Great Books to Get and Give Now

There's nothing more satisfying than curling up with a good book, especially as the days get shorter and darker. Books also make great gifts. Whether you want to give yourself the gift of a great read, or are stocking up gifts for the holidays, a book is something to keep and treasure. Books can also be inscribed with something meaningful to make the gift extra special for your recipient. Here are some recently-published books to consider right now, and for holiday gifts:

Sunflowers a Novel of Vincent van Gogh by Sheramy Bundrick (Harper Collins October 2009) is an amusing read of what "might" have transpired between famed painter Vincent van Gogh, and the woman he loved. The author is an art historian who skilfully melds well known historical facts (e.g. Van Gogh really did cut off his ear and give it to a woman) with the sort of "what if" ideas that make him come alive as an artist and a man. The focus is the woman to whom is supposedly presented his ear. "Rachel" is a sad, young lady who is forced to work in a brother in Arles, France, because she was down on her luck. Van Gogh meets her by chance, when she's sleeping in a park, and he tries to get her to allow him to paint her. She refuses, but he pursues her. Eventually, the do fall in love in a tragic but exciting series of events. Van Gogh is known for his mental instability, but he is also one of history's most beloved artists. Through the narrative and story of his relationship with Rachel, along with his interaction with the rest of his family and associates, his character, however fictionalized, seems very believable. The author humanizes this talented but tortured man, making the book a page-turner until the very end.

The Witch Doctor's Wife by The Witch Doctor's Wife by Tamar Myers (Harper Collins November 2009) was a fast, fun fiction read, based at least in part on the author's experiences as a daughter of Christian missionaries in the Belgian Congo. The story is set in the 1950's, with the character that glues the story together being Amanda, who leaves South Carolina to be a missionary in the tiny village of Belle Vue. She becomes entwined in the lives of a local witch doctor named "Their Death." Life quickly gets exciting, and dangerous, as Their Death discovers a huge, uncut diamond and Amada tries to adjust to the social and cultural differences between home, and the Congo. There is upheaval, betrayal and even murder. It's an exciting look at Africa, and of that period, and it even has an entertaining mystery woven into it. It has everything a novel should have: it's well written, fast paced, and a great diversion!

It was predictable that when Michael Jackson died, there would be a run of books trying to make sense (or maybe some money) from his tragic and untimely death. The Michael Jackson Tapes by Rabbi Shmuley Boteach (Vanguard Press September 2009) is an attempt by Rabbi Boteach, who was also, supposedly, Jackson's close friend, to make sense of who Jackson is, and why he was in such pain. The book is a well edited collection of tapes that the Rabbi made in 2000-2001 primarily as conversational Q&A with Michael. However, there are also some interesting sections focusing on limited conversations with Michael Jackson's devoted mother. I couldn't help but wonder what the Rabbi hoped to gain from releasing these tapes in book form just now. The Rabbi says he thought the tapes would help people understand Michael Jackson better, and answer the sort of questions many have about this man's life. But honestly, after reading this book, I didn't know anything more significant about Michael Jackson or his unhappy life than I did before I opened the cover. I did find some of the questions the Rabbi asked Michael, thought-provoking. I get the feeling that whatever Rabbi Boteach learned in private, he won't ever say. As a religious leader, and a supposedly a good friend of Michael's, whatever the Rabbi actually knows he tactfully and ethically cannot share. That restricts how much we can "learn" about Jackson from the Q&A he does offer. But, by the end of the book, I found myself feeling sad for Jackson, frustrated for Boteach. In fact, that's the way life is -- not all the loose ends neatly tie up. If you are a fan of the late Michael Jackson, or one of the merely curious, you'll find the book interesting, even if if isn't as insightful as the author had hoped it would be.

Wedding Photography is generally do it yourself, especially if you want this once in a lifetime day to be chronicled, professionally. But Wedding Photography From the Heart: Creative Techniques to Capture the Moments That Matter by Joe Buissink and Skip Cohen (Amphoto Books 2009) will give you ideas not just to use for personal wedding snapshots, but also for taking photos at any special occasion. Buissink is one of American Photo's Top 10 wedding photographers. In this lovely, coffee-sized book, he shares both his thought processes, and his vision through the lens of his camera. The nicely organized book will make you look at life (and photographs) with a different, more discerning eye. The author's tips will also make you a better and more creative, photographer. Even if you're not planning to raise your camera and photograph a wedding, it's still a beautiful book of bridal "eye candy." The gorgeous photos, that capture special moments in time, will make you feel good. It would make a lovely gift for an engaged couple or a photo buff!

Stepmonster: The Surprising Truth About Why Real Stepmothers Think, Feel, and Act the Way We Do by Wednesday Truth (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt May 2009) might make you re-assess your biases about "the other woman" in many divorces. She is the one who has to manage children that are not her own, and who may still have a very active and alive mother who shares joint custody with her ex husband. Whether you're a mother, stepmother, husband, or child, this book breaks down the various issues that all involved in a re-married-with-kids family, will face. The author, a stepmother herself, peppers the various points in the book with personal references, which make it feel more powerful. I am not a mother or a step-mother, but I found the book really fascinating, and didn't feel that the book was slated too far in favor of the step-mothers. And, the book isn't typical, insipid "mommy fare" that talks down to the audience. It is serious, but still quite entertaining. With so many people getting divorced, Stepmonster is an interesting read for anyone who wants a fair-minded view of step-parenting from both the adult and child's perspective. It is a must-read for any woman contemplating marriage to a man with minor or adult children.

I know I may get some angry comments, when I say that I just don't "get" Deepak Chopra. This much-believed new age-y guru has a new book out called: Reinventing the Body, Resurrecting the Soul: How to Create a New You by Deepak Chopra (Crown Publishing Group October 2009). I want to like this man's "wisdom," but it just seems that everything he writes is new age speak that is really another way to say something basic, in thousands of soothing (but not earth-shatteringly new or substantial) words. It's a quick hit of jumbled feel good that's hard to translate and really use off the printed page. In this book, Chopra focuses on the spirit, and talks about how the body is a "holistic, dynamic process that you are in charge of. " I have no real problem with that, but when he claims that "spiritual wellness" can even help you avoid, or cure, cancer (as he suggests in this book), I am very wary (and you should be, too). Life is a miracle, but if there really is such a thing as a personal miracle, it won't be from reading Chopra's books. Reinventing your body by resurrecting your soul is just another word (actually, thousands of them in 276 pages , for doing your best to live a good, healthy life in body and spirit. Chopra fans will flock to get this and treasure it.

Return to Beauty: Old World Wisdom and Recipes for Great Skin by Narine Nikogosian (Atria Books/Simon & Schuster, October, 2009) is one of those books you'll enjoy for the gorgeous photographs, but also for the "cookbook" style beauty "recipes" that you can easily whip up any time, in your kitchen. The author shares the secrets that have made her one of Hollywood's top skin care specialists and her advice is based upon information passed down from generations of women from her native Armenia, as well as her own experiences from twenty years of creating her own skin care programs. When you try the skincare recipes, you'll know that every mask, moisturizer, cleanser, toner, etc., is all natural, completely fresh, and, in fact, edible! The formulas require only simple ingredients and take much less time to make, than to enjoy. For example, a "Blushing Apple Carrot Mask" requires just three ingredients found in every refrigerator, to give your skin a pretty glow in just 20 minutes! Although I mostly use products in jars, tubes and cans, I enjoyed trying some of these as a change of pace, and they work. This book will entice any woman who wants to get a little bit more "old world" and have healthier skin. There's even a phone app for this book. Love it! A perfect holiday gift.

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