Oh, art books. We've all splurged at one point and bought a behemoth full of landscapes or portraits. Well... the Guardian recently took a look at the business behind these coffee table books, and they just may be the only bit of the print industry that's not tanking in this economy.

A recent release was  Moon Fire: The Epic Journey of Apollo 11. This reprint of Norman Mailer's work on the moon landing sold for over $1,000. In a world where people won't pay $0.50 for a newspaper or $5 for a magazine, it seems like this book would dive right? Nope! This book sold 150 copies in the first week, and filled a waiting list.

So why are these coffee table books doing so well? The truth is, they cater to several fairly stable niche markets, including art collectors and book collectors. These publishers do not need to rely on the every day joe schmoe to buy these books.

A little bit of good news in this economy is always welcome. Plus, who can resist a massive and gorgeous book filled with photos? My weakness is for photo rich cookbooks...what's yours?

(photo from the Guardian)