GMA Anchors Pick Best Coffee Table Books
Dec. 4, 2003 -- Every year at holiday time, a fresh batch of coffee table books arrives at the book store, and Good Morning America's anchors are once again sharing their favorites.
Here are the books that Good Morning America anchors would most like to have under their tree, with descriptions from the publishers:
Tony Perkins' Picks
Rock and Roll: Year by Year by Luke Crampton & Dafydd Rees. Published by DK. Price: $50.
Description: The most complete, most accurate, day-by-day account of the history of rock 'n' roll, from the 1950s to the present. From the 1959 coroner's report on Ritchie Valens' death to Bob Geldof's "Band Aid" Project in June of 1985, the book is not only a written history but also a photographic one. It also includes never-before seen images and rare and exclusive memorabilia from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
A Private View: Photos of the Beatles by Robert Freeman. Publisher: Big Tent Entertainment. Price: $60, with Limited Edition, $300.
Other: 200 photographs
Web information: beatlesprivateview.com.
Description: From 1963 to 1965, as the lads from Liverpool changed the world, photographer Robert Freeman went along for the ride, capturing it all — on stage, backstage, on the road and back home. Freeman was a force behind the early Beatles' groundbreaking visual appeal — from their first five album covers to the title sequencing of Help and A Hard Day's Night.
Diane Sawyers' Picks
The Art of Maurice Sendak: 1980 to the Present by Tony Kushner, with illustrations by Maurice Sendak. Publisher: Abrams. Price: $60. Book Description: Maurice Sendak is one of the most admired artists in children's literature. This book, which is for children of all ages, traces his life and work from 1980 to the present. It's arranged chronologically, and has a timeline of milestones in his career. From his most widely recognized children's book, Where the Wild Things Are, to his illustrations for the world-famous Nutcracker Ballet, the book is filled with pieces of art from dozens of his projects.
Winged Migration by Jacques Perrin. Publisher: Chronicle Books. Price: $50.
Book Description: The companion to the Oscar-nominated film Winged Migration, this book is the definitive visual account of the extraordinary flights of migrating birds around the world. Who knows why the Arctic stern can fly 10,000 miles on its journey from pole to pole? The book offers an intimate portrait of the secret life of birds from the howling of black-browed albatrosses to the migration of white storks
Robin Roberts' Picks
My South Coast Home: Photographs of the Mississippi Gulf Coast by Ken Murphy. Publisher: South Coast Publishing Co. Price: $50.
Book Description: The Mississippi Gulf Coast, a place that is like no other. Through words and photographs, this book provides an opportunity to find beauty in unexpected places. From the spectacular view off a pier in Waveland, to a trio at a Lucedale antique shop who declare, "If you can't stop … Smile as you go by … it helps!," to Beauvoir, the last home of Jefferson Davis in Biloxi, you are almost transported to this part of the country.
Porsche: The Road from Zuffenhausen by Dennis Adler. Foreword by Ferdinand Alexander Porsche III. Publisher: Random House. Price: $75.
Other: 650 Photographs Book Description: A lavishly illustrated history of the most recognized sports car maker in the world — Porsche. It is perfect for the more than 500,000 Porsche owners and the millions of Porsche enthusiasts. The book recounts a fascinating story of invention commerce and design, a story that began almost 70 years ago. Here is the entire history not only of the 356, but also of the development of competitive versions, as well as the legendary Porsche 904 Carrera GTS. We see how the design of the car has developed from the 1927 Model S to the Original 1997 Boxer to the Porsche 911 C4 Lightweight.
The Hotel Book: Great Escapes Africa by Shelley-Maree Cassidy. Publisher: Taschen. Price: $39.99.
Book Description: Whether you've always dreamed of a vacation in Africa or never even considered it, one look at this book and you'll be packing your suitcase. You'll visit some of the most splendid getaway havens nestled throughout the continent, for each you are given information about prices, services, contact information and more.
Charlie Gibson's Picks
These United States, Photographs by Jake Rajs, Introduction by Walter Cronkite. Publisher: Rizzoli. Price: $175.
Book Description: A breathtaking panoramic tribute to America from the East to West Coast, from the wilderness of the frontier to the cities, and from the earliest American historical landmarks to images of America post-9/11. Each book is individually numbered, in a strictly limited edition of 5,000 copies and includes a numbered print signed by Jake Rajs. Each panorama is reproduced in a double-paged spread measuring 12 inches tall and 32 inches in length.
GOAT: A Tribute to Muhammad Ali, Publisher: Taschen. Price: $3,000.
Note: GOAT will come in two versions. The "Champ's Edition," limited to the first 1,000 copies, features an original companion art piece by Jeff Koons and four silver gelatin prints by Howard L. Bingham, signed by the photographer and Ali himself. The remaining 9,000 copies, the "Collector's Edition," come with a photo-litho made by Jeff Koons. All 10,000 copies are individually signed by Muhammad Ali and Jeff Koons.
Book Description: Four years in the making, and the most comprehensive study of Ali to date, GOAT tips the scales at 75 pounds, and is 20 by 20 inches in size. Nearly 800 pages of archival and original photographs, graphic artwork, articles and essays — many of them previously unpublished — chronicle six decades of his life in stunning detail. To cap it all, the project takes place with the participation of Ali himself and those members of his inner circle who have been closest to him over the years: from managers and key cornermen to friends, family and children; from spiritual and other advisers to broadcasters, essayists and journalists.