I haven’t always been the most diligent with my Book of the Month posts. My apologies for that. However, because of this I have opted to change the category simply to My Bookshelf. All former Book of the Month posts are still available and I hope to update with a new book on My Bookshelf as often as possible. (Which you would think to be easy as I am currently reading 4 different books!)
I’m beyond thrilled to introduce you to one of the newest books on My Bookshelf, although it hasn’t quite made it to the literal shelf as I have not been able to put it down and carry it with me everywhere I go. And I think you might do the same ….
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Jessica Kerwin Jenkin’s
Encyclopedia of the Exquisite
Inside these pages lies a wealth of information I had never been privy too before. I catch myself soaking up every last word. From practical to fantastical, the Encyclopedia of the Exquisite has 100 entries on topics ranging from Amorini and Putti, the Countess de Castiglione, Divans, Fireworks, Giochi D’Acqua, and Milk Baths, to Painted Ladies, Tea, Wanderers, and many more in between.
Encyclopedia of the Exquisite, by Jessica Kerwin Jenkins, and published by Nan A. Talese/Doubleday, takes a cue from the exotic encyclopedias of the 16th century, which brimmed with mysterious artifacts, focusing on the elegant, the rare, the commonplace and the delightful. A compendium of luxury that merges whimsy and practicality, the book traipses through all the fine arts, showcasing every sphere of style: fashion, food, travel, home, garden and beauty.
This is truly one of those books where you find yourself eagerly flipping the pages, caught by mini-glimpses of times passed, creating whimsical fantasies of your own, and lusting to learn more. *Because as we all know, smart is always sexy.
It’s the kind of Encyclopedia you wish your parents would’ve made you read as “punishment” in younger days. It’s easy to flip through to a certain topic or read cover to cover – each chapter an individual and all filled with tidbits you may have never known before. (example: I never knew a thing about crickets other than they were noise making bugs, now … I’m quite impressed with the little creatures.)
I could honestly continue on and on about how much I adore this book and all the magical, mystical, wondrous, glamorous, fanciful, theatrical, educational, EXQUISITE things surrounding it, but I believe this statement from Jenkin’s Web site sums it up best:
Encyclopedia of the Exquisite is a lifestyle guide for the Francophile and the Anglomaniac, the gourmet and the style maven, the armchair traveler and the art-lover. It’s an homage to the esoteric world of glamour that doesn’t require much spending, but makes us feel rich.
Need I say more? As always, you can pick up a copy right away at The SSM eStore under My Bookshelf. I do hope you enjoy it as much as I have!
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*Pssst … Jenkins is already hard at work on a SECOND book! Visit her at her Web site for brief doses of Exquisite-ness and more information. You can also catch her on Twitter & Facebook.
