Wandering Threads: [ BOOK LOVE ] India: Essential Encounters & Nomad by Sibella Court

Lonely Planet India, Richard I'Anson, coffee table book, travel pictorials, Sibella Court, Nomad: Bringing your travels home

Recently I have taken (back) up one of my favorite pastimes: trawling through bookstores. Now that I am living back in a city again, I am no longer deprived of arty magazines and beautiful coffee table books, so heavy they could double as an iron door stop. Ahh the bonuses of stationary city dwelling... Anyway, I've noticed of late that most of my readers are arriving at Wandering Threads through fairly specific culture and artisanal related references, so this post is for you lot - 'wishyouwere' travellers and itchy fingered design fanatics - feast your eyes on two of my top pictorials volumes of the moment.

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Lonely Planet India, Richard I'Anson, indian costume, ethnic style, traditional dress

India: Essential Encounters by Richard I'Anson and Sarina Singh

This book is jaw-droppingly stunning. I first discovered it in November 2010 during an attempt to while away my rainy lunch hour in a bookstore, with daydreams of my upcoming Asia trip. And dream I did, every lunchtime then on, until May last year. Seriously. India: Essential Encounters is published by travel guide giants Lonely Planet and features an astounding collection of 650+ colour photographs, spanning 44 of India's most breathtaking destinations. It's seemingly endless pages are strewn with images taken by internationally renowned photographer Richard I'Anson over a period of 23 years (since his first trip to the country in 1986). From the beachfront bazaars of Goa to the otherworldly riches of Rajasthan's palaces, this book is pure travel eye candy, and a sure-fire way to get you on that plane (hopefully not straight onto the streets of Delhi).

Tip: pick this one up in store, don't order it online - it weights an absolute ton!

Find out more about the photographer at: richardianson.com

festival elephants, Indian festivals, painted animals, Kerala, Lonely Planet, Richard I'Anson

India, Snake Charmers, Jaislamer traditions, Lonely Planet, traditional culture

All images courtesy of Richard I'Anson for Lonely Planet.

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Nomad: A Global Approach to Interior Style by Sibella Court

I stumbled across this one just the other day, actually. Can you guess what drew me to it? Yup, might be the giant NOMAD written across that richly hued ikat fabric. I just can't get enough of texture, so when opened this crafty book I was instantly hooked. Please someone buy it for me when I get home (it will pretty much consume my entire cabin weight limit)?! Take a peak at some of these snapshots of the pages. The whole book is designed as if it were Sibella's own sketchbook. Sibella, by the way, has been lucky enough to travel vastly across continents during her years as a interior designer and visual merchandiser, picking up bits and bobs along the way.

Sibella Court, nomad, collage, pictorial, coffee table book, scrapbook graphics

Sibella, collage, pictorial, picture book, scrapbook, interior design,

http://rstyle.me/hgw4fbm6neThe book is separated into sections, each covering one of Sibella's trips to a myriad of countries including Mexico, Italy, Japan and of course, India (it had to be there somewhere). The pages are chockablock with collaged photo montages, fabrics, beads and other bits and bobs to demonstrate how you can bring home and accessorise your living spaces with your travel finds. For me, the selling point is absolutely all about the graphic design: typewriter font printed over layers of fabric, images affixed with masking tape and pins... a scrapbook maker's heaven.

Find out more about Sibella at: thesocietyinc.com.au