<b><i>Encyclopedia of the Exquisite </i>is a lifestyle guide for the Francophile and the Anglomaniac, the gourmet and the style maven, the armchair traveler and the art lover. It&rsquo;s an homage to the esoteric world of glamour that doesn&rsquo;t require much spending but makes us feel rich. </b><br><br> Taking a cue from the exotic encyclopedias of the sixteenth century, which brimmed with mysterious artifacts, Jessica Kerwin Jenkins&rsquo;s <i>Encyclopedia of the Exquisite </i>focuses on the elegant, the rare, the commonplace, and the delightful. A com&shy;pendium of style, it merges whimsy and practicality, traipsing through the fine arts and the worlds of fashion, food, travel, home, garden, and beauty. <br><br> Each entry features several engaging anecdotes, illuminating the curious past of each enduring source of beauty. Subjects covered include the explosive history of champagne; the art of lounging on a divan; the emergence of &ldquo;frillies,&rdquo; the first lacy, racy lingerie; the ancient uses of sweet-smelling saffron; the wild riot incited by the appearance of London&rsquo;s first top hat; Julia Child&rsquo;s tip for cooking the perfect omelet; the polarizing practice of wearing red lipstick during World War II; Louis XIV&rsquo;s fondness for the luscious Bartlett pear; the Indian origin of badminton; Parliament&rsquo;s 1650 attempt to suppress Europe&rsquo;s beauty mark fad; the evolution of the Japanese kimono; the pil&shy;grimage of Central Park&rsquo;s Egyptian obelisk; and the fanciful thrill of dining alfresco. <br><br> Cleverly illustrated, <i>Encyclopedia of the Exquisite </i>is an ode to life&rsquo;s plenty, from the extravagant to the eccentric. It is a cele&shy;bration of luxury that doesn&rsquo;t necessarily require money.