5 coffee table books every gentleman should own

Sometimes an in-depth novel is all we need to escape the pressures of the real world. Other times though, beautiful pictures suffice. When you want to relax on the sofa but don’t want to flex your brain muscles, a quality coffee table book is an essential. Here are 5 coffee table books every gentleman should own.

THE JAMES BOND ARCHIVES

In celebration of the 50 year anniversary of the James Bond film franchise, EON Productions opened up their archives, releasing a number of incredible images that have been arranged into this book, documenting the complete makings of the films, from Dr No to Skyfall.

The James Bond Archives by Paul Duncan, £135 from Amazon

GREATEST OF ALL TIME

Featuring a number or rare images of The Greatest, this book is a must for Muhammad Ali fans.

Greatest of All Time. A Tribute to Muhammad Ali by Benedikt Taschen, £98.89 from Amazon

THE FIRST WORLD WAR IN COLOUR

These incredible, restored pictures shed new light on the horrors of the First World War.

The First World War in Colour, £35 from Mr Porter

THE FRENCH RIVIERA IN THE 1920S

The French Riviera is somewhere we constantly think about visiting, and after looking at this book, this feeling only increases.

The French Riviera in the 1920s, £120 from Net-A-Porter

MCLAREN: THE ART OF RACING

McLaren are one of the most successful racing teams of all time, with champions ranging from Ayrton Senna to Lewis Hamilton. This book charts that with a number of arty, inspiring images.

McLaren: The Art of Racing, £100 from Mr Porter