8 beautiful Books to offer during the end-of-year holidays

1 League of Legends – The Art and Creation of Arcaneby Mana Books

Season 2 ofArcane will undoubtedly have marked the end of the year. This second part ended in apotheosis, and for those who would like to stay in the universe of Vi and Jinx, Mana Books has the ideal gift. Thanks to a collective of authors, the publishing house offers in this beautiful book, soberly named The art and creation of Arcaneto go behind the scenes of the animated series.

Readers will be able to delve into the mythology of this successful creation inspired by the universe of League of Legends. Sketches, models and prototypes, always dominated by the colors pink and blue, appear in this unique book which traces the creative work of the two seasons ofArcanearound the characters and settings.

Besides the sketches, The art and creation of Arcane is also enhanced with exclusive interviews. Thus the co-creators of the series, Christian Linke and Alex Yee, as well as their French companions from Fortiche Studios, Pascal Charrue, and Arnaud Delore illuminate with their genius this particularly dense volume, which should appeal to fans of the Netflix series.

2 Paris 2024, The Official Book of the Olympic Gamesde Mejdaline Mhiri et Damien Burnier

Who says 2024, necessarily says Paris 2024. While the excitement of the Olympics is no more, what could be better than to immerse yourself in this global event thanks to the official book of the competition. Prefaced by Tony Estanguet, this beautiful volume retraces all the weeks of competitions which took place in the French capital during the summer of 2024. Through the 320 pages, readers will be able to find 400 exclusive photographs in partnership with theAFPall the results from all disciplines, as well as inspiring quotes, broken records, or even unusual anecdotes around the Games, as well as the complete prize list.

A true gem of image and writing Paris 2024, The Official Book of the Olympic Games is a total immersion in the spirit of the Paris Olympics. Better yet, it acts as an indelible memory of this incredible summer spent to the rhythm of sport and community.

3 Recipes and stories, the best recipes are those that are sharedby François-Régis Gaudry

The new year is an opportunity to delve into new recipes and find new challenges in the kitchen, between gastronomy, street food, and even popular recipes. This is what François-Régis Gaudry has chosen to condense in his new work. Baptized Recipes and stories, the best recipes are those that are sharedthe book brings together a variety of unmissable dishes (155 to be precise), inspired by international cuisine.

Everyone will be able to find the recipe of their taste, but also delight in stories and anecdotes around the dishes compiled in this beautiful book written by the most famous culinary journalist. A real treat to treat yourself to during the holidays!

4 Women photographers are dangerousby Laure Adler and Clara Bouveresse

Books about photography are certainly the most beautiful works to put under your tree at Christmas. Among them, and while Regards can be found in all the departments of Fnac in order to celebrate the 70 years of the brand while looking back on a century of photography, the book by Laure Adler and Clara Bouveresse will also have something to attract the attention of readers and readers.

In this beautiful volume, the two historians and feminists have, in fact, chosen to return to the place of women in the 8th art; an art which little normalized them at the beginning of its history, and which they seized with vigor, to the point of becoming “dangerous”. By tackling strong and hard subjects such as war, activism or even politics, these artists were able to break with norms and break the clichés surrounding the profession of photographer.

So, Women photographers are dangerous brings together the work of key figures in photography, but also forgotten or emerging talents, between illustrations and fascinating portraits revisiting the work of Sophie Calle, Paz Errázuriz, and Susan Meiselas to name a few.

5 We had so much fun, you Spendid

In October 2024, Michel Blanc, the timeless Jean-Claude Dusse of Les Bronzés, suddenly disappeared. At the end of November, only a few weeks after the death of the Caesarized artist, the troupe published We had so much funa beautiful book in which the troupe looks back on its 50-year career between unpublished testimonies, hilarious anecdotes and moving texts.

Like letters of love and friendship addressed to each other, the Splendid actors look back on these long and rich years of collaboration, punctuated by their beginnings in Parisian café-theaters to their greatest cinematic successes. Published by Le Cherche-Midi, We had so much fun offers a new look at this legendary troupe of the boards and the 7th French art, also through very beautiful photographs. Humor and emotion are compiled across 256 pages; ultimately everything that this training has brought us over more than 50 years!

6 Superfacial, by Audrey Tautou

After having distinguished herself in the cinema, it is in photography that the legendary actress of the Fabulous Destiny of Amélie Poulain (2001), Audrey Tautou, chose to speak out. In Superfacial published by Fisheye Editions, the actress questions her image and more broadly the perception of her world through portraits and texts in the form of confidences.

Constructed as a photographic self-portrait in both black and white and color through which the actress intends to reclaim her image and her body, Superfacial also deploys a broad reflection around the representation of reality and artifice, through an offbeat tone, full of lightness.

This beautiful book is one of the essentials for those who have been passionate about Audrey Taytou's work since 2017 and her first photo exhibition during Les Rencontres d'Arles.

7 The thousand scenes of the Palais des CongrèsDjénane Kareh Tareg and Éric Bureau

Here is a beautiful book which should delight music lovers, and in particular fans of the greatest concert halls. In a beautiful volume – the first of its kind – Djénane Kareh Tareg and Éric Bureau look back on the 50 years of the Palais des Congrès, an emblematic Parisian hall in the capital, located Porte-Maillot, which hosted the biggest stars of French song as international.

Since its construction in 1974, many people have set foot on its boards. From Frank Sinatra to Ray Charles via Mariah Carey, or Matt Pokora, several artists from different backgrounds have performed within its walls. It is moreover on their performances that this beautiful book proposes to return through unpublished, abundant photographs retracing the rhythmic life of this temple of music!

8 Picasso – Imaginary Lettersde David Lawrence

Compiling fictitious letters addressed to the Spanish painter into a beautiful book is what David Lawrence imagined in Picasso – Imaginary Letters. Published by Maison Templar, this work brings together, in fact, illusory missives exchanged between several celebrities from politics, art, or even music with the artist to whom we owe Guernica. From Charles De Gaulle to Auguste Renoir via David Bowie, or Jackie Kennedy, the author fantasizes here their correspondence with Pablo Picasso.

The opportunity to delve in an original way into the intimacy of the painter as these fictitious letters are strikingly realistic. At once funny, poignant, or even acerbic and romantic, they shed new light on the artist's life. Accompanied by photos and unpublished works, these texts should appeal to art lovers, while arousing the curiosity of many readers eager to discover a new literary concept.