The Heirloomist - by Shana Novak (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Beautiful stories that celebrate the power an object can hold are at the heart of The Heirloomist by photographer Shana Novak, creator of the project of the same name dedicated to documenting keepsakes and transforming them into uniquely meaningful works of art. 100 objects from strangers and cultural icons alike range from the everyday to the extraordinary: the fork that began Nora McInerny's relationship with her late husband; the sculpture that inspired Christy Turlington to fight for maternal healthcare; the charm bracelet that Nate Berkus gifted his daughter in stylish family tradition; the baby shoes that represent Rosanne Cash's love for her children; and Andrew Zimmern's inherited steel carving set, the beginning of a storied career in food. We all have meaningful items, big or small, expensive or humble, with powerful messages behind them. Celebratory, sentimental, and bursting with heart, The Heirloomist offers a glimpse into the treasures we hold dear and how they inform the stories of our lives"--

Book Synopsis

A warm, inviting celebration of beloved keepsakes and the stories they hold.

A set of old apartment keys, a pair of worn running shoes, a declaration of love scribbled on a restaurant receipt. Beautiful stories that celebrate the power an object can hold are at the heart of The Heirloomist by photographer Shana Novak, creator of the project of the same name dedicated to documenting keepsakes and transforming them into uniquely meaningful works of art. The 100 objects featured here range from the everyday to the extraordinary. Treasured heirlooms to their owners, ordinary folks and cultural figures alike, they hold remarkable stories such as:

• Nora McInerny on the fork that began her relationship with her late husband.
• The sculpture that inspired Christy Turlington to fight for maternal healthcare.
• The charm bracelet Nate Berkus gifted his daughter in stylish family tradition.
• Rosanne Cash's love for her children represented by baby shoes.
• Andrew Zimmern's inherited steel carving set that began a storied career in food.

Big or small, expensive or humble, we all have meaningful items with powerful messages behind them. Celebratory, sentimental, and bursting with heart, The Heirloomist offers a glimpse into the treasures we hold dear and how they inform the stories of our lives.

HEARTWARMING GIFT: The stories attached to these heirlooms range from funny to moving and everything in between. An artful and touching memory book, it makes a sentimental gift for Mother's Day, Father's Day, graduation, housewarming, or any special occasion. Also perfect for anyone looking for unique stories.

FOR FANS ART BOOKS LIKE HUMANS OF NEW YORK: The Heirloomist contains dozens of striking portraits of seemingly ordinary objects along with fascinating stories that will resonate with readers long after they've been read. The ultimate coffee table book, it is at once visually engaging and warmly entertaining.

BASED ON A BELOVED BRAND: Through her business and popular Instagram account of the same name, photographer Shana Novak turns treasured keepsakes into uniquely meaningful works of art. As @theheirloomist, Shana has become a living receptacle for her clients' stories, absorbing them as she strives to capture the essence of what makes each keepsake special to its owner in her photographs, and sharing them with her strong audience of devoted followers.

Perfect for:

• Fans of The Heirloomist project and @theheirloomist social media accounts
• Lovers of found objects and the stories behind them
• Photography enthusiasts and photography book collectors
• Anyone seeking unique Mother's Day or Father's Day gifts
• Readers of the New Yorker and story collections such as Humans of New York, Advanced Style, and Worn Stories

Review Quotes

"A great gift for any lover of old objects." --Country Living

"All it takes to turn an ordinary object into a treasure is a story. And in The Heirloomist, author and photographer Shana Novak tells the tales."-- First for Women

"Gorgeous, poignant.... If you are the sort of person who can't bear to part with sentimental objects, this book is for you." --BookPage, Starred Review

"While some stories are celebratory and others are poignant, all are fascinating reading. Anyone who has ever saved an object as a remembrance will relish this varied collection of heirlooms and their stories." --Library Journal

"A gorgeous celebration of everyday objects, elevating the ordinary things our loved ones leave behind to their rightful place as heirlooms." --Nora McInerny, creator and host of the podcast Terrible, Thanks for Asking

"Heirlooms are charged with the value we assign them. Shana Novak captures the heart of each one in her photographs, imbuing them with the souls of their owners." --Jill Kargman, writer and actress

"Novak reveals a rich world of modern-day symbolism, where you get to know people through the pieces--some mundane, some rare--they treasure." --Elise Loehnen, New York Times bestselling-author

"Novak took a pair of sandy, blood-spattered combat boots from my husband's injury in Iraq and transformed them into a symbol of resilience. Finding the beauty and meaning of stories embedded in seemingly simple objects is what makes The Heirloomist such a powerful book." --Lee Woodruff, New York Times-bestselling author

"Shana Novak has created a supernova cultural touchstone. The Heirloomist is powerful and vibrantly multidimensional, presenting objects through her lens. We hear from the objects' owners in their own words. Exploring these deeply personal objects, ones that we can all relate to, is the ultimate community-building experience." --Andrew Zimmern, Emmy-winning and James Beard Award-winning chef

About the Author

Shana Novak is an established commercial still-life photographer based in New York City. She has collaborated with brands such as Coca-Cola and Procter & Gamble, and her work has been featured in the New Yorker, Time, Rolling Stone, Architectural Digest, Town and Country, and Domino. As The Heirloomist, Shana brings a mix of professional polish and heart to her craft, ensuring that every client is treated to an expert level of quality and visual storytelling.