Rizzoli’s latest book that you can’t put down (or pick up) casts a gimlet eye on Bottega Veneta. More than another coffee-table offering, the same-named monograph ($100, October 2012) offers an exhaustive look at the luxury label known for flawless leather craftsmanship since 1966, and especially under the creative direction of Tomas Maier since 2001. The foreword is penned by Matt Tyrnauer, the man granted unparalleled access to another Italian house for his award-winning Valentino documentary.

Ever-reclusive, Maier himself appears nowhere in the book, except in one photo at the end, from behind. But hey, he did edit the book. And he’s something of a perfectionist.