Encyclopedia of the Exquisite

An Anecdotal History of Elegant Delights

Nonfiction, Home & Garden, Antiques & Collectibles, Rugs & Textiles, Art & Architecture, General Art, Fashion, Travel, Europe, France
Cover of the book Encyclopedia of the Exquisite by Jessica Kerwin Jenkins, Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Jessica Kerwin Jenkins ISBN: 9780385533652
Publisher: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group Publication: November 2, 2010
Imprint: Nan A. Talese Language: English
Author: Jessica Kerwin Jenkins
ISBN: 9780385533652
Publisher: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group
Publication: November 2, 2010
Imprint: Nan A. Talese
Language: English

Encyclopedia of the Exquisite is a lifestyle guide for the Francophile and the Anglomaniac, the gourmet and the style maven, the armchair traveler and the art lover. It’s an homage to the esoteric world of glamour that doesn’t require much spending but makes us feel rich.

Taking a cue from the exotic encyclopedias of the sixteenth century, which brimmed with mysterious artifacts, Jessica Kerwin Jenkins’s Encyclopedia of the Exquisite focuses on the elegant, the rare, the commonplace, and the delightful. A compendium of style, it merges whimsy and practicality, traipsing through the fine arts and the worlds of fashion, food, travel, home, garden, and beauty.

Each entry features several engaging anecdotes, illuminating the curious past of each enduring source of beauty. Subjects covered include the explosive history of champagne; the art of lounging on a divan; the emergence of “frillies,” the first lacy, racy lingerie; the ancient uses of sweet-smelling saffron; the wild riot incited by the appearance of London’s first top hat; Julia Child’s tip for cooking the perfect omelet; the polarizing practice of wearing red lipstick during World War II; Louis XIV’s fondness for the luscious Bartlett pear; the Indian origin of badminton; Parliament’s 1650 attempt to suppress Europe’s beauty mark fad; the evolution of the Japanese kimono; the pilgrimage of Central Park’s Egyptian obelisk; and the fanciful thrill of dining alfresco.

Cleverly illustrated, Encyclopedia of the Exquisite is an ode to life’s plenty, from the extravagant to the eccentric. It is a celebration of luxury that doesn’t necessarily require money.

BONUS MATERIAL: This ebook edition includes an excerpt from Jessica Kerwin Jenkins's All the Time in the World.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

Encyclopedia of the Exquisite is a lifestyle guide for the Francophile and the Anglomaniac, the gourmet and the style maven, the armchair traveler and the art lover. It’s an homage to the esoteric world of glamour that doesn’t require much spending but makes us feel rich.

Taking a cue from the exotic encyclopedias of the sixteenth century, which brimmed with mysterious artifacts, Jessica Kerwin Jenkins’s Encyclopedia of the Exquisite focuses on the elegant, the rare, the commonplace, and the delightful. A compendium of style, it merges whimsy and practicality, traipsing through the fine arts and the worlds of fashion, food, travel, home, garden, and beauty.

Each entry features several engaging anecdotes, illuminating the curious past of each enduring source of beauty. Subjects covered include the explosive history of champagne; the art of lounging on a divan; the emergence of “frillies,” the first lacy, racy lingerie; the ancient uses of sweet-smelling saffron; the wild riot incited by the appearance of London’s first top hat; Julia Child’s tip for cooking the perfect omelet; the polarizing practice of wearing red lipstick during World War II; Louis XIV’s fondness for the luscious Bartlett pear; the Indian origin of badminton; Parliament’s 1650 attempt to suppress Europe’s beauty mark fad; the evolution of the Japanese kimono; the pilgrimage of Central Park’s Egyptian obelisk; and the fanciful thrill of dining alfresco.

Cleverly illustrated, Encyclopedia of the Exquisite is an ode to life’s plenty, from the extravagant to the eccentric. It is a celebration of luxury that doesn’t necessarily require money.

BONUS MATERIAL: This ebook edition includes an excerpt from Jessica Kerwin Jenkins's All the Time in the World.

More books from Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group

Cover of the book To the End of the Land by Jessica Kerwin Jenkins
Cover of the book Nothing Was the Same by Jessica Kerwin Jenkins
Cover of the book The Fly Trap by Jessica Kerwin Jenkins
Cover of the book The Lord Is My Shepherd by Jessica Kerwin Jenkins
Cover of the book Descent by Jessica Kerwin Jenkins
Cover of the book Palladian Days by Jessica Kerwin Jenkins
Cover of the book The Yom Kippur War by Jessica Kerwin Jenkins
Cover of the book The Emperor of Ocean Park by Jessica Kerwin Jenkins
Cover of the book Never Call Retreat by Jessica Kerwin Jenkins
Cover of the book His Ownself by Jessica Kerwin Jenkins
Cover of the book The Big Squeeze by Jessica Kerwin Jenkins
Cover of the book Levels of Life by Jessica Kerwin Jenkins
Cover of the book Absolutely on Music by Jessica Kerwin Jenkins
Cover of the book The Child Buyer by Jessica Kerwin Jenkins
Cover of the book The Yankee Years by Jessica Kerwin Jenkins
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy