When I see sculpture, I fight the urge to touch it.  I really think that part of the sculptural experience is feeling it, alas, that isn’t allowed.  I’ve asked curators if they touch the art when no one is around, if that’s a perk of the job.  They look at me a little uncomfortably and don’t answer my question, which I’ve chosen to interpret as “yes” rather than “I think you’re a little nutty.”  Many years ago, it was different at some museums in Europe.

Between taking the California bar and chaining ourselves to a law firm desk, Keith and I traveled to Italy.  Walking through the garden at the Guggenheim in Venice, I noticed a Giacometti and said “Keith, we can touch it!”  Really, it screams to be touched.  If you have seen a Giacometti, you would think it’s heavy.  Wrong.  We reached out and, I guess, pressed too hard.  It wobbled.  We grabbed it, steadied it and broke out into a cold sweat.  Three years later, seated at my law firm desk, I was flipping through a valuation and a statute similar to the one we wobbled was valued at millions of dollars.  Back came the cold sweat.  Every time I see a Giacometti, I’m reminded of those moments.  It’s a testament to my love of Giacometti’s art that I love to look at it despite my emotional response.  In honor of our near catastrophe, I think Keith should get me the book.

Here’s why Cameron at Diesel wants it more than any other book on his holiday wish list:

Check out the Diesel website to see what other books the booksellers are wishing for and talking about.

I have a couple of gift-giving guidelines:  Don’t give me anything from Bed, Bath and Beyond regardless of a stack of 20% off or $5 off coupons.  Never, ever, give me anything alive.  Please don’t give me Chinese themed clothes/items just because Chinese Studies was my husband’s major in college.  My most important gift giving advice-a book is the best gift of all.  I give my family books every year and at least once every Christmas morning, when they unwrap one of them, I ask “what’s the best gift?”  The victim dutifully answers “a book.”  Now that my kids are teenagers, I look away immediately to give them the freedom to roll their eyes.

I already have a list of books I want for Christmas.  As soon as I check it twice to make sure which ones are worthy and which ones are nice, I’ll e-mail it to my husband and my kids.  My husband has survived enough cold Christmases (like the one where he was so excited about the frying pans he gave me that he forgot to give me the coat I had been pining over until the night of the 26th, see the first rule above) to appreciate all the help he can get.  Plus, he and the sales clerk at diesel bookstore become best friends over the phone every December and each book comes beautifully wrapped, by diesel.  My daughter is iffy, she appreciates the help and loves book but has some particular ideas about what I should be wearing, especially now that we can share clothes.

My book list is comprised of books I usually wouldn’t buy for myself.  If there is a book I’d devour in an afternoon or a book I need to read for a discussion or author talk, I’ll buy it.  But there are lots of books I want to have to someday be able to pick up and peruse.  I want to know they’re there for a quiet afternoon or to delve in a topic.  I usually start reading them while we’re still away on Christmas vacation but when I get back home and the list of what has to be read gets longer, these books find cozy locations on my shelves.  They’re not forgotten, in fact they are friends.  Probably 15 years ago at Christmas, my husband gave me When Nietzsche Wept.  I still haven’t read it.  I want to read it, I intend to read it, but haven’t yet.  But every time I see it on the shelves, I feel a warm glow remembering that Christmas morning when he told me how he described me to the bookseller and she suggested he give me this book.

Two years ago, my son gave me four books.  I’ve read one of them.  He asked me over and over when I was going to read the others.  Finally, about August of that year, he said he wouldn’t give me any more books until I read the ones he already gave me.  I reminded him that I read a lot of All Art is Propaganda, a volume of Orwell essays, and that the second volume would be out for Christmas.  He gave me the second volume, Facing Unpleasant Facts, last year at Christmas.  I’ve read much of it.  I know when I mention my list of wanted books, he’ll remind me, by name, of the three I haven’t read yet.

When I give a book it is with the hopes that the recipient will enjoy it.  But, I wonder if part of giving a book is the interchange about it afterward, especially if the giver has read the book and wants to discuss it.  Maybe I should be more diligent about reading books I’m given.  I would love to hear other perspectives.  When you give someone a book (because it is the best gift), do you have expectations about when the recipient should read it?

Kelsey’s most beautifully wrapped present under the tree this year will be Prudent Advice with my comments written through out.  Where I agree with Jaime, such as item #7 “Make time for the art museum in every city you visit” or #21 “Pay attention to politics” I’ve scribbled “Completely agree” or “this author is a genius” or added a line of exclamation points.  Other places Jaime and I diverge, for #4 “When given the opportunity, wear a costume,” I wrote “couldn’t disagree more, if it’s a costume party, RSVP no.”  For the advice about dogs, I added “a dog will always be happy when you come home, teenagers, not so much.”  For other entries I wrote about her attributes, that she’s a great hugger or what colors her eyes look best with.  There are some places where I admitted I fell short and she should do better than me (writing thank you notes was one example).  I weave in family history, that I sang “Jesus Loves Me” to her every night when she was a baby or a reference to the subway train she didn’t want to rush to.  The author includes a few recipes, I’ll write in a couple of our family favorites on the back cover.

My daughter is 13 years old and I’m not sure how much more she really wants to hear my voice right now.  It occurs to me that this gift may be most valuable after I’m gone, but I’ve always been one who planned ahead.

It takes some time to complete this gift, I’m not through the book but I should make it for Christmas, or her birthday, or sweet sixteen, or graduation (middle school, high school or college).  There’s time.  For a picture of a section I’ve completed, click to the jump page.

Need some ideas?  The Guardian asks Kate Mosse for her top 10 ghostly stories and How Stuff Works recommended their All Hallow’s Read picks.  Have some of your own ideas?  Share them with us.  For those of you who are reading this on October 31st at 5PM and are out of Halloween steam, check out Things That Go Boo, a website of scary stories and poems.  Print one out and slip it under a loved one’s pillow for a last minute Halloween treat.

(You may wonder why a 12-year-old girl was invited to a baby shower.  It’s not a teen pregnancy thing.  It’s just that Annie’s social life is always busier and more interesting than mine.  I’ve stopped questioning it.)

So there I am, panicking a little, trying to think of what stores are nearby . . . and then I think, “Oh, wait.  The bookstore!”  I run over to my all-time favorite local Indie, Village Books in the Pacific Palisades, and I head to the back to the children’s corner.  Katie O’Laughlin, who owns the store, once told me that picture books are one of the few things that e-books can’t compete with, so it’s something small bookstores like to keep a good stock of.

I wanted this present to be special since it was coming from Annie, and then it hit me: I should pick out the picture books that meant something to her when she was little (which feels like a minute ago and an eternity ago), the ones that she and I read over and over together because they meant something to us, or just brought us both so much pleasure we never stopped enjoying them.

The second I spotted Wemberly Worried by Kevin Henkes, it was in my arms.  Both my daughter and I are natural worriers.  We don’t face any new situation without fretting about the various things that might go wrong, the people who might not be friendly, the parking spaces that might not materialize, the food that might not be good . . .  I love that book because it acknowledges that not all kids are carefree and lighthearted.  That was an easy one.

"Our" book

I was tempted to get one of Ian Falconer’s Olivia books because we loved those so much, especially the first one. The drawings and the text are just perfect.  But they’ve become so hugely popular that I worried a little she might already have gotten them.  While I was trying to decide, my son came up and handed me Ferdinand the Bull.  ”You have to give her this,” he said.  ”It’s our story.”  (Ferdinand, for those who don’t remember, is the bull who would rather pick daisies than act like the other bulls.  And, yes, it is our story,)

I also got Jules Feiffer’s I Lost My Bear which is maybe the most fun book to read out loud ever, because the narrator/protagonist is wildly over the top emotional as she searches for her lost teddy bear.  It’s a fun, fun book and I’ve always loved pretty much anything Feiffer’s ever done, for kids or adults.

My memory being what it is, I can’t remember for sure but I think I also got another Kevin Henkes, Sheila Rae the Brave, because that was a real favorite of Annie’s.  So was Lily’s Purple Plastic Purse and Julius the Baby of the World.  Basically you can’t go wrong with Kevin Henkes.

I couldn’t buy every favorite book because there wasn’t money, time or world enough, and I won’t bore you by listing them.  But if you’re a mom or a dad, the next time you need to get a great baby shower gift, think about picking out your own kid’s favorite picture books and writing a little note about why each one was special to him or her.  Even better, take your kid along and let him pick the books out and dictate or write the note himself.   I can’t think of anything more special or more likely to get used over and over again.

Plus it gives you an excuse to go to the bookstore.  And we all like to do that.

Great minds think alike: Kim just reminded me she’s written about her own favorite baby shower book choices.  Check out her top picks.

We’ve talked about the used book quandary – they’re better for the environment because a book is being reused, but not so good for the author who doesn’t get a cut of that transaction.  Claire is an author.  Eco-Libris provides the answer, buy a tree for every book you read to balance out the paper used to manufacture the book.  Eco-Libris also works with publishers to promote the sustainable production of books.  Now, they are combing the two and adding an extra incentive for readers to participate:

• Customers who balance out 25 books at Eco-Libris will receive a $10 gift card for Strand Bookstore in New York City (one of the world’s best independent bookstores). These cards are good for any in-store or online purchases and they never expire.
• For customers who will balance out 50 books, Eco-Libris will send a gift - a choice of “green” book, printed on recycled or FSC-certified paper. Customers will be offered to choose from a list of 5-6 books that will be changing occasionally.  The books are from last November’s green campaign; we loved our copy of From Green to Gold by Harold Enrico.
• Customers who will balance 100 books will receive a$25 gift card for BookSwim, a Netflix-style book rental library service, lending you paperbacks, hardcovers and college textbooks.

Help the environment and get rewarded for it, what could be better?

A Non-Definitive List of Great Books for Young Adults

This list, like all lists, is incomplete.  Also, it is definitely not definitive.  My fiancee, Nōn, and myself have compiled this list because we love young adult books.  Enjoy.

 Igraine the Brave by Cornelia Funke – Igraine the Brave, from the author of the Inkheart trilogy, is absolutely delightful.  Igraine wants nothing more than to be a Knight, but little excitement comes to her Pimpernel’s castle, until one day when all craziness breaks loose and Igraine—with some help—must fight against the evil sorcerer.  I listened to the audiobook version and found Xanthe Elbrick’s voices perfect for all of the characters.

 The Maze Runner by James Dashner – Suspense, action, creepy crawlers, The Maze Runner has it all.  Thomas awakes in an elevator shaft in a place called the Glade unable to remember anything of his life, only his name.  He soon discovers that he and the other boys living in the Glade must stay there until they figure out the ever-changing maze, but it’s not that easy because after dark the Grievers come out.  I was utterly captivated by the world Dashner creates and I can’t wait for the next book (this is the first in a trilogy)!  For the first time in a while I found myself unable to put the book down and actually used my cell phone to light the page when I was reading late at night.  [Kim - check out  the book trailer on Jessica's blog.]

 Hunger Games and Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins - Easily the best young adult book in the last few years!  This book is the first in a series about Katniss, a sixteen-year-old girl, living in what used to be America and is now called Panem.  She is forced to participate in the “Hunger Games;” a government orchestrated game in which a boy and a girl from each district is forced to fight until there is only one survivor.  I definitely recommend this book to everyone over the age of twelve, adults included!  If you have not read Hunger Games yet then it is a must buy for the holidays! 

 If I Stay by Gayle Forman – A touching novel, If I Stay left me weepy, but I never felt manipulated. Seventeen-year-old Mia is involved in a terrible car accident leaving her in critical condition and her mother, father and possibly brother dead.  Mia, although she is in a coma, is able to understand all that has happened to her and must decide if she should stay or die.  This book is an excellent and touching read.  I was worried it would be melodramatic but it was not at all.  Forman has created an amazing character in Mia.

 The Arrival by Shaun Tan – Shaun Tan’s The Arrival, a wordless graphic novel, imaginatively tells an immigrants story.  Each panel offers a beautiful magical realism perspective of the struggles, fears, and hopes of the newly immigrated.  I highly recommend this book and Tan’s short stories, Tales from Outer Suburbia.

 The Graveyard Bookby Neil Gaiman – The Graveyard Book is about a small boy who comes to be known as Nobody Owens and is given the freedom of the Graveyard.  After Nobody’s, or Bod’s, family is murdered by the man named Jack, the Graveyard “occupants” adopt him as one of their own. He learns how to fade and dream walk and lives quite contently among the dead with occasional interactions with the living. But Bod and the others know that it is only a matter of time until the man named Jack will return to finish the job.  Neil Gaiman, once again, creates a rich, inventive, and masterfully told story. Every sentence is delightful and sometimes a bit frightening. I never wanted to leave the Graveyard!

 Little Brother by Cory Doctorow – Little Brother excels at defining what it means to be an individual, ever questioning, ever seeking, ever yearning, in a world that consistently encumbers those innate freedoms. It is wonderfully empowering, exciting and exemplary.  [Kim - check out the review on Jessica's blog.]

 Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli – A story about a young, adventurous lad who finds hope and joy in the small, simple things; a new town reluctant to embrace him; and an author who describes it all in a way that’s evocative of timeless folk-tale wisdom, the magic of boyhood camaraderie and, above all, the unbridled power of the human spirit.

 Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld – Scott Westerfeld’s Leviathan is a fantastic melding of rich history and fantastical science fiction. Great for young history buffs, sci-fi aficionados and aspiring steam punks.

 From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg – Part mystery, part adventure, From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler is a superb depiction of two runaway siblings who choose to hide-out in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. There, they discover the value of perseverance and family.

 Also, check out the following books:

Beautiful Creaturesby Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle

Flushby Carl Hiaasen

Love Among the Walnuts by Jean Ferris

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

Going Bovineby Libba Bray

Gracelingby Kristin Cashore

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indianby Sherman Alexie

The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman

 There are so many more, but I must stop there.

Jessica Dobson

Thank you Jessica!  Remember, anyone who buys two books at an independent bookstore qualifies as a Holiday Helper and may win an ABA Gift Card.

I recently set up my list.  It was simple:

• Click on My Book Lists on the header (I already had a profile, if you don’t it’s required and simple to set up),
• Type the title/author/ISBN # for the book you want,  
• When the picture pops up, click on the Add to this Book List button and presto, there it is on the list!

There are a couple of neat bells and whistles – I could rank the books I wanted in order by designated which book was to be the first on the list, which the last, and then moving the others up and down one position at a time.  I put the books I don’t have to read for book groups or other commitments first and then the ones I know I’ll buy for myself last.   I can also write a note up to 250 characters to attach to each book (such as “please, please, please buy this for me”).  And, for those of us who love our local bookstores, the list includes a link to a favorite local store for easy online ordering.  Buy from the store and have the book shipped to the recipient.  Or, find your own local store using IndieBound’s store locator function.

There are two ways people can access your list, either you can e-mail the list to someone (there is a button that will send the list on its way and room to add a message, such as “please, please, please buy this for me”) or anyone can access it via your profile.  That’s a good reason to use your name as your log in, make it easy for people to find you and your wish list.  Unfortunately, the login didn’t have enough spaces for  my  long name, so I’m Kim Allen-Niese.  Just part of the price I pay for hyphenating my name.

I wanted to see how the list worked once a book was purchased.  Luckily I’m married to a good sport who agreed to buy my number one choice, Wolf Hall.  He loved how easy it was to buy the book.  Just a few clicks and he’s done, well, with this purchase.  The book is waiting for him at our local store, he even requested that it be gift wrapped.  One downside is that my wish list didn’t automatically update the fact that Wolf Hall was purchased, I had to go in and delete it myself. 

Check out my list, tell me what you think I should add (my husband will appreciate the help) and set up your own!

Remember, if you buy two books at an independent bookstore by the end of the year, you are a Holiday Helper and can qualify to win an ABA Gift Card.  You can use it to buy the one book everyone forgot to give you.

Knowing I was writing this post today, I pondered over what makes a book politically incorrect?  Is there a universal definition that people from various view points could agree upon?  Or is one person’s politically incorrect book someone else’s text?  What do you think?

The books Rob recommends touch on a wide variety of topics, from health care to religion to globalization to politics to foreign affairs, this group isn’t afraid to approach any significant topic.  If only the book group could meet via the Internet and we could all join!  Until then, pick up duplicate copies of a few of these books (Rob will be happy to send them to you), one for you and one for a gift, then meet and discuss the topic while respect the views of everyone at the table:

• The Lives They Left Behind:  Suitcases from a State Hospital Attic,by Darby Penney, Peter Stastny, Lisa Rinzler
• The Family:  The Secret Fundamentalism at the Heart of American Power,by Jeff Shariet
• The Limits of Power:  The End of American Exceptionalism,by Andrew J. Bacevich
• The Soprano State:  New Jersey’s Culture of Corruption, by Rob Ingle and Sandy McClure
• A Year Without “Made in China”:  One Family’s True Life Adventure in the Global Economy,by Sara Bongiorni
• Bad Money, by Kevin Phillips
• Palestine Peace, by Jimmy Carter
• The Future of Freedom:  Illiberal Democracy at Home and Abroad,by Fareed Zakaria
• A Letter to America,by David Boren

Remember, buy two books at an independent bookstore, send us the receipts and you’ll be eligible to win an ABA Gift Card!

Don’t miss Valerie Bertenelli, she looks great:

Mo Willems is hilarious!  I completely agree with him, that when Ireceive a book, I enjoy the book and always think about who gave it to me:

Probably my favorite of the three, is Meg  Cabot really that young?