Judith H. Miller

One of the great mysteries of life (to a man) is the feminine love, no feminine passion, for shoes. Why? we ask - and yet no truly satisfactory answer has ever been given to us.

But if you want to understand women it is as well to understand shoes and this little book is an elementary primer in the woman's shoe over the last hundred years or so - in effect, just 300 pages of pictures of shoes with a bit of background inbetween.

Still, I recommend it - for how else can a man understand the show more importance of Bally, Ferragamo, Gina, Schiaparelli, Jourdan & Vivier, Cardin, Cadabra, de Havilland, Saint Laurent, Caovilla, Westwood, Blahnik, Chanel, Gucci, Wenkert and Prada.

Perhaps the sheer tasteless lunacy of the 1970s might cause some of us to revolt but, on the other hand, there is real beauty in some of these shoes.

And there is a social history hidden in these pictures - from the days when a woman might be regarded as middle class if she had a full four pairs in an era of austerity through the power-dressing 1980s to the ostentation of the world before the credit crunch, shoes designed for dictator's mistresses.

This is really a little book for women by a woman but very occasionally a man will get a thrill when the shoes implies the woman who wears it. Not often but sometimes. Then there is a brief erotic frisson.

Those moments are interesting - they are always the simplest of shoes and boots, precisely not what most women want in their cupboard ... but then women do not wear shoes for men, they wear them for themselves and for other women ... and why not? show less

Miller's Mid-Century Modern: Living with Mid-Century Modern Design is a collection of photos of modern designs of yesteryear, collated by Judith Miller.

This large, hardcover book is sets out to share with you the best styles of interior, and furniture design history from the 1940s to the 1970s. Included within are also selective pieces of ceramics, glass, metalware and textiles .

It's a beauty of a book, and alongside being an arty one full of great designers and their precious designs, I show more think the most interesting part of this, (that many people will be buying this for) are the price codes to see how much everything is worth - should they have one of these (sometimes extravagant) items in their own collections. Although, this is n
ot a Millers Antique guide and more of a coffee table book with lots of large pictures. Plus, many of these pieces featured are way out of most people's budget. Well, in my circles, anyway!

Having said this if you love interior design, famous designers and do like collecting antique furniture and bits and bobs, this will make a lovely edition to your coffee table book collection. show less

Judith Miller always gets it right. I found this at the Borders going-out-of-business sale, and shared it with my sisters. Lots of photos of fun, glitzy and everyday dress shoes. Some photos have very detailed descriptions about materials, designer and season. Most page spreads include a quote from someone famous about shoes.

This is just one to enjoy.

It's so... pretty...

I'm in the process of inheriting a tulip table and tulip chairs, and am doing some casual browsing to get ideas for decorating around a Mid-century Modern theme, which isn't something I'd normally do. This was one of the books I picked up for ideas, and it's got plenty of pictures, though not so many of actual furnished interiors.