11 Interesting Reads to Get at Big Bad Wolf Manila 2020 - Arts & Culture

Hidden literary gems abound this massive annual book sale.

Every year, bibliophiles the country over gather at one of most anticipated book events of the year. Big Bad Wolf is a global reading advocacy effort that started in Malaysia that has now become the world’s largest book sale having multiple stops all over the world including South Korea, the United Arab Emirates, Thailand, Taiwan, and of course–the Philippines. Ever since the sale made its first stop in the country back in 2018, it has consistently been back with even multiple stops in Cebu and Pampanga.

Also read: More Than A Dress Code: A Personal Touch To Ethical Glam

In the spirit of cultivating a culture of reading, we showcase some interesting finds at this year’s event. From the arts, to the kitchen, to the camera, and to concepts beyond tangible sense–here are our fun finds at Big Bad Wolf Manila 2020.

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Vogue: The Shoe – Harriet Quick

For the fashionably inclined, this beautiful coffee table book showcases over 300 images of shoes featured over the century-long run of British Vogue. Curated by Harriet Quick, former Fashion Features Director (2000-12) and current Contributing Editor of British Vogue, the book features the works of Mario Testino, Hoyningen-Huene, Norman Parkinson, and many more.

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My New York: Celebrities Talk About the City – Alessandra Mattanza

The city that never sleeps is known for its iconic skyline and rich culture and history. But New York City is, by most paramount, defined by the people that inhabit it. My New York compiles the stories of those who have called the city home, those who have fallen in love with the urban center, and prominent people who have shaped its identity–those of which include the likes of Martin Scorsese, Spike Lee, Mario Batali, Yoko Ono, and Taylor Swift.

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Our Short History – Lauren Grodstein

The first novel on our list, Our Short History is a deeply heartfelt story that tells the story of Karen Neulander, a single mother with little time left in life, learning to deal with morality and in what manner must she say goodbye to her six-year-old son. A book of parenthood and sacrifice, Everything I Never Told You author, Celeste Ng praises the author stating, “Lauren Grodstein breaks your heart, then miraculously pieces it back together so it’s bigger—and stronger—than before.”

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Pantone on Fashion: A Century of Color in Design – Leatrice Eiseman and EP Cutler

Exploring 100 years of fashion and design, the global authority on color takes us on a journey of beautiful hues over the decades with this coffee table book. Telling the history of shades that fashion has enjoyed such as Bright Marigold in its heyday in the 40s as Hermès’ identifying hue to its appearance in Carolina Herrera’s spring/summer 2013 collection. Experience each color’s history in this vivid visual book.

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Simply Nigella: Feel Good Food – Nigella Lawson

No one quite has a signature in food writing like Nigella Lawson. Her unique tone and ever lively language brings this cookbook to life, showcasing recipes that come to life on the pages. Simply Nigella compiles dishes that remedy, rather than adjust to, a hectic life. As Lawson herself puts it, “Part of the balance of life lies in understanding that different days require different ways of eating.”

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Soul Machine – George Makari

A comprehensive history that details the crisis of religious authority and the scientific revolution that shaped the modern concept of the mind and, in turn, the self. Award-winning historian George Makari narrates on “how writers, philosophers, physicians, and anatomists worked to construct notions of the mind as not an ethereal thing, but a natural one.”

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Annie Leibovitz: Portraits 2005-2016

The third in the photographer’s monumental series of books (Annie Leibovitz 1970-1990 and A Photographer’s Life 1990-2005), this collection presents Leibovitz’ subjects in her unique style that documents modern culture through her lens. Another coffee table book that hits hard with its visuals, the portraits are deeply intimate and compelling, as to be expected of Annie’s genius.

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Sinatra: Behind the Legend – J Randy Taraborrelli

Taraborrelli is known for telling untold stories of cultural icons such as Marilyn Monroe, Michael Jackson, and Diana Ross; with this book, that took over 6 years of research, and over 400 interviews, he goes into the private life and controversies of Frank Sinatra. From his showbiz highs to his romance lows, the books goes into personal detail of the late star that will intrigue and delight fans–old and new.

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Little Fires Everywhere – Celeste Ng

The second novel by Ng, after her bestselling Everything I Never Told You, this novel delves into the suburban lives of two families and who their lives have intertwined through their children. Most notably, the novel is set to be adapted into a TV series by Hulu starring Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington, set for release in March 2020.

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Yoga Bodies: Real People, Real Stories, & the Power of Transformation – Lauren Lipton

A book that not only tells the artful grace of yoga but shows it. Through the participation of many practitioners of varying age, gender, sizes, and more, this book shares the stories of real people and how yoga affected their lives. Humorous and heartfelt, the book breaks down the idea of a “yoga body” as an idealised form, celebrating the true diversity of the practice.
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Catwalking: Photographs by Chris Moore – Alexander Fury

Over 60 years of fashion runways compiled in one heavy coffee table book. Chris Moore is undoubtedly the prolific photographer on the runway and this collection of his work captures the rich history of fashion and how he has documented the milestones of each era. “From Coco Chanel’s final show to Galliano’s graduation, supermodels to showstoppers, McQueen to Versace and more Catwalking presents the definitive catwalk highlights captured by the man who has seen and shot it all.”

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Big Bad Wolf Manila 2020 will run from February 14-24 at the World Trade Center in Pasay. Doors are open 24 hours. For more details check out their website here.

Special Thanks to HANNAH PALIMA

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