Mugged

I love these literary-inspired mugs from Anthropologie. I've already bought some as birthday gifts for a few of my friends. I would fill one of these with Earl Grey and nestle down with a good biography.

"A novel idea."

One of my favorite things about books is that they are inspiring before you even open them. And even if you don't open them at all. The special feeling one gets from books can be, and has been, translated into a style that emanates "book." It's hard to explain why. But J. Crew does an excellent job of replicating this feeling with their fall collections, particularly this year. As part of their store displays they even have stacks of books, rows of books lined up on shelves. I received their catalog yesterday and found books hidden in many of the pages. They even suggest a visit to their vintage book store, which is now part of the J. Crew men's shop in SOHO. Books are a lifestyle, something to strive for. More on this subject at a later date.