Top SHELF

This year, enter your niche hobby era. From beekeeping to the science of fermentation, we round up nine books that delve into a wide range of peculiar subjects—any one of which might pique your interest.

- RENÉE CHONG and CHANDREYEE RAY

Tarot by Jessica Hundley, Penny Slinger, Johannes Fiebig and Marcella Kroll

The first of five volumes in Taschen's spiritual series, the Library of Esoterica, Tarot traces the history of the 600-year-old practice as passed down through arcane writings and oral tradition. Traverse the entire read and you might acquire the skills to interpret the future from a deck of cards.

La Table by Celine: Exquisite Food Art that Brings Nature to the Plate by Celine Rousseau

In La Table by Celine, art is served in an edible form. With over 60 recipes encompassing a wide range of global cuisines, food blogger Celine Rousseau reveals the secrets behind her whimsical epicurean creations and how she achieves the perfect balance between flavour and visual effect.

The Noma Guide to Fermentation by René Redzepi and David Zilber