Coffee table book: Difference between revisions
Hilarious spelled wrong. |
revert to better version |
||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
A coffee table book is a book designed to |
A '''coffee table book''' is a style of [[hardcover]] [[book]] designed to rest on a [[coffee table]] or similar surface in an area where guests sit and are entertained, thus inspiring conversation or alleviating boredom. They tend to be oversized and of heavy construction, since there is no pressing need for portability. Subject matter is generally confined to [[non-fiction]], and is usually visually-oriented. Pages consist mainly of photographs and illustrations, accompanied by captions and small blocks of text, as opposed to long prose. [[History]], [[art]], [[entertainment]], and [[biography]] are popular genres. |
||
==In popular culture== |
|||
A famous story arc in the American [[sitcom]] [[Seinfeld]] involved [[Kramer]] trying to get his idea for a coffee table book published, chiefly at [[Elaine]]'s employer, [[Pendant Publishing]]. The idea was for a coffee table book discussing significant coffee tables, with legs built into the back cover and cupholders built into the front cover, so it would act as a coffee table if necessary. Kramer also appeared on [[Live with Regis and Kathie Lee]], a [[syndicated]] morning chat show that became [[Live With Regis and Kelly]] in 2000 after [[Kathie Lee Gifford]] was replaced with [[Kelly Ripa]], with typical hilarious results. |
|||
There is even a 2003 coffee table book about coffee tables called ''The Coffee Table, Coffee Table Book'' by [[Alexander Payne]].<ref>{{cite web | author=| year=October 1st, 2003| title=The Coffee Table, Coffee Table Book (Hardcover) | format= | work=Amazon.com | url=http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/190103304X/002-5352209-4687247 | accessdate=2006-06-20}}</ref> However, this was presaged fictionally much earlier, as the fifth season (1993–1994) of the popular [[United States|American]] [[sitcom]] ''[[Seinfeld]]'' featured a [[story arc]] involving [[Cosmo Kramer|Kramer]] wanting to write a [[Coffee Table Book (Seinfeld)|coffee table book about coffee tables]]. His idea was for the coffee table book to have legs built into the back cover and cupholders built into the front cover, so the book itself could be turned into a coffee table.<ref>{{cite web | author=| year=February 7th, 2004| title=The Coffee Table Coffee Table Book | format= | work=MoCo Loco| url=http://mocoloco.com/archives/000145.php | accessdate=2006-06-20}}</ref> |
|||
==References== |
|||
<div class="references-small"> |
|||
<references /> |
|||
</div> |
|||
[[Category:Books by type]] |
|||
[[de:Coffee Table Book]] |
|||
Revision as of 18:26, 11 July 2006
A coffee table book is a style of hardcover book designed to rest on a coffee table or similar surface in an area where guests sit and are entertained, thus inspiring conversation or alleviating boredom. They tend to be oversized and of heavy construction, since there is no pressing need for portability. Subject matter is generally confined to non-fiction, and is usually visually-oriented. Pages consist mainly of photographs and illustrations, accompanied by captions and small blocks of text, as opposed to long prose. History, art, entertainment, and biography are popular genres.
In popular culture
There is even a 2003 coffee table book about coffee tables called The Coffee Table, Coffee Table Book by Alexander Payne.[1] However, this was presaged fictionally much earlier, as the fifth season (1993–1994) of the popular American sitcom Seinfeld featured a story arc involving Kramer wanting to write a coffee table book about coffee tables. His idea was for the coffee table book to have legs built into the back cover and cupholders built into the front cover, so the book itself could be turned into a coffee table.[2]
References
- ^ "The Coffee Table, Coffee Table Book (Hardcover)". Amazon.com. October 1st, 2003. Retrieved 2006-06-20.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|year=(help)CS1 maint: year (link) - ^ "The Coffee Table Coffee Table Book". MoCo Loco. February 7th, 2004. Retrieved 2006-06-20.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|year=(help)CS1 maint: year (link)