Accidentally Wes Anderson: the Book
Last updated: 2 October 2026
The Accidentally Wes Anderson book is a 368-page hardback of real buildings and places that look as if Wes Anderson designed them. Wally Koval put it together from the Instagram community he started with Amanda Koval in 2017, and Wes Anderson wrote the foreword. It covers more than 200 places on every continent, each with the story of who built it and why. The UK edition from Trapeze has an RRP of £30, and Amazon UK had it at £22.79 on 2 October 2026.
Buy the Accidentally Wes Anderson book on Amazon UK
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What is inside the Accidentally Wes Anderson book
Each entry pairs one photograph with a short history of the place in it. The pictures share the look of Anderson's films: symmetry, pastel colours, strong patterns and buildings that seem slightly out of their own decade. Every location is real, and the text explains where it is, when it went up and what happened there.
Anderson had nothing to do with the buildings, which is the joke in the title. He did back the project from the start, though, and he wrote the foreword. He has described the book as "a very entertaining collection of images and also an especially alluring travel guide".
Where the project came from
Wally and Amanda Koval started Accidentally Wes Anderson in June 2017 as an Instagram account. Followers sent in their own photographs, and the account grew into a community. Photographers from more than 50 countries contributed to this first book, and the project's website counted 2,583 places when we checked.
The book became a New York Times bestseller. After that, the website won two Webby Awards in 2022, and the photographs have toured as an exhibition in cities including London, Seoul and Tokyo. A second volume, Accidentally Wes Anderson: Adventures, followed in 2024, again with a foreword by Anderson.
Key facts
- Author: Wally Koval, with a foreword by Wes Anderson
- Publisher: Trapeze, an imprint of Orion
- Published: 29 October 2020
- Format: hardback with a jacket and a sewn binding, 368 pages
- Size: 230 x 192 x 38mm, and it weighs 1.24kg
- ISBN: 9781409197393
- Price: £30 RRP, £22.79 on Amazon UK when we checked
Who it suits as a gift
- Film fans: anyone who has watched The Grand Budapest Hotel and wanted to check in.
- Travellers: each entry gives the place and its history, so it doubles as a list of detours for the next trip.
- Photographers: the pictures were sent in by members of the community, so the book is full of ideas for framing a building.
At 1.24kg it is a coffee-table book rather than one for a rucksack. For more presents along these lines, our guide to gifts for photo lovers has more ideas for the person who takes the pictures on every trip.
Where to buy it in the UK
Amazon UK had the Trapeze hardback in stock at £22.79, which is £7.21 under the RRP. Waterstones lists it at the full £30. A US printing also turns up on Amazon UK under a different ISBN, so look for 9781409197393 if you want the UK edition.
Accidentally Wes Anderson on Amazon UK
The project's own page for the book has more on it, plus links to the second volume and the postcards.
FAQs
Did Wes Anderson make the Accidentally Wes Anderson book?
No. Wally Koval wrote and compiled it. Wes Anderson supported the project and wrote the foreword, but the places in it have nothing to do with his films.
How many places are in the book?
More than 200, on every continent, each with a photograph and a short history.
How much does the Accidentally Wes Anderson book cost?
The RRP is £30. Amazon UK had it at £22.79 when we checked, and Waterstones charges £30.
Is there a second Accidentally Wes Anderson book?
Yes. Accidentally Wes Anderson: Adventures came out in 2024, and it also has a foreword by Anderson. There is a postcard set from 2022 as well.
Can you visit the places in the book?
They are all real places, and each entry says where it is. Not all of them are open to the public, so check access and opening times before you plan a trip around one.
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Image from accidentallywesanderson.com
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