Awesome Books

“Let us store irregular shapes inside shapes with flat surfaces.” Author Nathan W. Pyle’s charming and hilarious Instagram is now a book, filled with panel after panel of alien beings as they find their place and build their lives on an unfamiliar planet.

Tiki bars have had a bit of a resurgence of late, with their Polynesian-themed cocktails and kitschy tropical decor. Sven Kirsten’s 640-page, hardcover coffee table book delves into the history of America’s pop take on tiki culture, with lots of wonderful archival photos and historical artifacts dating back as far as the 1930s.

Published by Taschen, Michael Ochs’ hardcover 1,000 Record Covers showcases a thousand of the most beautiful and memorable vinyl record cover sleeves from the 1960’s to the 1990’s. Makes a great coffee table book for any music lover.

A bible for discriminating audiophiles and and industrial design junkies, Hi-Fi: The History of High-End Audio Design traces the evolution of all things audio, from the 1950s birth of specialty equipment to today’s cutting-edge design. Phaidon’s 272-page book has 300 images and the expertise of Gideon Schwartz, founder of Audioarts.

A great stocking stuffer for fans of the holiday classic Home Alone. This fun story book is done up in the style of classic kid’s books, with bold and colorful illustrations of Kevin McAllister as his parents leave him behind to take on a couple of bumbling burglars all by himself. They’ve also illustrated the sequel.

Next time you head to a different country, be prepared to handle whatever the locals throw your way. Filled with rude hand gestures and their explanations, this amusing book will equip you with the tools necessary to insult and retort without speaking a word.

Since 2015, animator Henning M. Lederer has been bringing to life various vintage books, each of which featured bold geometric images on its cover. After you watch the latest clip, be sure to go back and watch Part 1 and Part 2.

Author Kris Palmer’s book Hot Wheels: From 0 to 50 at 1:64 Scale offers a look back at the first 50 years of Hot Wheels. It’s packed with rare images from Mattel’s archives, including design sketches and prototypes, and comes packed in a sweet replica Hot Wheels carrying case.

Build your survival skills with Michael Powell’s useful, but lighthearted instruction manual How to Send Smoke Signals, Pluck a Chicken & Build an Igloo. It packs more than 75 short, but useful guides on how to improve your chances when you’re lost in the woods, or when the inevitable zombie apocalypse hits.

“John fled from Karl and Hans but alas! He had to run barefoot over sharp, broken glass.” Celebrate a great holiday classic with Doogie Horner and J.J. Harrison’s illustrated version of Bruce Willis and Alan Rickman’s 1988 action flick, done up in a sort of Golden Books style.

Are you frustrated by life’s little annoyances? Illustrator Oslo Davis‘ coloring book is packed with images of unsatisfying moments from office printer paper jams, to tangled cables, to dropped contact lenses. We encourage you to color far outside of the lines.

You haven’t truly experienced pet ownership until your furry friend turns around and winks at you with their third eye. These irreverent cat butt and dog butt coloring books are filled with charming tail-end images for you to embellish. Corgi butts win the cute contest.

The perfect gift book for adventure and travel junkies, Scott McNeely & Arthur Mount’s book is packed with dozens of ideas for unique experiences and destinations, from driving to the bottom of the Earth, to running a marathon against horses, to tomato fights in Brazil.

Create 20 awesomely creepy kirigami scenes from Paper Dandy’s book of horror-themed dioramas. When appropriately lit, they’re the perfect perfect decoration for your Halloween party. Each intricate design requires a good deal of precise cutting, so they’re more for adults than kids, though.

Author Lance Akiyama’s DIY book teaches you how to use popsicle sticks, paint stirrers, PVC pipe, clothespins, and other household objects to create 19 different rubber band and hydraulic-powered weapons and siege engines.

Sometimes, we all could use a little schadenfreude to brighten our days. National Geographic author Michael Farquhar’s book catalogs 365 tales of misery and misfortune through the years, from the time casino magnate Steve Wynn ruined his Picasso, to that time people were drowned by a flood of molasses.

Expand your mind every day with this app that offers up new content 30 times a month. Each of its non-fiction micro books is designed to be read or listened to in less than 12-minutes, making it a perfect complement to your daily commute or your lunch break. Grab a lifetime subscription in The Awesomer Shop.

Illustrator Don Moyer of Calamityware offers up a small book with some big lessons. If you feel like you’re a monster when it comes to parties, public events, or other places where people gather, this 68-page mini book will set you on the right path to proper decorum.

If you ski or snowboard, there’s a good chance you’ve seen the work of artist James Niehues. You just didn’t know it. You see, James hand painted many of the maps we use to navigate the trails. Now you can own a collection of 200 of his intricate works in this beautiful coffee table book, a great gift for any winter sports fanatic.

A bunch of different artists offer their illustrative interpretations of the fiercest female superheroes and supervillains in the DC universe, while graphic novelist Shea Fontana profiles them. A great gift for comic book fans old and new.

From the Cornflake Wars of 1906 to the Toilet Paper Panic of 1973, author Gabe Henry’s and illustrator Dave Hopkins’ compact almanac is filled with one strange historical fact for each day of the year. Makes a great gift for trivia buffs or a bedside reader for your guest room.

Cyriak Harris is best known for his incredibly surreal, layered, and detailed animations. Now, the artist has created his first book, a science fiction story about a horse who could destroy the universe, and the meaning of life. It’s been referred to as The Hitchiker’s Guide to the Galaxy meets Black Beauty meets The Matrix.

Master doodle artist Lei Melendres‘ creative coloring book sends you on a mission to explore weird and creepy scenes filled with hundreds of wacky characters and hard to find objects. Once you find your objectives, simply color them in, then move on to the next challenge.