“A delightful ode to everyday elegance that brims with tales showing how beauty can be found in the most unlikely places. Encyclopedia of the Exquisite has the potential to make our lives that much more interesting. It left me truly inspired.”
— Sarah Jessica Parker
Taking a cue from the exotic encyclopedias of the sixteenth century, which brimmed with mysterious artifacts, Encyclopedia of the Exquisite focuses on the elegant, the rare, the commonplace, and the delightful. An illustrated compendium of style, it merges whimsy and practicality, traipsing through the fine arts and the worlds of fashion, food, travel, home, garden, and beauty. Subjects covered include the explosive history of champagne; the art of lounging on a divan; the emergence of “frillies,” the first lacy, racy lingerie; the ancient uses of sweet-smelling saffron; Julia Child’s tip for cooking the perfect omelet; the Indian origin of badminton; and the fanciful thrill of dining alfresco. The perfect hostess gift, Encyclopedia of the Exquisite is an ode to life’s plenty, from the extravagant to the eccentric. It is a celebration of luxury that doesn’t necessarily require money.
“A beautifully researched and written book. Every story — whether on the origins of badminton or the art of Renaissance sotleties — is fascinating and inspiring. I kept turning the page, wanting to learn more.”
— Tory Burch
"A stylish little index of the facts you never knew you absolutely needed to know about one hundred of the most wonderful things in life — from frilly lingerie and champagne to dining al fresco to trapezes."
— Glamour
“A wonderful mélange of chic and amusing tidbits — this book makes me smile.”
— Michael Kors
“Encyclopedia of the Exquisite lives up to its unique premise . . . interesting and entertaining. [Jenkins takes] the reader on a fanciful tour. . . . Her goal is to assemble a collection that describes beauty of all kinds, interesting, affordable and, as collections of miscellany often are, eccentric. In this she succeeds, and Encyclopedia of the Exquisite is both attractive and addictive. It is certainly catnip for the trivia-besotted, but it also is a work that can easily be read in short bursts, and reread as the whim dictates. With its accompanying rich bibliography, it also provides an excellent starting point for the further pursuit of any of its myriad topics.”
— The Denver Post
For more information and daily doses of compelling tidbits visit Jessica’s blog: http://www.encyclopediaoftheexquisite.com
