Easily one of the most beautiful books ever. Chronicle publishers excel at creating a beautiful presentation. The cover is heavy and textured. The pages vary between thick, glossy pages and smooth vellum. The images push to the edges of every page. Sibella divides the book into regions of travel, each with its own color palette. Some palettes are muted, while others are riotous. The author champions honest materials like linen, clay, stone, the tattered, the hand-dyed, the torn; things with a patina. I spent hours devouring this and will go back to it frequently just like I do with her other book, Etcetera. Yummy, yummy eye candy. ( )