There’s still time left to select the perfect book as the perfect gift for a loved one or friend. Books have an enduring quality to them. People hold onto them. Here are a few I am pleased to recommend.

For those still wondering if the US and its allies are winning the war on terrorism, there’s Richard Miniter’s Shadow War ($27.95, Regnery Publishing, Inc.) in which the noted investigative journalist offers ample evidence based on travels around the world that involved interviewing top intelligence people as well as some of the enemies they were seeking to defeat. In brief, he describes how more than 3,000 al Qaeda operatives have either been seized or slain in 102 countries since 9-11. He tells the stories of some of the countless terror plots that have been defeated. And he reveals just how broad the level of cooperation is with the US from some very surprising sources that include nations as diverse as France and Yemen. Those who claimed the US was acting in a "unilateral" fashion need to read this book to see how the Bush administration created a worldwide coalition.

"My mission is to succeed in any mission and to live to succeed again. I am a member of my nation’s chosen soldiery. God grant that I may not be found wanting, that I will not fail in this sacred trust." These are the last lines of the Special Forces Creed. As it begins, it says, "I am a volunteer, knowing well the hazards of my profession. I serve with the memory of those who have gone before me." I got to thinking about the heroism of our volunteer military as I read Your Neighbor Went to War: Reality and the War on Terror by Captain B. Diggs Brown, Jr. of the United States Army Special Forces. ($14.95, Clinton House, USA, 903 Rule Drive, Suite 6, Fort Collins, CO 80525.You can purchase it by visiting www.diggs.us). Diggs, as his friends call him, gives one a real sense of what it was like to leave all the comforts that we take for granted and, as a National Guard Reservist, don the uniform to defend one’s nation. He does so without complaint, with considerable good humor, and with a quiet, eloquent belief in God. Indeed, what strikes one most vividly as he shares the emails and letters he received and his replies, is the unembarrassed love his friends and family share with him along with their prayers. You should know that what is happening now in Afghanistan and in Iraq is not a "quagmire" or "a colossal mistake." It is the business of a great nation protecting itself and liberating millions of others in the process.

By pure coincidence, Dog Tags Yapping: The WWII Letters of a Combat GI ($29.50, Southern Illinois University Press) arrived as a collection of letters home by M.D. Elevitch, who was a young soldier who fought under Patton in Germany until injuries from a mortar took home for recovery. The GI Bill gave him access to a university education after the war. He lived in Europe through the 1950s and 60s where he pursued a career as writer and professor, a traveler, and the founder of a magazine, in addition to publishing three novels. Time is taking those who fought from us, but these letters, written with great passion and humor, remind us of the universality of the soldier’s experience and the specificity of that last, great and awful war that gripped so much of the world. Relive the Battle of the Bulge and the shocking post V-E Day revelations. Greatly contributing to the enjoyment of the book are the author’s clever illustrations. Those who love military history will love this book and those who want to know what WWII was like in Europe can experience it from the safety of the pages of this book.

The government and, in particular, the Constitution on which it is based, is the subject of an important book by Judge Andrew P. Napolitano, Constitutional Chaos: What Happens When the Government Breaks its own Laws ($26.99, Nelson Current). The Judge is best known as a senior judicial analyst on Fox News, but for many years he was a New Jersey Superior Court Judge. His book is ideal for anyone who is concerned that government at all levels too often ignores the rights and protections guaranteed by the Constitution. He writes in plain language, not legalese, citing a variety of cases ranging from the infamous raid on the Branch Dividians to the illegal seizure of Elian Gonzalez to return him to Cuba. Other cases cited look at the way the press and private citizens are silenced by courts in violation of the First Amendment. There are cases cited where law enforcement authorities enticed citizens to break the law in order to then arrest them. The most important warning, however, is the way the Constitution is being ignored by the office of the President and the Attorney General with regard to the "war on terror." As the Judge notes, the Constitution is in force whether the nation is at peace or at war. Recent actions against a wide variety of people suspected of posing a danger to the US have essentially vacated the rights guaranteed to all of us. In chapter after chapter, Judge Napolitano reminds us of how the Constitution was written to protect individuals against an all-powerful government and what happens when that government breaks laws. Liberal or conservative, the lessons provided by this book apply to all of us.

My friend, John McCaslin, writes the popular Washington Times column, Inside the Beltway, which happily has now become a collection of what he calls his favorite stories, scoops, and shenanigans from around the nation’s capital. ($24.00, WND Books, a division of Thomas Nelson Publishers) He takes you along on his own life’s journey and, as the ultimate DC insider, John shares stories of the politically famous and introduces you to others, less well known, but just as interesting. What John does best is put a human face on the nation’s various movers and shakers. Bitten early by the journalism bug, he has never lost his enthusiasm and it shows. Starting as a rooky reporter in Montana, John had both the chutzpah and a laser eye for the stories that get by others, plus a wicked sense of humor. John has put together a book that offers hours of wonderful entertainment for news junkies.

A terrific gift for the history buff in your life is Derek Hayes’ America Discovered: A Historical Atlas of North American Exploration ($40.00, Douglas & McIntrye) whose maps and text about how America was explored and mapped will prove a real treasure. Many factors drove Europeans to risk their lives exploring the uncharted coastline of North America and then to seek to penetrate its forests, ford its rivers, and unravel the mystery of the huge, unknown continent. Using more than 280 original maps and dozens of historical illustrations, this remarkable atlas reveals how both the myths and realities of America slowly became known from the East coast to the far, majestic West. An even larger coffee table-style book is Horses, a collection of more than 200 extraordinary photos by Yann Arthus-Bertrant, accompanied by an excellent text by Jean-Louis Gourant ($60.00, Artisan, a division of Workman Publishing, New York). Best known as a fashion photographer, Arthus-Bertrant also has an affinity for horses, seeking to show them as if they were a beautiful model. He brings his style and skill to photographing various breeds from all around the world. From the famed Arabian purebreds to the Austrian Lippizaners, to the American Appaloosa, these and other breeds make this book a travelogue of sorts, but page after page of photos is devoted to this creature that has played such a large role in the human story as well. For anyone whose life is involved with horses, this book will be the perfect gift.

The use of narcotic drugs, both medicinally and for the pleasure they provide, goes back a long way and it is the history of Opium: A Portrait of the Heavenly Demon ($14.95, Greystone Books) that is told by Barbara Hodgson in a slim, handsomely illustrated book. This is the least surprising aspect of the book as the author is also a book designer. Unlike too many thick tomes on a particular topic, Hodgson provides a swift, interesting journey into the history of a drug that has its roots the Middle East, India, and China, from where opium smoking gradually spread throughout Europe and America. Opium was and is highly addictive, but a number of famous writers and artists embraced it, along with the countless others who fell victim to its euphoria as an antidote to pain and anguish. In all respects, this is a clever piece of work.

I am always delighted to find books that entertain with interesting trivia and they make great gifts for those with special interests. Take, for example, The Rough Guide to Superheroes ($12.99, Rough Guides, NYC). Small enough to stuff into a Christmas stocking, this book celebrates the super humans who saved the world and the villains who fought them. It begins with the superheroes of the ancient Greeks and moves right on through to today’s superheroes, heroines, and villains. Chocked full of fun facts, photos, timelines, and a collector’s guide, it is the ultimate guide for the fantasy world’s bravest and nastiest. I also enjoyed Life: The Odds by Gregory Baer ($11.00, Plume), filled with the statistical odds of everything from having hemorrhoids to hitting a hole in one. There are odds on being struck by lightning to being audited by the IRS. Its nine sections address love and marriage, becoming a success, the sporting life, medical matters and other topics that will keep you turning the pages.

For sophistication and fun, there’s bestselling mystery novelist, Janet Evanovich, who has penned Visions of Sugar Plums ($6.99, St. Martin’s Press, paperback). This time, her famed Fugitive Apprehension Agent, Stephanie Plum, who is used to strangers, wierdos, felons, creeps and lunatics showing up to her door, finds herself in the presence of a mysterious, sexy guy with an agenda he is not about to reveal. It is five days until Christmas and you get to celebrate it with her—Jersey style!

There’s Move Over, Santa—Ruby’s Doin’ Christmas! by Ruby Ann Boxcar, Queen of the Double-wides! ($26.95, Kensington Publishing Corp) That’s Southern trailer park trash to you who are not familiar with the term. This domestic diva has served up a very funny book on how to celebrate Christmas, offering tips from decorating to cooking, crafts and entertaining, as only someone who has yet to have made it into the Middle Class could tell you. Dressing up means lots of red lipstick and glitter. Wrapping includes the use of Sunday’s colored newspaper and old maps. You know, really good advice if you’re financially challenged and/or a high school dropout. Truth is, this is a wonderfully funny book and a nice change of pace for those serious ones.

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Cookbooks Galore

Of cookbooks there are many. Probably too many, but every so often one comes along that is unique enough to merit recommendation. That surely applies to Pamela Hensley Vincent’s The Jewish-Sicilian Cookbook ($24.95, The Overlook Press) that celebrates Yetta’s chicken soup and latkes, as well as Duke’s spaghetti marinara. The author grew up in Los Angeles and may be remembered for her roles on "Marcus Welby, M.D.", "Buck Rogers" and "Matt Houston." This Jewish-American actress married Duke Vincent, a former member of the US Navy’s fabled Blue Angels, of Italian ancestry, who went on to produce more than seventy television series, including "Charmed", "Beverly Hills 90210" and "Dynasty". Italians and Jews have a lot in common and one of them is a love of good food. They also share the same joie de vivre, so it is not surprising that from this marriage has come a delightful book that recalls Pamela’s grandmother’s and mother’s specialties, as well as those from Duke’s side of the family. The recipes will make you drool; not so much fancy, but very tasty.

If you love to eat, the place to go is New Orleans, home to some of the finest restaurants in America. First opened in 1920, Uglesich’s Restaurant is a favorite of locals and of tourists who have learned about its reputation, passed from father to son, Tony and his wife, Gail. Thanks to their son, John, we now have Uglesich’s Restaurant Cookbook ($24.95, Pelican Publishing Co., Gretna, LA). The color photos will make you drool and the recipes for items like glazed Cornish Hen and Crawfish Etouffe will either send you to the kitchen or onto the next plane to the Crescent City. One of the great joys of life are jams, jellies, and preserves. Beverley Ellen Schoonmaker Alfeld has gift us with The Jamlady Cookbook ($35.00, Pelican Publishing Co.) that is the last word on the topic as she shares her knowledge of how to prepare and cook with these culinary delights. This ultimate book on the topic has sections on processing methods and troubleshooting that also incline butters, marmalades, conserves, spreads, and chutneys. The book will inspire you or the lucky person to whom you give it. Just close your eyes and think about spiced strawberry-banana butter or a classic pineapple jam, a pink grapefruit marmalade or a marnier mango-apricot jam.

If you asked any connoisseur of fine cuisine to name one of the best restaurants the Washington, DC area he would name L’Auberge Chef Francois in a nearby northern Virginia suburb. That’s where Jacques Haeringer is the Chef de Cuisine, following in his father’s famous footsteps. These days he is as famous as his father, Chef Francois Haeringer who presided over Chez Francois, an Alsatian restaurant in Washington, DC, that he opened over fifty years ago. Today, Jacques serves both classic and contemporary French fare when he is not teaching, writing, and appearing at cooking demonstrations, and on television. His new cookbook is Two for Tonight: Pure Romance from L’Auberge Chez Francois ($26.95, Bartleby Press, Silver Spring, MD) and it is, as you might imagine, filled with wonderful recipes gathered in sections that include "Breakfast in Bed", "Love in the Afternoon", and "After Midnight." Is there a theme here? Oh yes, but best of all, there are soufflés, quenelles, flans, and dozens of other gastronomic delights. Among the fans who praise this book are a very bipartisan Dick Gephardt, Ted Koppel, Newt Gingrich, and Oliver North. Now you can add my name to the group.

Cooking New American is 200 recipes from the editors of Fine Cooking magazine ($29.95, The Taunton Press, Newton, CT) is filled with mouth watering delights and plenty of color photos to show you, not just the final results, but techniques of preparation. As the title suggests, this is all about those dishes Americans love and it includes salads, soups, pastas, chicken and meat recipes. There’s a nice emphasis, too, on the use of various herbs to enhance the taste of the various dishes.

The low-carb trend that has swept across the nation has generated The Low-Carb Gourmet by Karen Barnaby ($35.00, Rodale) that can provide a guide to eating well, while keeping an eye on one’s waist. It features some 250 recipes, all of which demonstrate that you don’t have to give up the enjoyment of good while being health-conscious. your waistline. Want to enjoy a non-alcoholic cocktail with which to celebrate the holidays? Well, some weight conscience people do, along with diabetics and others. And for them, there’s Low-Carb Cocktails by Marlene and Chuck Koch ($6.95, M. Evans & Co.) who have devised over 60 recipes, many with non-alcoholic versions, for everything from eggnog and hot buttered rum, to some original creations. The pocket-sized softcover offers information on carbs, calories and alcohol in the diet. For many, moderate, sensible drinking actually has health benefits that include reducing the risk of heart attacks, strokes, certain cancers and even memory loss. Marline is a dietitian, so she knows her stuff.

Also for those who watch their calories, there’s The 2005 Yummy Hunter’s Guide by Helen Brand and Eric Robespiere ($14.95, Romax Publishing, PO Box 2290, Halesite, NY 11743) that offers gobs of information about more than 590 tasty, low-calorie foods and where to shop for them, along with more than 340 low carb choices. From creamers to cereals, cheeses to ice creams, pizzas, chicken, burgers, the entire gamut of dining, you will learn where to purchase food to please both your palette and your waistline. Want to enjoy a non-alcoholic cocktail with which to celebrate the holidays?

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Kid Stuff for Younger Readers

Annika’s Secret Wish written by Beverly Lewis and illustrated by Pamela Querin ($16.99, Bethany House Publishers, Minnesota) tells a Christmas story against the background of Swedish traditions and comes with a CD that is as delightful as the book. The story is a Christian morality tale about the joy that comes from the happiness of others. Most striking about this book is its page after page of the most beautiful illustrations one will ever find in a book for young readers. For the pre-schooler, either the CD or a parent can read the story out loud while the pages are being turned and for the older reader, up to around age twelve, the combination of text and art will be both heartwarming and dazzling. Check it out at www.bethanyhouse.com.

It All Began With a Bean by Katie McKy, illustrated by Tracy Hill, ($14.95, Tanglewood Press, Terre Haute, IN) is very silly, slightly naughty story that kids four to eight will enjoy either having read to them or reading themselves, depending on their age. It incorporates the elements of a good kid’s story, lots of big numbers, lots of animals, and a storm of flatulence that is hilarious. Even the skunks have to hold their noses! The author has taught school for 20 years, so she knows her audience well and illustrator has a gift for capturing the fun of the story. For those aged 4 to 8, there’s Another Tree in the Yard by Lucia Sera with illustrations by John Iorio ($16.95, Vocalis Ltd., Waterbury, CT) that tells the story, ostensibly about a beloved magnolia tree that must make room for a newly planted fig tree. It is, of course, a story about an older sibling who must adjust to the introduction of a new baby in the home and learn to love it as part of the family. In that regard, it teaches a good lesson and it does so without being too preachy about it. For parents encountering this situation, this book will prove very helpful.

For the very young for whom the illustrations are what matters most is Sloane Tanen’s Where Is Coco Going?, filled with fanciful photos by Stefan Hagen ($14.95, Bloomsbury Children’s Books) in which a young chick, all yellow fuzz, sets off on a journey that allows a parent to read the slight text and point out the many different elements of journey in taxis, planes and trains, et cetera. Another book in this genre is Baby Parade by Jakki Wood ($7.95, Frances Lincoln Children’s Books) that is largely two-page spreads of illustrations of a baby’s typical day from waking up to going to sleep. Others in this series include Animal Parade, Noisy Parade, and Number Parade. Young children can pick up a second language with ease and El Gato Leo Comes to Play by Opal Dunn and Cathy Gale, the illustrator, ($7.95, Frances Lincoln Children’s Books) is designed to teach some Spanish words and phrases in a most clever fashion as the story follows a cat on a skateboard. Ms. Dunn is a specialist in early first and second language development, but that won’t matter to a child, four to eight, who discovers new words that mean the same thing in English as a parent or teacher reads the story to them.

What youngster doesn’t wonder how skyscrapers get built? For those eight and older, Skyscraper by Susan E. Goodman, with wonderful color photos by Michael J. Doolittle, (#16.95, Alfred A. Knopf) explains just how such a building comes into being from the ground up. Even this grownup found the story fascinating as it introduces one to the architect who designs the building and the many different kinds of procedures and workers that make it into a reality, floor by floor. In a similar fashion, Look! Body Language in Art by Gillian Wolfe ($16.95, Frances Lincoln Children’s Books) will take the youngster in the same age group on a perceptual experience that teaches the way artists from the classicists to the modernists portray the message of their paintings. This book would prove a special treat to the young, budding artist. Are We Alone? Scientists Search for Life in Space by Gloria Skurzynski ($18.95, National Geographic) will please the scientifically inclined young reader aged eleven and up with its examination of the question, "Is there life in outer space?" The text, as is always the case with this publisher’s books, is beautifully illustrated with color photos, but it is the text that will grip the imagination of the reader and inspire a few would-be astronomers among them.

Continuing her series, Ellen F. Feld has written Rusty the High-Flying Morgan Horse ($9.95, Willow Bend Publishing, Deerfield, MA). This is her third novel for younger readers age twelve and up. The first two featured Blackjack and Frosty, also Morgan horses, who enhance and transform the lives of the young ladies who love them. In this new novel, the theme is the world of show jumping. Her second book, Rusty, just won a prestigious National Book Award. You can learn more about all three books when you visit www.willowbendpublishing.com.

From Illumination Arts Publishing Company of Bellevue, Washington, come two interesting children’s stories. Little Ruth Reddingford and the Wolf ($15.95) may have a familiar feeling to it. Dr. Hank Wesselman, Ph.D. has updated the classic fairy tale into one about girl who goes to visit her grandmother and is set upon by two school bullies and rescued by a combination of a Hopi Indian throwing stick and an animal spirit friend and guardian, a beautiful white wolf. The story is beautifully illustrated by Raquel Abreau and should appeal especially to girls aged eight to twelve. The other book, Too Many Murkles, by Heidi Charissa Schmid tells of a girl who is able to see the good in everything, whether it’s a smelly Murkle, a weed-like flower, or a flock of noisy birds. For an adult, its message that everything in Nature is to be loved comes off as a bit preachy, but for a younger reader, seven and up to ten or so, the clever illustrations by Mary Gregg Bryne and amusing story will provide ample entertainment. They can learn later that not everything in Nature is benign.

Any parent or teacher asked to plan a party for a class will get a lot of help from Parties with Pizzazz: A Complete Resource for Holiday Classroom Parties by Marci Mohan. Jeanne Palmer and Peggy Simenson ($19.95, www.pizzazzpublishing.com) It is filled with wonderful suggestions that will create memorable Halloween, Christmas, and Valentine parties, all of which have been kid-tested. Scripting these parties from start to finish, they will prove ideal for any group of children such as scout troops, birthday celebrations, church gatherings, neighborhood block parties, and family get-togethers.

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The Lives of Interesting People

Dick Wirthlin may not be a name known to someone who is not interested in politics, but he was the late President Reagan’s chief strategist and pollster. He was also one of his closest friends. He has written The Greatest Communicator: What Ronald Reagan Taught Me about Politics, Leadership and Life (22.95, Wiley) saying, "This book is about the relationship I witnessed Ronald Reagan forge with the American people through his greatest gift; the ability to change lives—indeed the world, with words." Wirthlin shares some astonishingly candid snapshots of a man who is passing into legend already, bringing him back to life through his many memories of him. Many books will be written about Reagan and his years in office, but Wirthlin’s book provides a very special insight because he was also Reagan’s friend for over two decades from his days as Governor of California, through his first and only political defeat when, in 1976, he sought his party’s presidential nomination, and then through his eight extraordinary years in the Oval Office. What emerges is a portrait of a man who was the same on the great stage of world events as he was when the spotlight wasn’t on him. As Wirthlin says, he was seamless, courageous, and, above all, optimistic.

We writers are partial to one another and find it interesting to read about the lives of those who have made their mark in the literary world. One such author is Amy Tan,famed for her bestselling novels, "The Joy Luck Club" and "The Kitchen God’s Wife." Ms. Tan has written a memoir, The Opposite of Fate, ($15.00, Penguin Books, softcover) whose subtitle is "Memories of a Writing Life." As such it more than amply satisfies our curiosity as she relates what it was like to grow up, a Chinese-American in suburban California and, in particular, the exploration of her relationship with her mother. This and much more would shape her vision of the world, ultimately to gift us all with her talent. If you’ve read her novels, you will want to read her memoir. If you read her memoir, you will want to read her novels.

A man who has already become part legend is Mohandas K. Gandhi, known as the Mohatma, the man credited with freeing the Indian nation from the control of the British government, and doing so through nonviolent resistance. He is revered by the vast majority of Hindus as the hero of Indian independence and by others worldwide who regard him as a saint. Now, Col. G.B. Singh has written Gandhi: Behind the Mask of Divinity ($32.00, Prometheus Books) to reveal, as much as possible, the reality of Gandhi’s ideology and efforts to cover up some aspects of his life to foster the legend. We need to remember that even great men had their flaws and Col. Singh, a career military officer and student of Indian politics, Hinduism, and of Gandhi, presents his facts in a compelling way.

Those of us of a certain age remember Bobby Darin, the singer and actor who gained considerable fame in the 1950s before dying quite young. David Evanier has written a wonderful biography, Roman Candle: The Life of Bobby Darin ($24.95, Rodale), chronicling his driving ambitions, his history of poor health, his marriage to movie star, Sandra Dee, and, of course, the songs he immortalized from "Splish Splash" to "Mack the Knife." Now, three decades since his passing, he is the subject of a movie starring Kevin Spacey. For a trip back to those exciting times and a look at the life of a man who was so much a part of that era, this book will prove very entertaining. There have been at least a thousand books written about him. He has 625 active fan clubs and, last year, 27 years after his death in 1977, he made more money than any other deceased superstar. He was and is Elvis Presley, and you can enjoy yet another book, The Elvis Archives by Todd Slaughter with Anne E. Nixon ($29.95, Omnibus Press), officially due out in January. Filled with more than 100 rare and exclusive photos, this book chronicles his extraordinary life. He was the King. He is still the King of rock’n roll. Another figure from the world of music is Lou Reed, a rock icon widely and highly regarded for being a talented lyricist, musician, and iconoclast. He emerged in the 1970s with a big hit that is the title of a photo-filled biographical journey, A Walk on the Wild Side: Lou Reed, the Stories Behind the Songs by Chris Roberts ($22.95, Hal Leonard Corporation, New York, NY). This is one of those books that will appeal most to those who follow the rock music scene and are fans of this particular artist.

Another era, World War I, and its most daring combatants, is captured in Echoes of Eagles by Charles Woolley with Bill Crawford ($14.00, New American Library softcover), subtitled "A son’s search for his father and the legacy of America’s first fighter pilots." It is the story of Charles E. Wooley, a member of a pioneering group of young pilots who flew in flimsy, open-cockpit biplanes 20,000 feet over war-torn France. Without either radios or parachutes, every flight could have been their last and, for some, it was. This is an exhilarating story of the aerial dogfights and the many emotions these men experienced on a daily basis. It depicts a lost era of the chivalry of air combat. A very different story is told by Maura Conlon-McIvor in FBI Girl: How I Learned to Crack my Father’s Code ($23.00, Warner Books). Her father was FBI Special Agent Joe Conlon and, while he battled a world full of crooks and other bad people, he did everything in his power to keep that aspect of his life separate from the suburban Los Angeles house in which his daughter, four other children, and wife dwelled. The time was the late 1960s and the nation was in ferment from the Cold War and Vietnam. The author was determined to crack through his code of silence and this is an entertaining story of coming of age, of a fierce love, and of family bonds.

You probably have never heard of D.W. Winnicott (1896-1971) and, frankly, neither had I. Turns out this British psychoanalyst and pediatrician virtually founded the field of child development and was a hero to more current notables like Dr. T. Berry Brazelton and Dr. Benjamin Spock. In Winnicott: Life and Work ($20.00, Da Capo Press, softcover) Dr. F. Robert Rodman, MD, traces this remarkable man’s contribution to psychoanalysis while painting a picture of the man and his times. The author benefited from being given complete access to Winnicott’s letters and documents for this expansive biography of a man whose work transformed how infants and children are now raised. I’d never heard of Standing Bear, a Ponca Indian Chief until I read Standing Bear is a Person by Stephen Dando-Collins ($26.00, Da Capo Press hardcover). The Poncas were a small tribe in northeastern Nebraska that was forced to relinquish its land and relocate to Oklahoma in 1877. Two years later, he sued in US District Court for the right to return home—and won! This year marks the 125^th anniversary of the case that, for the first time, recognized the rights of Native Americans. So much of the lives of Native Americans has yet to have been told, but then, history is usually written by the winners of struggles such as those between the settlers and original inhabitants of the land.

The Art of the Piano: Its Performers, Literature, and Recordings by David Dubal ($34.95, Amadeus Press softcover) will be a perfect gift for anyone who loves playing or listening to great piano music. It even comes with a CD of great performances. At just over 680 pages, it is an impressive reference filled with brief biographies of pianists who achieved fame for their excellence.

For those who love history, there’s General Washington’s Christmas Farewell by Stanley Weintraub ($14.00, Plume softcover) that tells of how, in late November 1783, Washington received word that that a peace treaty had been signed with England and then faced the tasks of bidding farewell to his troops in New York and resign his commission to Congress in Philadelphia if he had any hope of making it back to Mount Vernon for Christmas. So much of the essence of what America became was embodied in this extraordinary man, it is the author’s achievement that he reminds us how human he truly was.

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Science in all its Splendor

Know someone who loves science? Several books will keep them buried in their pages. The Great Betrayal: Fraud in Science by Horace Freeland Judson ($28.00,Harcourt) is hardly light reading, but it is very instructive as a warning about the way science has been and continues to be subject to a variety of hoaxes and deceptions, often by people held in very high regard. For anyone engaged in science, this book will prove of particular interest as it explores the inner workings of labs, the government, and universities to provide a true insider’s view. It is a discomforting look at the way even peer review is failing to detect or deter bad science.

The Frankenfood Myth: How Protest and Politics Threaten the Biotech Revolution by Henry I. Miller and Gregory Conko ($39.95, Praeger Publishers, Westport, CT) deals with another kind of fraud; it is the effort by self-proclaimed environmentalists to deter progress in an area of science that holds forth the promise of feeding earth’s billions of people while, at the same time, not endangering its forests by cutting them down for more farmland or requiring the use of more pesticides and herbicides. Nobel Peace Laureate, Norman E. Borlaug, provides the introduction in which he decries the "scare stories trumpeted by the media (which) become widely known and accepted but later were shown to be of little or no consequence." He bluntly says "Extremists in the environmental movement are doing everything they can to stop scientific progress in its tracks, and their allies in the regulatory agencies are more than eager to help." This is more than an issue of biotechnology. It is an issue of life and death, and it is being played out in some African nations today whose leaders have been convinced to reject supplies of corn to feed their starving citizens because of bogus claims that it poses a risk. Everyone has a stake in the advance of biotech science and this interesting book explains how it works and why it will transform the future.

Last month’s edition noted Keith J. Laidler’s The Harmonious Universe: The Beauty and Unity of Scientific Understanding ($28.00) that held forth on how the universe works. This month we note his Science and Sensibility: The Elegant Logic of the Universe ($28.00, Prometheus Books) a guide to this vast place filled with particles, quasars, and black holes, ideal for the reader who wants to gain an understanding of the complex and mysterious universe where our planet is just a tiny oasis of life. Either of these books will prove very satisfying and informative. E.E. Lewis contributes yet another Prometheus book with Masterworks of Technology: The Story of Creative Engineering, Architecture, and Design ($28.00) which may sound boring to some, but is a thoroughly absorbing story of the technological creativity over the centuries that has shaped the world in which we live. We marvel at great structures or the way a passenger jet whisks us across the nation or an ocean, but how did all this come to be? That’s the wonderful story the author tells. The next time you drive across a bridge or turn on the radio, I promise you, if you read this fascinating book, you will not be so blasé.

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Religion is the Topic

Religion, in theory, should bring people together as they worship the Creator or embrace spiritual traditions that emphasize inner peace. In reality, religion has probably caused more strife than anything else in history and, today, the Islamic Jihad being waged against the West and even within Muslim nations is causing the deaths of so many innocent people. So, one approaches books on the topic with a bit of caution, but with the sure knowledge that those who embrace some form of religion are better company than those who do not.

Let us start with Secrets of the Bible ($25.95, Hatherleigh Press) that examines Holy Scripture from the advantage of breakthroughs in archeology that have expanded an understanding of the Bible. The editors of Archaeology magazine offer this new book, revealing the latest discoveries and fascinating details, and providing new theories. In an age of science and reason, science often confirms what was recorded in the Bible, as much as it disputes it. While focused on the past, this book brings a new perspective to the conflicts of the present. Thus, anyone with an interest in religion will find this book a very enjoyable reading experience. This applies as well to Gilgamesh: A New English Version ($24.00, Free Press, division of Simon and Schuster) by Stephen Mitchell. More than a thousand years before the Iliad or the Bible, Gilgamesh was a story of the first hero in literature, the king of Uruk in what is now Iraq. It is the story of his self-discovery, one that gives voice to grief, the fear of death, the power of love and friendship, all the most important matters of the heart. It was Gilgamesh who wanted to rid the world of evil and, in this ancient story, can be found elements of what emerged in later religious thought and belief. Considered one of the masterpieces of world literature, it reads today like a contemporary action film in this new version.

The fact that "moral values" played such an important role in the reelection of President Bush is particularly significant in light of this nation’s long history of religion in the forging of America’s history. That’s why Under God by Toby Mac and Michael Tait ($16.99, Bethany House) will prove so pleasurable to those who find both religion and history of interest. It is a record of America’s spiritual legacy and is filled with unforgettable accounts of both famous and little-known Americans whose faith forged our nation. There’s a wonderful, true story of how, with two horses shot out from under him and four bullet holes in his coat, the enemy stopped shooting at George Washington, convinced that he was under God’s divine protection. It is unlikely this book will ever make it into the libraries or classrooms of our nation’s schools, but it should be among those books all young people should read. And grownups, too.

Slouching toward Zion and More Lies by Robert Flynn ($24.95, University of North Texas Press) is a companion to his earlier book, "Growing Up a Sullen Baptist." It is a collection of twenty-three stories that have hope, faith, and love as their common denominator. This author knows his Bible and, with considerable wit, he explores various aspects. Flynn is the author of eight novels and never fails to entertain while provoking the reader to think about their own feelings of spirituality. There is no question that the Bible has proven a comfort to millions. Paul Sullivan Pope has written Divine Impact ($14.95, Crestwick Books, San Antonio, TX) in which he has taken 25 Bible passages that he has identified as being especially able to enrich one’s life. You may know someone who needs some encouragement or insight because they are in the midst of some personal problem. If so, this book would make a good Christmas gift.

As mentioned, there are people who reject any religion, preferring to rely on pure reason, humanism, or some other construct to deal with life’s challenges. For them, The Psychological Roots of Religious Belief: Searching for Angels and the Parent-God by M.D. Faber ($27.00, Prometheus Books) will prove to be very interesting reading. The author has previously written about the psychology of religion and, in this new book, suggests that our brains are constructed to make us profoundly susceptible to religious myths. The central focus of the book is Fabor’s analysis of the connection between the onset of infantile amnesia during childhood’s later years and the evocative power of religious mythology. He theorizes that the parent in those years who is, for all intents and purposes, all powerful and all known, is replaced later on by the belief in a God who is, in reality, an omnipotent parental provider who watches over us and ministers to our needs. His insights also address why religious conflicts can often become violent.

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To Your Health!

I am partial to books that advise people not only about maintaining their health, but what to do when they encounter problems. That’s why I liked Dr. Mark C. Pettus, MD’s book, The Savvy Patient(19.95, Capital Books, Dulles, VA). His book provides insider information on how to navigate our complicated health care system through sickness or health. Many other health book authors have hailed it. They include Bernie Siegel, MD, who called it "an incredible source of information" and Roger Fisher, professor emeritus of the Harvard Law School, who called it "the best advice I know on doctor-patient negotiations." Dean Edell, MD said it was a "down-to-earth, straightforward, commonsense approach to even the most complex situations in medical care…" Along with a good medical insurance policy, this book should be considered a necessary part of everyone’s ability to effectively plan for any health threat.

Dr. Aaron G. Filler, MD, has penned Do You Really Need Back Surgery? More than a half million people undergo surgery to relieve back pain and the author acknowledges that many need it, but many contemplating it need to know when it should be considered and when they should not undergo it. The author ($28.00, Oxford University Press) is an internationally recognized expert in nerve and spinal surgery, and this is an invaluable guide to the options available. For anyone experiencing back pain, this book will explain the terms, describing the differences between acute, chronic and reoccurring pain. It explains what physicians look for to determine one from another and whether certain kinds of pain will go away with rest and exercise, while others may become emergencies. If this condition describes yourself or someone you know, this is the book to read.

A South Africa-based author, Phyllis Berger, has authored The Journey to Pain Relief that will prove helpful to those who suffer from chronic pain. Indeed, the author a physiotherapist and acupuncture expert herself suffered from pain following a spinal fusion of the upper cervical vertebrae in 1992. Her book is a mix of mainstream and holistic approaches to pain treatment with chapters covering a variety of treatments. Whether it is headaches, advice on posture improvement, or recovering from various accidents, this is a thorough look at the subject of pain reduction and cure. You can learn more about the book by visiting www.easemypains.com.

A lot of men are going to be very grateful to Dr. Bradley Hennenfent, MD, for his book, Surviving Prostrate Cancer Without Surgery ($19.95, Roseville Books, Roseville, IL). The fact is that surgery often leaves men with sexual dysfunction for the rest of their lives, as well as incontinence. Moreover, radical prostatectomy for prostrate cancer does not necessarily extend life. It is the author’s view that such surgery "is one of the biggest medical hoaxes of all time, because it is not based on science" and offers information on much better treatments that are available.

A book that will prove helpful to many victims of childhood abuse is Julie Martin's Healing From Childhood Abuse (Miracle System Press, Huntington Beach, CA). Through a text filled with poetry and prose that addresses how to overcome the scars of the past, the author reveals how she achieved peace of mind after a long period of anxiety, depression, and the confusion that accompanies these experiences. It is a look into the formerly shattered mine of a survivor who has come through. The book is filled with valuable insights on how children fashion survival mechanisms that shape their adult behavior, often with disastrous results and why long-term anti-depressant use can be a mistake for survivors because it is important they address, not dull, the pain. You can learn more about this remarkable book by clicking here to access information in our Featured Book section.

As Americans worry about the lack of flu vaccine, a new book tells the story of another. Vaccine A: The Covert Government Experiment That’s Killing Our Soldiers and Why GI’s Are Only the First Victims ($25.00, Basic Books, a division of Perseus Books Group). Written by Gary Matsumoto, an award winning journalist based in New York, the author reveals how troops sent to fight the Gulf War in 1991 and the Iraq War in 2003, were immunized with the only FDA-approved anthrax vaccine in existence or thought they were. Some, perhaps thousands, received an experimental vaccine instead. They were used as human guinea pigs and one, which the author says, has gone "disastrously wrong." One wonders why this book isn’t generating headlines, but when returning troops begin experiencing illnesses like lupus, crippling arthritis and multiple sclerosis, in numbers that cannot be swept under the rug, their personal tragedies will focus attention on this travesty. Meanwhile, you can read this book and learn for yourself the dimensions of this horror.

The late Ronald Reagan is perhaps the most famous victim of Alzheimer’s disease. It is estimated that 4.5 million Americans suffer from this devastating disease and they suffer frustration and loneliness, while their loved ones suffer the pain of seeing them slip away. Betsy Peterson knows this first hand, having spent 14 years caring for her husband’s dementia. She has written a book that is a resource for both the victims and their caregivers. Voices of Alzheimer’s: Courage, Humor, Hope, and Love in the Face of Dementia ($14.95, Da Capo Lifelong Books, Cambridge, MA) is a collection of quotes and stories from patients, their families, and caregivers. They capture the experience and chapters cover such topics as diagnosis, loneliness, financial burden, death and the grief that follows. She does so with grace and understanding. Anyone who is in the early stages or caring for someone with Alzheimer’s will benefit greatly from this book.

Come back in January. Bring a friend!

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