10 NEW BOOKS FEATURING THE MOST BEAUTIFUL CITIES NOW

Visit the most beautiful cities in the world right from the comfort of your favorite armchair, with our curated collection of 10 new books.

1. LYNN SAVILLE: DARK CITY

Anyone who appreciates the beauty of city streets at night will love Lynn Saville: Dark City. Saville’s photos capture the beauty urban spaces as they sit empty and quiet during the mysterious hours between twilight and dawn.

You will see cities from Portland, to Columbus, to New York, in a whole new beautiful light.

Damiani (2015)

2. DAMIEN HIRST: BLACK SCALPEL CITYSCAPES

Damien Hirst’s new book, Black Scalpel Cityscapes, holds a collection of collages, made from an assemblage of surgical instruments, that form bird’s eye views of cities.

Hirst called these works “portraits of living cities.” They explore social issues, such as surveillance and urbanization, as well as human nature itself.

Other Criteria (2015)

3. A PASSION FOR PARIS: ROMANTICISM AND ROMANCE IN THE CITY OF LIGHT

A Passion for Paris: Romanticism and Romance in the City of Light, by David Downie, uncovers the historical reasons as to how Paris earned its reputation as the most romantic city in the world.

Part memoir, history book, and travelogue, this book includes Downie’s own accounts, as well as those of Paris greats, such as Victor Hugo, Balzac, and Charles Baudelaire.

“From its alleys and ateliers to its cafes and cathedrals, Downie crafts an infatuated valentine to the City of Light” ― National Geographic Traveler Magazine

St. Martin's Press (2015)

4. EDINBURGH: MAPPING THE CITY

In their fascinating new book, Edinburgh: Mapping the City, authors Christopher Fleet and Daniel MacCannell present 80 stunning city maps, tracing Edinburgh’s development over the past 500 years.

After thumbing through this book, you will have gained precious insights into the history of one of the most beautiful cities in Europe.

Birlinn Ltd (2015)

5. HEMINGWAY’S PARIS: A WRITER’S CITY IN WORDS AND IMAGES

Imagine yourself wandering the streets of Paris in the early 20th century as you read Hemingway's Paris: A Writer's City in Words and Images. Author Robert Wheeler captures the city that Hemingway most loved to explore with 95 evocative black and white photographs and accompanying text.

“The exquisite photography and the evocative beauty of the prose bring out the very best of what Paris has to offer: past, present, and, forever, the future. Read this book and savor Hemingway’s city.”

-- James Meredith, President, The Ernest Hemingway Foundation & Society

Yucca Publishing (2015)

6. PRIVATE GARDENS OF PARIS

Urban wanderers rarely get to see some of the most beautiful gardens in Paris because they are private. These lush getaways hidden behind the city’s walls, are the subject of Private Gardens of Paris, by Alexandra D’Arnoux and Bruno de Laubadere.

Filled with photos by Gilles de Chabaneix, you will get a privileged peek inside Hubert de Givenchy’s gorgeous formal garden, Kenzo’s exotic Japanese garden, and more.

Flammarion (2015)

7. INSIDE VENICE: A PRIVATE VIEW OF THE CITY’S MOST BEAUTIFUL INTERIORS

Inside Venice: A Private View of the City's Most Beautiful Interiors, by preservation expert and director of the Venetian Heritage Foundation Toto Bergamo Rossi and photographer Jean-François Jaussaud, contains photos of 72 incredible private spaces, with a preface by director James Ivory.

From ancient 9th century buildings to contemporary designs, the apartments, palazzos, churches, hotels, and other spaces in this book will blow your mind.

Rizzoli (2016)

8. INTERIOR LANDMARKS: TREASURES OF NEW YORK

Interior Landmarks: Treasures of New York, by Judith Gura and Kate Wood, documents the incredible interiors of 47 of New York City’s most beautiful buildings, ranging from Radio City Music Hall and Grand Central Station, to the lesser-known Italianate Tweed Courthouse and the dazzling Art Deco Rainbow Room.

Photos by Larry Lederman make this a stunning coffee-table book.

The Monacelli Press (September 29, 2015)

9. SEE SAN FRANCISCO: THROUGH THE LENS OF SFGIRLBYBAY

Take a tour of San Francisco through the lens of globally popular design blogger Victoria Smith in See San Francisco: Through the Lens of SFGirlbyBay. Smith’s colorful photos take you through each neighborhood of this magnificent city, providing you with a hip and current compilation of popular hotspots and hidden neighborhood treasures to explore.

Chronicle Books (2015)

10. NEW YORK’S UNDERGROUND ART MUSEUM: MTA ARTS AND DESIGN

If your morning ride has ever been brightened by public art in a New York City subway station, you need to check out New York's Underground Art Museum: MTA Arts and Design. This gorgeous book was written by Sandra Bloodworth and William Ayres, with a preface by Thomas F. Prendergast, and foreword by Stanley Tucci.

Chock full of 300 full-color images, accompanied by interesting descriptions, span the history of this unprecedented public art project.

"Just like the hallowed halls of New York’s finest museums and galleries, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority has been collecting and displaying works by big-named artists. New York’s Underground Art Museum showcases all the masterful works that brighten the commute of millions each day."

-- The Daily Beast

The Monacelli Press (2014)

Read more about Beautiful Cities, as it relates to Arts/Design, Nature/Science, Food/Drink, Place/Time, Mind/Body, and Soul/Impact. 

Want more stories like this? Sign up for our weekly BN Newsletter, Like us on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Tumblr. Join our BeautifulNow Community and connect with the most beautiful things happening in the world right now!

Do you have amazing photos? Enter them in this week’s BN Photo Competition. We run new creative competitions every week! Now, it’s even easier to enter with the new BeautifulNow App!

Plus check out the rest of our App’s beautiful features. It’s free to download here.

IMAGE CREDITS:

1. Image: by Lynn Saville. Courtesy of Damiani Publishing. Lynn Saville: Dark City.
2. Image: Courtesy of Damiani Publishing. Lynn Saville: Dark City.
3. Image: Courtesy of Other Criteria. Black Scalpel Cityscapes.
4. Image: Courtesy of St. Martin's Press. A Passion for Paris: Romanticism and Romance in the City of Light.
5. Image: Courtesy of Birlinn Ltd. Edinburgh: Mapping the City.
6. Image: Courtesy of Yucca Publishing. Hemingway’s Paris: A Writer’s City in Words and Images.
7. Image: Courtesy of Flammarion. Private Gardens of Paris.
8. Image: Courtesy of Rizzoli. Inside Venice: A Private View of the City’s Most Beautiful Interiors.
9. Image: Courtesy of The Monacelli Press. Interior Landmarks: Treasures of New York.
10. Image: Courtesy of Chronicle Books. See San Francisco: Through the Lens of SFGirlbyBay.
11. Image: Courtesy of The Monacelli Press. New York’s Underground Art Museum: MTA Arts and Design.
12. Image: by Lynn Saville. Courtesy of Damiani Publishing. Lynn Saville: Dark City.
13. Image: by Damien Hirst. Black Scalpel Cityscapes.Courtesy of Other Criteria.
14. Image: by BN App - Download now!
15. Image: Courtesy of Chronicle Books. See San Francisco: Through the Lens of SFGirlbyBay.