The cartoonist/curator’s comical collection of animal drawings is accompanied by funny, truly offbeat, little slogans. Our favorite: A continental-cut poodle surrounded by the saying, “Yes, but isn’t our very existence equally preposterous?” By Jove, he’s right.

Available at amazon.com, $27.

Think Pledge of Allegiance, not Will Smith. The democracy-inspired picture book by artist Maira Kalman illustrates her national tour of historical sites and run-ins with interesting characters along the way (Lincoln, middle school student council, an Ecuadoran Uncle Shlomo).

Available at amazon.com, $19.

Roger Bennett and Eli Horowitz take the sport of ping-pong seriously. So much so they dedicated an entire book of photos, old ads, and memorabilia to it. The only part that confuses us is they must have had to stop paddling for several weeks to create it. Talk about sacrifice. 

Available at borders.com, $25.

Familiarity with obscure film is an instant personality builder and way to impress new friends. If those are qualities you seek, pick up a copy of Matthew Dilmore’s collection of 99 film stills from movies most of us have probably never seen. Should you recognize any of them, go ahead and friend us on Facebook (best keep it virtual, it is the Internet after all).

Available by e-mail order (sales@partnersandspade.com), $35.

The pamphlets from writers and artists like Robert Watts, David Antin, and Jackson Mac Low had gone unpublished since their original release in the ’60s. Now they’ve been published as a box set. Apart from it being a cultural watermark, the collection’s separated format is much less intimidating than a 500-page novel.

Available at amazon.com, $350.

Former assistant Martina Rink pays homage to her late boss with a gathering of photographs, letters, and illustrations culled from industry heavyweights. The total effect is a biography that sheds light on how much the legendary stylist impacted the world of fashion and the people who move within it.

Available at amazon.com, $31.

Breasts, butts, and phalli pretty much sum up the entire book. Gilles Tondini snapped shots of break rooms in twelve Parisian hospitals, which were covered in sexually charged (putting it mildly) murals drawn by medical interns/future doctors. Oh, to be French.

Available at markbattypublisher.com, $35.

If the cover shot of Paul Newman isn’t bait enough to buy, the ensuing collection of behind-the-scenes images of Tinseltown’s greatest generation (Audrey Hepburn, Cary Grant, Marlon Brando) snapped by Hollywood veteran photog and producer Leo Fuchs should reel you in. 

Available at amazon.com, $41.

Going back to the ’60s would give us the chance to check more than a few things off our bucket list (spy on young parents, catch The Beatles live, Robert Redford). But we’ll settle for a glimpse of times past via Rian Hughes’s collection of bold illustrations and art from magazines published during the decade.

Available at amazon.com, $30.

California isn’t just the land of beach blondes, movie stars, and tan, chiseled surfer dudes. Photographer Hugh Holland discovered during the mid ’70s it has a stoner skateboard variety, too. Intrigued, he took pictures and documented the culture for three years (must have felt like ten).

Available at ammobooks.com, $40.

Since their constructions, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe’s Farnsworth House and Philip Johnson’s Glass House have inspired countless designers, artists, and architects, nearly 90 of whom have contributed works for this project in collaboration with the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Design junkies, begin drooling now.

Available at assouline.com, $70.

Playwright and comic book writer Jim McCann joined forces with visual artist Janet Lee to create a whimsical, steampunkesque (yes, really), aesthetically pleasing fairy tale. Great for adults and children alike, it just proves that a collaborative effort (we love us some Brothers Grimm) is the way to go when creating fables.

Available at amazon.com, $16.

The brain (and hand) behind the Marvel comics empire teaches wee civilians how to master the art of conceptualizing and drawing action heroes, because, seriously, the Spider-Man that graced the cover of your Trapper Keeper has room for improvement. 

Available at amazon.com, $16.

Leave it to Japan (where the book was originally published) to turn a collection of photographs taken of prepsters on Ivy League campuses during the late ’60s into a fashion frenzy. The newly translated English version may not spark a new dress code for American youth (shame), but it’s a fun addition to your shelf of sailing manuals and Kennedy biographies. 

Available at urbanoutfitters.com, $25.

Based on the game Exquisite Corpse, this project enlisted 100 indie artists to continue the illustrated story of the artists before them as they saw fit. Accordion-style pages pull out, so you can really get the full effect and connection from drawing to drawing and artist to artist.

Available at chroniclebooks.com, $30.

Amber waves of grain and majestic purple mountains are wonderful. However, some of the finest sights in the USA are found indoors, 50 of which decorator Thomas Jayne showcases in his wide-ranging collection of spectacular rooms dating from the 18th century to present day. You can even check out our digs on page 45. (That last bit is actually a truly false statement.)

Available at randomhouse.com, $50.

Domestic design has its moment in the sun. Everyday objects (kitchen knives, pans, door handles, lighting) are celebrated in Charlotte and Peter Fiell’s picture-filled tome. Upon reading, expect any proud feelings for your collection of plastic cutlery or makeshift kitchen table to quickly turn sour.

Available at artbook.com, $60.

Even urban dwellers jaded by the constant sight of spray-painted buildings will admire the roundup of street art from the world over. The collection spans several decades — with works ranging from an ice sculpture in Brazil to photos pasted on the side of a Brooklyn building — and speaks strongly for the guerrilla art form’s validity.

Available at taschen.com, $40.