Skip navigation

Great books for gift giving

Gene Shalit recommends some of his favorites

TODAY
updated 2:46 p.m. ET Dec. 23, 2003

A holiday tradition for over a quarter century on the "Today" show is Gene Shalit's annual presentation of unusual books for gift giving. Learn more about the books Gene recommends:

"1,000 Places to See Before You Die"
By Patricia Schultz
Published by Workman
$18.95
Paperback

"China"
By Yann Layma
Published by Abrams
$50
Hardcover

Story continues below ↓
advertisement | your ad here

"Cooking 1-2-3: 500 Fabulous Three-Ingredient Recipes"
By Rozanne Gold
Published by Stewart, Tabori & Chang
$37.50
Hardcover

"The Country Music Pop-up Book: The Staff of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum"
By Country Music Hall of Fame
Published by Universe Books
$45
Hardback

"Defining a Nation: Our America and the Sources of Its Strength"
Edited by David Halberstam
Published by National Geographic Books
$40
Hardcover

"Extraordinary Pigeons"
By Stephen Green-Armytage
Published by Abrams
$24.95
Hardcover

"The Hidden Alphabet"
By Laura Vaccaro Seeger
Published by Roaring Brook
$17.95
Hardback

"The Noblest Invention"
By The Editors of Bicycling Magazine
Published by Rodale Press
$27.95
Hardcover

"Porsche: The Road from Zuffenhausen"
By Dennis Adler
Published by Random House
$75
Hardcover

"Firefighters"
Authors: JoEllen L. Kelly, Robert Y. Yatsuk
Published by Hugh Lauter Levin Associates, Inc.
$75
A portion of the proceeds from "Firefighters" will benefit the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, the organization dedicated to honoring America’s fire heroes and their families.  For more information, visit www.firehero.org.

"These United States"
Photographs by Jake Rajs
Introduction by Walter Cronkite
Published by Rizzoli
$175

"Here Be Dragons"
A Fantastic Bestiary
Authors: Ariane Delacampagne and Christian Delacampagne
Published by Princeton University Press
$45.00

"Antartica"
Authors: Pat & Rosemarie Keough
Published by Nahanni Productions, Inc.
$30

"Twins"
Photographs by Mary Ellen Mark
Published by Aperture
$50

"Benjamin Franklin: An American Life"
Author: Walter Isaacson
Published by Simon & Schuster
$30

"The Art and Spirit of Paris"
General Editor: Michel Laclotte
Published by Abbeville Press
$385 until January 1, 2004, $425 thereafter

"The Most Beautiful Libraries in the World"
Author: Guillaume de Laubier
Published by Abrams
$50

© 2009 MSNBC Interactive.  Reprints

Sponsored links

Resource guide