THE CROWN Seasons 1 to 5 Soundtracks By Hans Zimmer, Lorne Balfe, Martin Phipps (Music on Vinyl) Prices Vary The wildly popular series has gotten the royal treatment by the audiophiles’ favorite label, MOV. The symphonic journey begins with the more melodious score by Hans Zimmer and Lorne Balfe to reflect a more innocent, romantic monarch in Seasons 1 and 2, and morphs into a more stately, somber sound by Martin Phipps as we progress into 3, 4, and the latest, 5. Now available in an exclusive bundle of 7 Royal Blue colored vinyl and housed in their signature heavy duty PVC protective sleeve, this is sure to be the crowning glory in your vinyl collection. www.musiconvinyl.com

A JAZZMAN’S BLUES by Terence Blanchard (MOV) Not to be mistaken with the poignant score by Aaron Zigman, this version of the soundtrack from the Tyler Perry movie focuses on jazz standards from the 30’s and 40’s as arranged and produced by multi-Grammy winner and Oscar-nominated trumpeter, Blanchard, and features the smooth vocals of the cast members, including Joshua Boone, Amirah Vann and Austin Scott. Presented in a 180 gram black audiophile vinyl in a gatefold sleeve with liner notes by Tyler Perry, and includes a collectible unfolded “paper plane” insert with lyrics of the gorgeous Ruth B. song “Paper Airplane.” www.musiconvinyl.com

THE QUEEN’S GAMBIT By Carlos Rafael Rivera (Mondo) $35 The Emmy award®-winning classical score to Netflix’s breakout 2020 limited series is a delightful and moody listen from beginning to end with zero skips required. And the eye catching green and white split vinyl, black and white solid vinyl, as well as the bespoke die cut jacket and die cut inner sleeves are an added bonus for collectors. Presented on two 140 gram vinyl. www.mondoshop.com

A SINGLE MAN By Abel Korzeniowski (Silva Screen) For those who missed the earlier gold and black editions, the sensual and melodious score to Tom Ford’s directorial debut has been reissued in this stunning white colored vinyl set. Korzeniowski’s music is lush and romantic, and flawlessly supplemented by music by Japanese composer, Shigeru Umebayashi, as well as songs by Etta James, Jo Stafford, and Miriam Gauci. SHIGERU UMEBAYASHI Music for Film By Brussels Philharmonic Conducted by Dirk Brosse (Silva Screen) Part of the label’s exciting composer series, the Umebayashi instalment is an intoxicating compilation of his most memorable compositions (many of which are available on individual soundtracks at absurdly high prices). Presented in a deluxe matt gatefold sleeve on white colored vinyl, the compilation, with the exception of only a couple of tracks, focuses on the composer’s unabashedly romantic style as is evidenced from the selections from “In the Mood for Love,” “2046,” “A Single Man” and the rare score from “Zhou Yu’s Train.” We can only pray the label gives the Gabriel Yared compilation the same vinyl treatment. www.silvascreenrecords.com

The Mad Emperor: Heliogabalus and the Decadence of Rome By Harry Sidebottom (Oneworld Publications) A vibrant and decadent account of one of Rome’s strangest emperors. In the first biography of Heliogabalus in over half a century, Harry Sidebottom unveils the high drama of sex, religion, power and culture in Ancient Rome as we’ve never seen it before. The Earl and the Pharaoh: From the Real Downton Abbey to the Discovery of Tutankhamun By The Countess of Carnarvon (Harper) Downton Abbey meets Tut in this engaging account of one of the greatest archeological discoveries of our time. The Countess of Carnarvon tells the thrilling behind-the-scenes story of the discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun on its centennial, and explores the unparalleled life of family ancestor George Herbert who financed the expedition. Nero: Matricide, Music, and Murder in Imperial Rome By Anthony Everitt, Roddy Ashworth (Random House) Everitt follows up his fascinating books on Cicero, and Augustus, with the page-turner on Nero, who ruled from 54 to 68 BCE, is rumored to have played the fiddle while Rome burned, and killed his mother to consolidate power. Everitt attempts to reappraise Nero’s life, saving him from malicious gossip and revealing a visionary and sensitive ruler.

RICHARD AVEDON Relationships (Skira) $50 Published for an exhibition at Milan’s Palazzo Reale, the book features selections from the renowned American fashion and fine art photographer’s timeless catalogue including photographs of the Beatles, Andy Warhol, Marilyn Monroe, Allen Ginsberg, Truman Capote, and of course, the erotic “Nastassja Kinski with Serpent” which first appeared in a 1981 issue of Vogue magazine and became a best-selling poster. The more than 100 photographs were selected from the extensive collection at the Center for Creative Photography by curator Rebecca A. Senf to emphasize the role of relationship-building in Avedon’s practice.

COLOR MANIA Photographing the World in Autochrome By Catlin Langford (Thames & Hudson) $65 A unique book that offers unprecedented access to the V&A’s collection of autochromes (plates made from a pioneering color photography process that are too sensitive to exhibit). The book presents the pioneering photographic process in its full, vibrant, and painterly beauty. Fragile and light sensitive, autochromes cannot be displayed in public, and so this volume provides a rare and breathtaking opportunity to view these nostalgic images true to size.

Josef Albers: Homage to the Square By Josef Albers et al (Hatje Cantz) $80 Made over the course of a quarter century between 1950 and his death in 1976, Josef Albers’ groundbreaking series Homage to the Square comprises 2,000 oil paintings. This outstanding volume explores the secrets of Albers’ subtle aesthetic and the questions it poses: what is the significance of the square? How did Albers’ thoughts on color and its use as a material evolve over this span? Featuring studies on paper, archival materials and essays by Albers aficionados Margit Rowell and Donald Judd, among others.

GREGORY CREWDSON Eveningside By Jean Charles Veregne (Skira) $70 Crewdson’s cinematographically staged photos capture a hauntingly beautiful middle America. This book brings together three bodies of work made between 2012 and 2022: Cathedral of the Pines (2012–14), An Eclipse of Moths (2018–19) and Eveningside (2021–22). Envisaged as a trilogy, they provide unique insight into a decade of creation and offer a comprehensive view of the universe that has positioned Crewdson as one of the major figures of contemporary photography. 

THE CARTIER TANK By Franco Cologni (Flammarion) $85 The next best thing to having this masterpiece on your wrist…A sumptuous homage to the classic created by Louis Cartier in 1917, this updated edition features extensive archival documents along with previously unpublished photographs of the most significant Tank watches and their technical characteristics. The author also presents portraits of famous clients who, over time, have been seduced by this timeless watch and wear it like the treasure it is.

Cartier: 13 rue de la Paix By François Chaille (Flammarion) $115 A history of the most famous Parisian jewelry boutique and its contemporary renaissance, 13 rue de la Paix is where Louis Cartier, and later Jeanne Toussaint, invented the house’s style and identity, and where countless crowned heads of state from Europe to Asia, movie stars, and industry leaders have flocked to own a piece of treasure. This book retraces the company’s trajectory, from its opening in 1899 to its current transformation and features previously unpublished work by celebrated photographers like Laziz Hamani. 

THE COMPLETE TUTANKHAMUN (Thames & Hudson) By Nicholas Reeves $50 A compact but heft, newly revised and expanded “definitive guide” to Tutankhamun and his tomb―what it contained, why, and what it means today. Egyptologist Reeves revisits Tutankhamun in the context of his time, the excavators in the context of theirs, and every aspect―old and new―of the tomb’s discovery, archaeology, architecture and art. Featuring 500 color illustrations.

LOUIS VUITTON TAMBOUR By Fabienne Reybaud (Thames & Hudson) $150 This meticulously crafted and stylish celebration of Tambour, Louis Vuitton’s line of modern luxury watches, marks the 20th anniversary of its creation. Essays by journalist and luxury watch expert Fabienne Reybaud explore the creative origins of the Tambour design and the history of Louis Vuitton watches, along with the precision work of the Geneva watchmakers behind the brand’s reputation for excellence. Featuring many never-before-seen images from the Louis Vuitton archives and more than 400 illustrations.

JOSEPH STELLA: Visionary Nature Joseph By Stephanie Mayer Heydt et al (DelMonico Books/ Brandywine River Museum of Art/High Museum of Art) $55 Stella, primarily recognized for his dynamic Futurist-inspired paintings of New York, reveals another side with his paintings of nature. Inspired by archaic and classical precedents as well as his own brand of spirituality, the effusive, paradisiacal, dream-like collection is a revealing and seminal monograph to understanding the pioneering American modernist.

L.A.’S LANDMARK RESTAURANTS: Celebrating the Legendary Locations Where Angelenos Have Dined for Generations By George Geary (Santa Monica Press LLC) $50 An illustrated history of over 50 famous Los Angeles restaurants from throughout the 20th century with a focus on Angelenos rather than celebrities. Along with recipes made famous by each restaurant, L.A.’s Landmark Restaurants contains profiles of such legendary eateries as Cole’s, Philippe the Original, Pacific Dining Car, The Original Pantry Café, and more.

RED CARPET OSCARS (Thames & Hudson) By Dijanna Mulhearn $70 Just in time for the 95th Academy Awards, this fabulous, comprehensive, chronological history surveys over ninety years of fashion on the Oscars red carpet since its inception in 1929. Over 575 color illustrations resuscitate high-voltage stars like Cher, Cate Blanchett, Monroe, Streisand, Rock Hudson, and more. Film buffs and fashionistas, think of this as your all-access pass to Hollywood’s most glamorous event.

THE SPIRIT OF CHAIRS By Marie Barbier-Mueller (Editor) et al (Lars Muller Publishers) $70 You may be able to sit on them, but these chairs are largely for artistic appreciation, exploring the sculptural possibilities of the chair. The generous layout of this fun, surprising and substantial volume allows readers to fully immerse themselves in its many curiosities and give their imagination free rein. Nicolas Polli and Jean Vincent Simonet use their photographic essays to interpret these modern and contemporary chairs, while texts examine their fruitful friction between art and design and explain their significance in the life of their collector, Thierry Barbier-Mueller.

WILLIAM KLEIN: YES By William Klein (Thames & Hudson) $95 The multi-hyphenate Klein is considered one of the great imagemakers of the 20th century and one whose work remains an enduring creative influence on the work of contemporary artists, photographers, and filmmakers. Published in association with a major retrospective at the International Center of Photography, this formidable retrospective explores Klein’s entire creative and artistic arc through more than 250 illustrations.

CHRIS KILLIP By Ken Grant (Thames & Hudson) $75 Published in connection with a major exhibition opening in October 2022 at The Photographers’ Gallery, London, this is a highly anticipated monograph of the life and work of Chris Killip, one of the leading and most influential photographers to emerge from the United Kingdom over the last century known for his urgent, unvarnished, and empathetic images of British working-class communities in the 1970s and 1980s. Packed with over 350 illustrations (many previously unpublished), this handsome edition includes photographs spanning Killip’s entire life with texts by English photographer, Ken Grant, Amanda Maddox, Gregory Halpern, and more.

BVLGARI EDEN – The Garden of Wonders By by Cho Gi-Seok et al (Rizzoli) $100 A dazzling book paying homage to the Roman line’s latest collection, which takes inspiration from the mythic first garden. Korean master photographer, Cho Gi-Seok captures the breathtaking color and sparkle of emeralds, rubies, sapphires, and spinals, and is buttressed by exclusive sketches and even poetry from various eras and originating from all over the world, including from Emily Dickinson, Federico García Lorca to Khwāju Kermani.

SMASHBOX: Make S#!+ Happen By Davis Factor (Rizzoli) $85 Hollywood stars, including Jennifer Lopez, Kim Kardashian, Charlize Theron, Samuel L. Jackson, and Angelina Jolie abound in this collection spanning three decades by the great-grandson of legendary cosmetics pioneer, Max Factor. Smashbox, founded in Los Angeles in 1990, set the tone for modern Hollywood glamour while paying homage to the Golden Age. The photographs are bold, seductive, and indisputably the new classics.

ADALINE KENT: The Click of Authenticity By Apsara DiQuinzio et al (RizzoliElecta) $65 Kent, the San Francisco sculptor who is linked to modernist artists like Ruth Asawa and Mark Rothko is celebrated in the first major monograph on her work in sixty years. Sculptures, photographs, and rarely seen works on paper and paintings on Hydrocal (gypsum cement) astound and fascinate in their diversity and stark beauty. There is something beautiful primitive yet timeless about Kent’s work, which explains why she is considered one of the pioneers of a unique style of abstract art.