Our Favorite Books of 2020

Twenty years ago, Italian writer and horticulturalist Umberto Pasti was lured to the remote village of Rohuna in northern Morocco by a friend who promised a place where no nazrani, no foreigner, had ever set foot before. Pasti was enchanted and set about building a home and expansive garden there, a transformative experience he recounts in Eden Revisited: A Garden in Northern Morocco (Rizzoli, 2019). See more from this book in our story "The Mystique of Morocco."

In The Art of Wearable Flowers (Chronicle Books, 2020), florist Susan McLeary teaches the secrets of her craft—fashionable rings, headpieces, necklaces, and more—with step-by-step instructions.

The city of Tangier is as complex as the ancient tapestries, tile mosaics, and carved lattices that adorn its homes. Over centuries, it has been Carthaginian, Phoenician, Roman, Vandal, Berber, Arab, Portuguese, English, Spanish, and, finally, Moroccan—each era leaving its ornamental imprint. It’s fitting then, that in the pages of Inside Tangier: Houses & Gardens (Vendome, 2019), interior designer Nicolò Castellini Baldissera tells the city's story through its décor. See more from this book in our story "The Mystique of Morocco."

Author and entertaining maven Stephanie Booth Shafran, her husband, and their seven children spend their time between Los Angeles, New York, and Sun Valley. “Our blended family has brought me a life bigger than I ever could have imagined and so many occasions to celebrate,” she says. “The joy I find entertaining for my friends and family inspired my first book, You’re Invited: Classic, Elegant Entertaining (Rizzoli New York, 2020).” See an excerpt from the book.

Take an enchanted tour of London's floral abundance through the lens of acclaimed photographer Georgianna Lane in London in Bloom (Abrams Image, 2020). See our feature story on this book.

Floral designer Kristen Caissie of Moon Canyon inspires us to bring our creativity to the table in the pages of Gathering: Setting the Natural Table (Rizzoli New York, 2020). See a how-to project from the book.

Hilton Carter is wild about interiors, especially when they are filled with houseplants. His second book Wild Interiors (CICO Books 2020) takes us inside beautiful, lush interiors belonging to devoted plant lovers across the U.S. and around the world. Signed copies available. See our book review.

Private Gardens of Santa Barbara (Gibbs Smith, 2020) focuses on a tiny sliver of paradise. Author Margie Grace takes readers on a romp through 18 lush Southern California oases. The enviable indoor/outdoor lifestyle, including beach-side gardens, is on full display, sprinkled with inspiring stories of transformation.

S Is for Style: The Schumacher Book of Decoration (Rizzoli, 2020) takes readers on a deep dive into the company’s archives, featuring iconic fabrics wielded by some of America’s best designers over the last century. Part decorating guide, part inspiration, part personality profiler, it’s proof of why this 131-year-old company remains a vanguard of good taste.

As a child Héloïse Brion shuttled from her American life in Florida to summers at her French grandmother’s home in the Pyrenees. Her memories of those summers are the stuff of fairy-tales—days spent in the service and rhythm of preparing meals over the wood-fired oven. After a stint in fashion, Héloïse and her husband bought an old hunting lodge in Normandy they named Miss Maggie and settled in with their young family. In Miss Maggie’s Kitchen: Relaxed French Entertaining (Flammarion, 2020), Héloïse shares the rustic cuisine of her ancestral home and the casually chic way of entertaining in the French country style. Try Héloïse's recipe for Butternut Squash, Asparagus, and Pea Lasagna.

Most consider the portrait and the landscape to be opposing visual expressions. In Garden Portraits: Experiences of Natural Beauty (Monacelli Press, 2020), photographer Larry Lederman turns that thinking on its head, capturing gardens with the tenderness and familiarity often reserved for a sitting subject. The book’s 16 private gardens present the garden as a space itself; in Larry’s words, “a portal to the natural world.”

In Be My Guest: At Home with the Tastemakers (Flammarion, 2020), Pierre Sauvage of bespoke decorative accessories firm Casa Lopez delivers on three fronts—we step into the interiors of 20 tastemakers, see how they entertain, and learn about their favorite recipes, tried and true and often handed down. See our book review and excerpt. 

Dior in Bloom (Flammarion, 2020), the newest book about the legendary couture genius Christian Dior, explores in detail the designer’s passion for flowers and gardens. See our book review.