The boys at Gearpatrol point us at this monster 336 page book, Star Wars: The Blueprints, by J.W. Rinzler . More than 25 blueprints behind the original trilogy, including never before seen technical specs and drawings used on set.

As the publisher mentions, “Star Wars: The Blueprints gives voice to the groundbreaking and brilliant engineers, designers, and artists that have, in film after film, created the most imaginative and iconic locales in the history of cinema. Melding science and art, these drawings giving birth to fantastic new worlds, ships, and creatures.” This massive tome arrives in October in an edition of 5000. Coming from Epic Ink Books. Pre-order from Amazon.

Some looks inside Star Wars: The Blueprints book after the click.

More looks after the click.

Metropolis discusses the new Nature Framed: At Home in the Landscape book. ”The collection of two dozen North American houses is infused with Hagberg’s enthusiasm and her clear and thoughtful perspective. The collection includes projects by Fernau & Hartman, Rick Joy, Kyu Sung Woo, Marlon Backwell, Tod William and Billie Tsien, and others.” It is a look at the new view of “green living.” Amazon has it.

Coming this October 2011 from Powerhouse Books from the co-author of the visual history of hardcore tome, Radio Silence…

“Live…Suburbia! is a collection of stories and images of the post-1960s subcultures that define America. It’s kids taking their urethane wheels to empty pools, picking British Punk in broad downstrokes and creating Hardcore, it’s skinheads wearing sneakers and moshing in Connecticut warehouses. Live…Suburbia! is dedicated to denim devils twirling butterfly knives and hasty tags thrown down with Rust-Oleum touch-up paint stolen from your parent’s garage.”

Available from Amazon.

Rizzoli is set to release a look back at the history of the Rick Owens collection as well as the designer himself. The book, Rick Owens, was designed by Owens himself. The single volume collections the full-span of his career with images “detailing all aspects of the designer’s work and sensibility. The visual narrative of this book provides an instructive look at the process of design from an artist who is at once comfortable with innovation and respectful of traditional approaches.” Coming this October 2011.

Pre-order from Amazon.

FPO turns us onto this book work, Portland’s 100 Best Places To Stuff Your Faces. The title alone makes it worthy of a mention, but in reality the contents of this 220-page paperback guide the tourist and local alike through the food explorations of the city of Portland, OR. The book is “stuffed” with the best in local tajes on food carts, chocolate boutiques, “locally-owned restaurants,” pizza, beer…. you name it. If it is local to Portland and on author, Jen Stevenson’s radar, it is probably in here. It is full of secrets… to some. Get it direct or from Amazon.

Photography: FPO

More looks inside Portland’s 100 Best Places To Stuff Your Faces including the pull-out map found on the inside cover after the click.

Larry McKaughan is the daddy, grandaddy, high-priest and all knowing oracle of vintage clothing. Having garnered a cult like following with his Heller’s Café repro label J. Crew soon came calling, bringing him to the attention of a wider chambray inclined audience. Having published his King of Vintage Vol. 1 in 2010 he’s back, now on his third volume, showcasing his vast collection of early to mid-twentieth century American clothing. Military, denim, varsity, motorcycle…it’s all covered here in gleaming illustrated glory. Keep your eyes on Myfreedamn for release dates. -ld

More looks after the click.

We love photo books and love them even more when they revolve around the beautiful female form. Photographer, Ed Fox, continues to explore the curves of women in his second photography collection for Taschen. His first collection, Glamour from the Ground Up studied what he calls “a woman’s second body,” her feet (”the one I can visually enjoy without her being offended or even aware”). The new collection, Ed Fox, Vol. 2 works on delivering a study of every curve – from head to toe.

Ed Fox, Vol. 2 also comes with a 60-minute DVD that helps bring his photography into motion. Coming October 2011.

Photography: Ed Fox

More looks inside Ed Fox, Vol. 2, including the cover, after the click.

The New York Times Magazine with the help of Aperture will publish a three decade collection of photography this Autumn. The book, The New York Times Magazine Photographs, has been a labor of love for the past five years. Spanning more than 1700 issues of the magazine, it collects an outstanding number of photographs from more than 140 key “image makers.” The August 21 issue of the magazine will preview many of the images from the book. Amazon has it.

More looks inside The New York Times Photograph book after the click.

T Mag opened up the forthcoming German Fashion Designbook by Nadin Barth. The book “catalogs” the contributions of German houses and designs including Jil Sander, Bogner, Michalsky, and of course, Hugo Boss. As the publisher puts it the goal is to “advance awareness for the history of fashion made in Germany, which had begun around 1900 with the studios near Berlin s Hausvogteiplatz and reached a glamorous zenith with the post-war designers Heinz Oestergaard and Uli Richter.” Arrives August 31 from Distanz.

Found this fascinating book by Kurt B. Reighley in NPR’s write-up on the Newport Folk Festival. The title is a long one: United States of Americana: A Field Guide to the New American Roots Movement is a look at the hand-made and sustainable movements are driving a resurgence in the community as a strengthening force. From canning parties, to raising chickens, facial hair grooming. Burlesque even gets a mention. Did we leave out the word heritage? It is the underlying topic here. The old way which in some cases is better than the new. Amazon has it.