The 30 Most Stunning Coffee Table Books From The Last 5 Years

Coffee table books can conjure up images of the stuffy, giant tomes you'd find at your grandparents' house. They made pretty good lap desks when you wanted to do your homework in front of the TV. Though, they weren't exactly what you wanted to flip through in your spare time.

Today, however, there are plenty of oversized titles you'd be proud to display on your coffee table. Or if you're doing the starter apartment thing, the edge of your kitchen table which is also your coffee table. There are books filled with beautiful travel photography that can inspire your next trip. And plenty of biography collections that highlight notable women your lounging guests can educate themselves about. There are even a few big names attached to recent bestsellers, from Lauren Conrad to Abbi Jacobson.

Click through to find the perfect coffee table book for your home. Even if they eventually come to rest on the beanbag-holdover from college you're using as a coffee table — we won't judge.