Tossing a stack of Hustlers on your coffee table will confuse and frighten guests. But if you happen to have an appreciation for the beauty of the female form, there are ways to show it without coming off like a horny teenager. Ditch the dirty mags and pick up a hardcover from a talented photographer or artist. Here are 10 stunning examples of NSFW coffee table books that fit the bill.
Kate: The Kate Moss Book
There are models; there are supermodels; then there’s Kate Moss, who, like a superstar athlete or iconic actor, should seem insulted by just the title of their profession. Kate: The Kate Moss book was created by Kate Moss herself (along with some helpful creative directors), which gives the book a more intimate and personal feel.
$58
Pirelli - The Calendar: 50 Years and More
When the first Pirelli calendar came out in 1964, it wasn’t like you could walk down to your local mall and pick it up from a kiosk. The exclusive calendar, reserved for VIPs and important clients, was filled with shots of stunning models, and it became the thing of legends. Over 50 years later, we have a look back at the incredible run of the Pirelli calendar with this book from Taschen. Included are even shots from the unpublished 1963 calendar that preceded it all.
$40
The Art of Pin-Up
For 50 years, iconic pin-up art graced the covers of magazines, highlighted calendar months, and acted as centerfolds in certain publications. But for all the famous ones that were seen by the public, tons were rejected and discarded. Taschen followed up its classic The Great American Pin-Up with this book dedicated to the collectible, desirable style.
$139
Desire: New Erotic Photography
With a slightly more voyeuristic feel, Desire: New Erotic Photography is more modern than a book of pin-ups. But in that raw, unplanned style is the book’s beauty. It feels like you’re attending a risque party, and you happened to bring a Polaroid.
$41
Psychedelic Sex
The cover isn’t the only memorizing thing in Psychedelic Sex. An ode to the five year span between 1967 and 1972 when LSD collided with the sexual revolution, the book catalogs the attempts by men’s magazines to depict these ideas visually.
$41
Angels
Russel James has had a storied career photographing beautiful women, and part of that time was spent as the primary photographer for Victoria’s Secret’s Angels. From that work with the likes of Gisele, Adriana Lima, and Alessandra Ambrosio comes Angels, a collection of some of the more awe-inspiring shots from James.
$142
Diamonds and Pearls
Marc Lagrange has a way of turning shots of beautiful women into mysterious masterpieces. In his collection Diamonds and Pearls, he blends some old-school Hollywood glamour with modern melancholy.
$73
Ralph Gibson: Nude
Ralph Gibson is one of the best, if not the best, photographers at capturing the beauty of the female form. He has a way of showcasing lines that brings to mind the work of a highly trained artist or sculptor. Ralph Gibson: Nude is a collection of over 300 photographs that will prove it to you.
$95
Bettie Page: Queen of Curves
Marilyn Monroe may have stolen the headlines, but photographs of Bettie Page by Bunny Yeager graced more covers. Bettie Page: Queen of Curves is a collection of more than 250 shots of the pin-up legend. The book is filled with playful images that trace Page’s storied career, and you’d be hard-pressed to find a better read on one of America’s greatest sex symbols.
$34
Jonvelle: The 100 Best Photographs
The French seem to understand sensuality. Famed photographer Jean-François Jonvelle made it known from his earliest days that women were his subject of choice. In love with the beauty of a woman, the photographer would go on to produce countless shots of his favorite subject. This is a collection of his 100 best.
$45
