The second installment of our Best Of 2011 retrospective series focuses on the Top 10 Books of 2011, including photo-heavy coffee table books, research tomes and literature. From the history of menswear staples to Japanese art to modernist architecture to the appreciation of the well shaped derrière, there were a multitude of books published covering many favorite themes here at Lost In a Supermarket. So in that mindset we offer you our LIAS Year In Books for 2011…..
LIAS Top 10 Books & Literature Of 2011:
# 10. Icons Of Men’s Style
Josh Sims’ Icons Of Men’s Style is a quick, efficient, historical investigation into many of the staples in every man’s wardrobe: where they came from, how they became popular, and the various smartly dressed gentlemen who made them immortal. From pea coats, fishtail parkas, trench coats and biker jackets to loafers, jeans, Breton tops and lumberjack shirts, all are explained. A must-have for any fashion-conscious man curious about the genesis of the clothes he wears everyday.
9. Because We Love You, vol. 27: Naked Supermodels In Paradise
Apparently Richard Branson owns this ridiculous British Virgin Island where he has these crazy orgies and week-long bacchanalian parties. Called Necker Island, it’s basically the kind of paradise you’d think billionaires would own, but kind of hope don’t because life just isn’t fair. Well he does. And they do. Because it’s not. In a stroke of genius, photographer Russell James decided to start photographing all the naked models that stream in and out of the island like so much marine flotsam (Miranda Kerr, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Brooklyn Decker, etc) because…well, just because. Now they’ve collected the images and put them all together in a beautiful hardcover monograph titled simply V2. Go to hell, Branson, you damn showoff.
Hit the Jump to read continue reading #s 8-1 of the Top 10 Year In Books 2011…
8. John Hodgman’s “That Is All” Trailer
John Hodgman has completed his trilogy of “complete world knowledge” (aka fake trivia), with the release of his third book That Is All. To promote the new book Hodgman gathered up a most random assortment of close friends (Samantha Bee, Jon Hamm, Justin Long, Brooke Shields, Paul Rudd, Nas, ?uestlove, et al) and put together this short video demonstrating, what else, his vast wealth of (fake) knowledge. Plus, Hodgman plays a Deranged Millionaire with a ferret skeleton room. Enjoy…
7. LIAS Interview: Deborah Cloyed, Author of “The Summer We Came to Life”
In Deborah Cloyed’s first novel, The Summer We Came to Life, she investigates some heady subjects including friendship, Quantum Physics, loss, the afterlife and the basic complexities of familial relationships. Her candid interview discussing everything from her stint on Amazing Race to her time in Honduras to her near-drowning only added to the appeal, and made it a readers favorite.
6. See/Saw: Uniting 5,000 Years of Japanese Pop Culture Illustration In One Book
A holistic view of Japanese art throughout its 5 millenniums of history, See/Saw analyzes common threads found throughout. The book finds ways to unite such chronologically disparate themes as Giant Robots and ancient Samurai illustrations, and unites Murakimi’s Superflat school of art with that of Manga. In total, See/Saw offers a provocative new look at the origins of Japanese pop art.
5. Culo By Mazzucco Book: Unwrapping the Mystery Of the Female Derriere
Culo By Mazzucco is quite simply a 248 page homage to the female derrière. Photographed by Raphael Mazzucco (known mostly for his work with Sports Illustrated‘s swimsuit issues), Culo features over 200 photographs of naked behinds both famous and not-so famous, exposing the likes of everyone from Pamela Anderson and model Vildane to Sarah MacLachlan and Paris Hilton (does she even have an ass worth discovering?). One of our most popular posts of the year, for obvious reasons…
4. Tome Of Richard Neutra’s Complete Work
Taschen has collected all the great work architect Richard Neutra has done in this country — including nearly 300 private homes, schools and public buildings — and compiled them into a 464-page hardcover tome aptly titled Neutra Complete Works. The Los Angeles-based architect defined California modernism (along with his mentor Frank Lloyd Wright and colleague Rudolph Schindler), and we’re big fans of his works you can find scattered around the city. Although many of his LA homes have tragically been demolished, what is left of Neutra’s creations are quite simply architectural gold.
3. The Pedro Almodovar Archives
The Pedro Almodovar Archives is an in-depth hardcover look at the Spanish film maker’s life and art. With complete access to his archives, over 600 never-before-seen images covering all of his film have been collected with captions written by Almodovar himself — plus each tome comes with an actual strip of film from his movie Volver (plucked straight from his private vault). The highly exclusive Art Edition also includes a digital C-print “Penélope, as Marilyn” (above, 2008), photographed and signed by Almodóvar.
2. Art & Agenda: Political Art and Activism
What is Art if not a means to express one’s feelings or concepts of the world around them? Whether to showcase anti-government sentiments or used by the government itself for propaganda campaigns, art in all its forms has been the driving force behind documenting the joyful and the destructive moments that humans have enjoyed, endured and executed on each other for millennia. Ever since those first cave drawings of man killing elk, really. Now more than ever art is being used as a platform for communicating topics that would otherwise be ignored, whether they’re political, social or economic issues. In Gestalten’s Art & Agenda the central subjects of art, politics and activism are explored to illustrate just how tightly woven together these fields are in this day and age — both in a local and global scale.
1. Ellen von Unwerth “Fräulein” Book: A Supermodel’s Investigation Of Female Sexuality
Ellen von Unwerth is one of the best photographers in the world at capturing the true feminine essence — beautiful, striking and at times overtly sexual. A former supermodel turned fashion photographer, von Unwerth understands sex, beauty & desire — and how to deftly translate it into a photo to create a truly artistic piece. As a former model herself, she brings a unique perspective few can claim. And who can argue with the images she captures? Her new hardcover Fräulein collects photos spanning fifteen years of von Unwerth’s work, including undeniably scintillating photos of actresses, supermodels, musicians, artists and celebrities such as Claudia Schiffer, Kate Moss, Vanessa Paradis, Britney Spears, Eva Mendes, Lindsay Lohan, Dita von Teese, Adriana Lima, Carla Bruni, Eva Green, Christina Aguilera, Monica Bellucci, Naomi Campbell, Milla Jovovich and many, many more. 100% pure heat… artistic heat, at that…
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