Most books we choose because we are interested in a story or idea that we associate with them and we want to read about it. However, coffee table books are less about reading, and more about decoration, impact and creating a statement about yourself, your interests and your home. These books are not for private consumption, although of course you can enjoy them too. They are a public display just as much as any of the other furnishings in your home. They make a statement about you. Whilst a novel may take us hours to plough through, coffee table books are designed to dip in and out of, to be consumed in small, bite size chunks. In many cases the images are actually more important than the words, photographs and pictures are easier to digest in the small snippets of time that guests may have to look at them whilst you are out of the room or otherwise distracted. The best coffee table books are the ones that reflect something about you, whether it be the place that you live, dest...