What’s in a Name?

Technology alone did not give birth to the coffee-table book. The term “coffee-table book” itself gained currency in the post-war period for identifiable reasons, but it took on a derogatory tone. This chapter examines how the term “coffee-table book” became both a physical description and a form of derision. This created a prevailing default attitude towards coffee-table books. At the same time another popular item appeared in post-war homes—the coffee table. This chapter includes an overview of a history of books and furniture, and the emergence and role of coffee tables in post-war homes. Examples of coffee-table book reviews from newspapers and magazines illustrate the language and tone used by reviewers at the time. These sentiments brought into question the cultural legitimacy of coffee-table books.