Recent Reads from LDV’s Bookshelf

I’ve recently finished a few really fabulous books that I wanted to share with you. They sort of run the gamut with the exception of the three design books, which share a common subject, but are all refreshingly different from one another. If you’re pressed for last-minute gift ideas this holiday season, I would highly recommend any of these books.

Katie Ridder Rooms – Ridder’s first book is filled with gorgeous, glamorous spaces. Her use of color and patterns is so strong. I love that while the rooms Ridder designs are rooted in a traditional aesthetic, she always knows how to turn up the volume just so through the use of unique accessories, interesting lighting, and vibrant color palettes. This is a gorgeous coffee table book perfect for anyone obsessed with interior design!

The Perfectly Imperfect Home – Former Domino Editor-in-Chief, Deborah Needleman’s new design tome is charming and approachable, much like the dearly departed magazine she stood at the helm of for several years. Filled with darling illustrations by Virginia Johnson, this book is, in my opinion, sort of like the second coming of the beloved Domino book. It’s filled with useful, relatable advice for creating a lovely yet livable space and it’s just such a pretty book that looks perfect at the top of a stack of books.

Chicago Spaces: Inspiring Interiors – Penned by Jan Parr and the editors of Chicago Home + Garden Magazine, this book includes a foreword by Chicago design darling, Nate Berkus. The spaces in this book embody all of the incarnations of modern design—there are cool, contemporary spaces, clean lines mixed with glamorous pieces, and several eclectic rooms. Chicago Spaces features some of the most stunning homes its namesake city has to offer and feels different from many of the design books I have, which was quite refreshing.

The End of Normal – I ordered this memoir after reading an excerpt and interview with author, Stephanie Madoff Mack in People Magazine while on my flight to High Point back in October. I was moved to tears by the excerpt and was dying to read the rest of the story. Admittedly, I did not pay too much attention to the Bernie Madoff Ponzi Scheme Scandal as it all unraveled, but now I wish I had. Mack’s story is absolutely heart-wrenching. She had what most people would have considered to be a fairytale life until her family’s world came crashing down upon her father-in-law’s confession that he had stolen billions of dollars from his clients. Destroyed by the sins of his father, Mack’s husband, Mark Madoff took his own life while their infant son slept in the next room. In her memoir, Mack strives to finally tell her side of the story and does so with heartbreaking detail.

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) – If you loved Tina Fey’s Bossypants, then Mindy Kaling, aka Kelly Kapoor’s (from The Office) book is a must-read! Mindy’s comedic voice is endearing and hilarious and it all comes through in her semi-autobiographical book. I read this on the flight home from Spain and spent the majority of the time laughing out loud, which I definitely needed since I had read The End of Normal right before starting Kaling’s book. Kaling delves into her childhood and her struggles to make it in New York and Hollywood, all while delivering the hilarious observations she is known for. This book would make a great gift for a friend or for yourself!

Do any of these books look like something you’d be interested in? Now that I’ve made it through these titles, I’m looking for a few more reads. Any recommendations?