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We were happy to see that our favorite book for 2008 made The New York Times List. The photos above are from our 2008 fav Spaced Out. We liked the book because it's not only packed with beautiful photos of hippie dwellings, but it's also filled with information that puts their architectural efforts — both good and bad — into current context.

The New York Times List was a composite of the best architecture, art and design books in 2008. Here's a sample of their selections:

• Alexander Calder: The Paris Years 1926-1933, by Joan Simon and Brigitte Leal


• Delight in Design: Indian Silver for the Raj by Vidya Dehejia


• Black: The History of a Color, by Michel Pastoureau


• Lives of the Artists, by Calvin Tomkins


• A Short Life of Trouble: Forty Years in the New York Art World, a memoir by Marcia Tucker


• Le Corbusier: A Life, by Nicholas Fox Weber


• On Architecture: Collected Reflections on a Century of Change, by Ada Louise Huxtable

OK, this list was interesting, but I know we can do better. What was your favorite design-related book(s) from 2008? Leave your suggestions in the comments.

Here are two more lists to get you started:
• NPR's list of best gift books includes quite a few design/architecture picks
• Daily Dose has a list of 38 books from 38 publishers.