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Gene Shalit shares his top holiday books

TODAY's film critic shares his choices for the 12 best books to give as gifts to children, adults, or those who are young at heart.
/ Source: TODAY

Each year, as part of our special holiday coverage, TODAY's Gene Shalit chooses the best books to give to those on your holiday list. Here are the selections he discussed on the show:

R. Crumb’s Heroes of Blues, Jazz & Country
Illustrator: R. CrumbAuthors: Stephen Calt, David Jasen, and Richard NevinsPublisher: Abrams$19.95;

Joy of Cooking: 75th Anniversary EditionAuthors: Irma S. Rombauer, Marion Rombauer Becker, and Ethan BeckerPublisher: Scribner$30.00;

Mommy?
Author: Maurice SendakArt by Maurice SendakScenario by Arthur YorinksPaper Engineering by Matthew ReinhartPublisher: MDC Books, Scholastic$24.95;

The Intellectual Devotional: 365 Daily Lessons from the Seven Fields of Knowledge
Authors: David S. Kidder and Noah D. OppenheimPublisher: Rodale$22.50; and

Golf Courses: Fairways of the World
Photography by David CannonPublisher: Rizzoli$195.00;

Skylines of the World: Yesterday and TodayAuthor: M. Hill GoodspeedPublished by Hugh Lauter Levin$75.00;

Burton Holmes Travelogues: The Greatest Traveler of His Time, 1892-1952Editor: Genoa CaldwellPublisher:Taschen$49.99;

Ali Rap: Muhammad Ali The First Heavyweight Champion of Rap
Editor and designer: George LoisPublisher: Taschen$24.99; and The Little Engine That CouldAuthor: Watty PiperIllustrator: Loren LongPublisher: Callaway Classics$85.00; (Each copy is numbered and limited to an edition of 10,000 copies. An edition of 250 copies of each title, signed by the artist, is also available at a suggested retail price of $250.00.)

The Ugly DucklingAuthor: Hans Christian AndersenIllustrator: Henri GaleronPublisher: Callaway Classics$85.00; (Each copy is numbered and limited to an edition of 10,000 copies. An edition of 250 copies of each title, signed by the artist, is also available at a suggested retail price of $250.00.)

Pick Me Up: Stuff You Need to Know
Authors: David Roberts and Jeremy LesliePublisher: DK Publishing$29.99;

The Complete How To Kazoo
Author: Barbara StewartPublisher: Workman Publishing$10.95; and