The Sunday Times Magazine > Arts Awake
The significance of a coffee table book

The concept of a 'coffee table book' originated in the late 19th and early 20th centuries when books, previously a luxury, became more accessible to the middle class.

This accessibility made literature more widely available and popularized the practice of showcasing beautiful books in living spaces, integrating the middle class into the literary world.

A coffee table book is a unique opportunity to showcase artists’ work.