Today's Post offers a number of useful hints and tricks to "get to the top" this year (e.g., "marry a millionaire," "make a pile of money for doing very little," "become a boldface name," "become a better, more generous, kindhearted and sincere person"—guess which one we made up).

Among the many fine, fine suggestions is a guide to publishing a coffee-table book by Post in-house hipster Maureen Callahan. Apparently, coffee table books are where it's at, daddy-o, and not just for Cosmo Kramer:

The ultimate New York status symbol is no longer a Balenciaga Arena bag or a reservation at Masa - it's your own coffee-table book. Consider the success of the former Gucci designer who outdid himself as the subject of his own coffee-table tome, "Tom Ford," which retailed at a staggering $280 (for the special edition, but still).


One's a trend, right?

But just last week, a writer from a different News Corp. wing was bashing Ford—and expensive vanity coffee table books by saying:

The funny thing is, you're scratching your head right now wondering who the heck Tom Ford is and why he has such expensive and unpopular volumes available at all. (The deluxe version is ranked at 72,770.)

Beats me. All I know is, he used to design clothes no one wore and now he wants to make movies.

Coffee table books: surefire successes, or not? Tom Ford: role model, or not?

So confusing. Well, at least we can all agree that News Corp. is extremely generous.
10 WAYS TO THE TOP [NYP]
Book Bargains: Buyers Reject Vanity Fair [FOX 411]