Updated 22:37, December the 13th, 2007
On the shelf
Book gifts that say ‘I judge you by more than your cover’
- “33 1/3: Greatest Hits Volume 2” Edited by David Barker, $16; “Celine Dion’s Let’s Talk About Love (33 1/3 Series)” by Carl Wilson, $11. The collection of 20 meditations on single albums (from the Pixies to David Bowie) satisfy the biggest music nerd. The newest individual “33 1/3” book on the arguable genius of Celine Dion, on the other hand, makes a good stocking stuffer.
- “Gallop!: A Scanimation Picture Book” by Rufus Butler Seder, $13. Odds are that this gimmicky book — animal images appear to move as you flip the pages — will be passed around to the adults before Junior has a chance to get sick of it.
- “Kiki Strike: The Empress’s Tomb” by Kirsten Miller, $17. What happens when a New York City teenage super-spy joins forces with some rogue Girl Scouts? The second Kiki Strike mystery finds out.
- “The Last Chinese Chef” by Nicole Mones, $24. Food and Eastern traditions come together in one of the year’s most enjoyable novels.
- “The World Without Us” by Alan Weisman, $25. This thoughtful read proves that the world before and after us humans may be just as fascinating as mankind’s screwy deeds.
- “A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier” by Ishmael Beah, $22. Beah’s account of his years as a child combatant in Sierra Leone has garnered praise for its unflinching honesty and evocative description.
- “Gentlemen of the Road: A Tale of Adventure” by Michael Chabon, $22. Don’t daunt them with the gift of a massive novel; this Eurasian romp can be polished in one post-feast lounge.
- “The Principles of Uncertainty” by Maira Kalman, $30. “What is this book?” asks the cover of this unusual work. It’s hard to answer; the illustrated book is equal parts whimsy and profundity.
- “The Dangerous Book for Boys” by Conn Iggulden and Hal Iggulden, $25; “The Daring Book for Girls” by Andrea Buchanan and Miriam Peskowitz, $25. While these retro-style handbooks are aimed at the younger set, they’re a kick for any age (a fact to work into your daily life: It takes about five metal stakes to make a good fort).
- “Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook” by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero, $28. This vegan compendium will make the vegan home happy —even omnivores can appreciate a good chili verde.
- “Travels with Van Gogh and the Impressionists: Discovering the Connections” by Neil Folberg and Lin Arison, $45. Is it inspired or sacrilegious to recreate and reimagine great European artwork? These striking photographs will interest anyone with an artist’s or traveler’s eye.
- “30,000 Years of Art,” Phaidon Press, $50. With more than 1,000 plates of artwork, this 1,062-page monster is best gifted to a real art nerd or someone in dire need of a booster seat.