman Pocket Reference Book belongs in every home, workshop, and work site. It’s packed with facts and figures used in carpentry, construction, and repairs, info about hardware, wiring, building techniques, and more.

Wanna know what it was like behind the scenes when the Minneapolis music world was blossoming in the 1970s and ’80s? Don’t ask Paul Westerberg or Tommy Stinson — they likely don’t remember much. Ask Euphoric Recall author Peter Jesperson, former manager of The Replacements and founder of Twin/Tone Records (Soul Asylum, The Jayhawks, and more).

Tools: A Visual Exploration of Implements and Devices in the Workshop is a wondrous guidebook filled with stories and explanations of 118 different kinds of tools. Author Theodore Gray and photographer Nick Mann teamed up to create the 256-page hardcover edition, which includes a pull-out Periodic Table of Tools poster.

Your boss might not always acknowledge your hard work, but you still deserve positive feedback. Author Robb Pearlman’s book is filled with 250 removable stickers that celebrate everyday achievements like successfully changing the toner in the printer, fixing your computer without I.T., and putting on pants for a Zoom call.

Amanda Schuster’s elegant cocktail recipe book deserves a spot on your bookshelf. The book catalogs 200 signature cocktails from bars and restaurants around the world. Each drink recipe is accompanied by details of its origins and an artful photograph of the cocktail. It’s packed with both classic cocktails and lesser-known specialty drinks.

This artful coffee table book by Charlotte and Peter Fiell and Taschen catalogs 50 incredible motorcycles from 1894 to 2020. The 512-page hardcover book is loaded with photos, technical specifications, and stories about historic rides from luxurious tourers to high-speed superbikes.

The latest edition of editor Julius Wiedemann’s coffee table book offers an A-Z catalog of some of the most influential manga creators ever. The 576-page hardcover book includes biographies and bibliographies, example art, and character descriptions from greats like Osamu Tezuka, Katsuhiro Otomo, and more.

Entertrained adds a fun twist to improving your typing that could make the exercise much more engaging, especially if you enjoy reading. Instead of making you type randomly generated words, the website lets you type along to its catalog of public domain books, including Dracula, Walden, and Leaves of Grass.