Collectibles + Nostalgia

You won’t find Echo Beach on any map. But for a band of surfers from Newport Beach the stretch between 52nd and 56th street was an entire universe of ‘80s cool. These Day-Glo surfers singlehandedly demolished the laid-back ‘70s style with a loud blast of Devo and attitude. Out of the water, they wore Aquanet pompadours, Wayfarers, and neon boardshorts. In the water, they ripped up the wave two feet from local photographer Mike Moir’s Canon fish eye.

This is the definitive movie trivia book, from the authority on classic film. Rediscover your favorite films and put your movie knowledge to the test with more than 4,000 questions that draw on a century of landmark cinema.

Sewing with pre-cut fabric packs is all the rage. It allows for endless creativity and makes it a cinch to stitch up lovely quilts without breaking the bank. Little Bits Quilting Bee features 20 projects for small fabric scraps and bundles—including jelly rolls, charm squares, layer cakes, and fat quarters.

Passed down from Master to apprentice, The Jedi Path is an ancient training manual that has educated and enlightened generations of Jedi. Within its pages, the Jedi-in-training will discover the history and lore of the Jedi Order, the ways of the Force and how to wield it, the subtle nuances of lightsaber combat, and the dangers of the Dark Side. The only remaining copy in existence, this hallowed tome features handwritten annotated notes by Yoda, Luke Skywalker, Count Dooku, and Darth Sidious, among many others.

Al Jaffee’s fold-ins, on the inside back cover of virtually every issue of MAD Magazine since 1964, have become an icon of American humor. Generations have grown up with Jaffee’s inspired skewerings of our foibles and cultural conundrums.

Who doesn’t enjoy a well-made drink and the opportunity for a little creative misbehavior? Anne Taintor’s deliciously wry artwork is the perfect complement for the dozens of fabulous drink recipes in this chic collection.

Is any superhero cooler than Batman? He’s a crime-fighting vigilante with a tragic past, a lawless attitude, and a seemingly endless supply of high-tech gadgetry. In this fully illustrated memoir, author Michael Uslan recalls his journey from early childhood fandom through to the decades he spent on a caped crusade of his own: to bring Batman to the silver screen as the dark, serious character he was at heart.

Al Jaffee’s fold-ins, on the inside back cover of virtually every issue of MAD Magazine since 1964, have become an icon of American humor. Generations have grown up with Jaffee’s inspired skewerings of our foibles and cultural conundrums.

In this portfolio of colorful, witty postcards, renowned graphic novelist Paul Hornschemeier showcases an oddball collection of misfits, monsters, and utterly curious characters, all involved in hilariously insignificant adventures. Each image is rich with Hornschemeier’s signature wit and visual flair.

Moms are people, too...fashionable people! Before we came along to yank on their skirts, they showed leg, sported killer bangs, and flaunted bikinis. Some even wore feathers and halter tops and drove around on motorcycles. Was their style shocking? Yes. C...

Ever crack open a can of Chief Oshkosh of Wisconsin, or sample Pabst's Big Cat Malt Liquor? Remember the original St. Pauli Girl, Tennent's bevy of lager lovelies, or Olde Frothingslosh ("the pale stale ale with the foam on the bottom")? Presented alphabe...

For the first time ever, Playboy presents the complete, official account of the iconic Playboy Bunny. Coinciding with the Bunny's 50th anniversary, this richly illustrated book presents stunning pictorials of famous and classic Bunniesfrom the likes of D...

A great gift for any iPhone or iPod touch owner, RetroFit TV is perfect for the work place, living rooms, parties, car rides, and more!...

The Huffington Post's "Let's Bring Back..." columnist, Lesley M. M. Blume, invites you to consider whatever happened to cuckoo clocks? Or bed curtains? Why do we have so many "friends" but have done away with the much more useful word "acquaintan...

The ultimate Jedi Master from Star Wars is also the perfect totem for wisdom in all of life's pursuits. Having explored the galaxy and studied the Force for hundreds of years, Yoda has passed on his knowledge of the Jedi arts to generations of th...

Matt Warshaw knows more about surfing than any other person on the planet. After five years of research and writing, Warshaw has crafted an unprecedented history of the sport and the culture it has spawned. At nearly 500 pages, with 250,000 words and more...

Celebrating the 75th anniversary of DC Comics, these 100 all-different postcards feature the incredible art of DC's comic book covers from the 1930s through the 1980s....

Classic and comprehensive, this guide to over 350 games is sure to appeal to all ages. From Bridge to Poker and Solitaireto Hearts, card games are a beloved source of entertainment and competition (and they are recession proof!). Thisauthoritative boo...

Since 1872 when traveling salesman Aaron Montgomery Ward realized he could eliminate the middleman and sell goods directly to his customers, Americans have had an ongoing love affair with the mail-order catalog, which continues undiminished even in today'...

William Powell and Myrna Loy. Bogart and Bacall. Tracy and Hepburn. These on-screen (and sometimes off-screen) couples defined romantic chemistry and the art of falling in love. From Turner Classic Movies, Leading Couples features the most unforg...

We all have something in our lives that while not obviously valuable, is displayed as though it were a precious and irreplaceable artifact. Inquire about the object's provenance and you'll likely be treated to a lively anecdote about how it came into your...

For millions of people the world over, the annual visit to a department store to view the festive window displays and visit Santa in his winter wonderland is a treasured holiday tradition. In America, the Thanksgiving holiday is almost inconceivable witho...

Tough, sophisticated, witty, and handsomefrom Rudolph Valentino to Buster Keaton, Cary Grant to Jimmy Stewart, Humphrey Bogart to Steve McQueen, each of the actors featured in this book brought a magnetic presence to the screen and made a powerful and en...

Between the classic films of Walt Disney in the 1940s and the televised cartoon revolution of the 1960s was a critical period in the history of animation. Amid Amidi, of the influential Animation Blast magazine and CartoonBrew blog, charts the evol...

Iron birdseed, anvils, fake holes, and morefor years The ACME Company has been the sole purveyor of the fine products used by Looney Tunes characters. Chronicle Books is proud to present an exclusive catalog featuring ACME's must-have, best-selling line...

Published to coincide with the twenty-fifth anniversary of his death, Marley Legend celebrates the life and work of Bob Marley in an authorized and fully illustrated biography. In the same interactive format as the best-selling Lennon Legend...

For the first time ever, NASCAR has opened its massive archives to the public, taking fans on a speed-defying journey through a national phenomenons evolution. The NASCAR Vault chronicles the astonishing growth of one of America's greatest obsessi...

More fun than the episode of I Love Lucy set on the candy line and with stories richer than a Dark Chocolate Truffle, See's Famous Old Time Candies is a golden ticket to the candy factory (and, yes, See's did inspire that Lucy episode). Author Marg...

The technological innovation and unprecedented physical growth of the cold war era permeated American life in every aspect and at every scale. From the creation of the military-industrial complex and the beginnings of suburban sprawl to the production of...

Share your tales of adventure from glamorous locales on these stylish postcards....

It's Clark Kent, no ... it's Superman! Watch the Man of Steel transform before your very eyes. All characters, names, and elements are trademarks of DC Comics 2004....