This article presents a roundup of four new art-related book releases for December. It covers Liz Johnson Artur's photographic monograph 'PDA' documenting a queer Black club night in London from 2011 to 2021; a survey of William Nicholson's career edited by Simon Martin, accompanying an exhibition at Pallant House Gallery; a monograph on Sandy Skoglund's surreal installations tied to a show at the McNay Art Museum; and Whit Rummel and Noah Charney's true-crime memoir 'The Accidental Picasso Thief' about a stolen Picasso painting that ended up in a forklift operator's home.
These books matter because they highlight diverse intersections of visual art with social history, family legacy, environmental themes, and art crime. The roundup underscores how publishing continues to extend the reach of exhibitions and archival projects, making specialized art narratives accessible to broader audiences. The inclusion of a true-crime art heist story also reflects growing public fascination with the intersection of art and crime.