For three and a half decades, the “Today” show’s Gene Shalit has shared his favorite selection of distinctive books for great gift-giving. This year, Gene's at it again. Here's the list he discussed on “Today.”
Gene Shalit's list of distinctive books for gift-giving
"Astonishing Animals: Extraordinary Creatures and the Fantastic Worlds They Inhabit"
By Tim Flannery and Peter SchoutenPublished by Atlantic Monthly Press$29.95
"The American Horticultural Society: A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants"
By editors-in-chief Christopher Brickell & H. Marc CatheyPublished by DK Publishing$80
"Championship Domino Toppling"
Book and Gift SetBy Robert SpecaPublished by Sterling Publishing Co.$14.95
"The Annotated Sherlock Holmes"
Edited with a preface and notes by Leslie S. KlingerPublished by W.W. Norton$40
"Christmas Cookies Deck: 50 Delicious Holiday Confections"
By Lou Siebert PappasPublished by Chronicle Books$13.95
"Mixed Nuts: America’s Love Affair with Comedy Teams from Burns and Allen to Belushi and Aykroyd"By Lawrence J. EpsteinPublished by Public Affairs Books$26
"The Silly Book"
By Stoo HamplePublished by Candlewick Press$15.99
"In Focus: National Geographic Greatest Portraits"
Edited by Leah Bendavid-ValPublished by National Geographic Books$30
"How Santa Really Works"
By Alan SnowPublished by Atheneum Books$15.95
"The Man in the Flying Lawn Chair: And Other Excursions and Observations"
By George PlimptonEdited by Sarah Dudley PlimptonPublished by Random House$24.95
"Ship: The Epic Story of Maritime Adventure"
By Brian LaveryPublished by DK Publishing $40
"Art of Modern Rock: The Poster Explosion"
By Paul Grushkin & Dennis KingPublished by Chronicle Books$60
"Popular Mechanics Complete Home How-To"
Published by Hearst Bookspopularmechanics.com$24.95
"Bicycle"
By David V. HerlihyPublished by Yale University Press$35
“Louis Armstrong & Paul Whiteman: Two Kings of Jazz”
By Joshua BerrettPublished by Yale University Press$30
"Sports Illustrated 50 Years: The Anniversary Book"
By the editors of Sports IllustratedPublished by Sports Illustrated Books$29.95
"People We Know, Horses They Love"
By Jill Rappaport and Wendy WilkinsonPhotographs by Linda SolomonPublished by Rodale Books$39.95
"The Complete Cartoons of the New Yorker"
Edited by Robert MankoffPublished by Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers$60
"The America 24/7 State Book Series"
(This book features a custom cover option)Published by DK PublishingThe custom cover can ordered via $32.95 (book and custom cover, regular shipping)$52.95 (book and custom cover, Federal Express)$7.95 + shipping and handling (custom cover only)
"The Oxford American Writer's Thesaurus"
Published by Oxford University Press$40
"Spin the Dreidel!"
By Alexandra CooperIllustrated by Claudine GevryPublished by Little Simon$7.99
"America the Beautiful"
By Robert SabudaPublished by Little Simon$26.95
Tom Brokaw's "The Greatest Generation" collection
By Tom BrokawPublished by Random House$74.85