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I NEED A GIFT
FOR...
ART
MY BOYFRIEND WHO IS ARTISTICALLY TEMPERAMENTAL.
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ABC3D
By MARION BATAILLE
Roaring Brook Press
Supposedly,
this pop-up book is meant to be for pre-schoolers to
help them with their alphabet. Between you and me (and
the rest of the people reading this), I don't believe
it. Instead, I prefer to think of this as an art book
with a love of letters—their shapes, their possibilities.
The lenticular cover moves through the alphabet from
A to Z depending upon the angle in which it's held,
and the pop-ups sometimes flow seamlessly from one letter
to the next. Even if this is meant to be an artsy alphabet
book for children, the presentation will take adults
back to an idea of art that is both whimsical and stylish.
(Yennie Cheung)
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MY
SISTER WHO HAS THE ANNOYING HABIT OF DRESSING HER DOG IN STUPID
COSTUMES.
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INDOGNITO:
A BOOK OF CANINES
By KAREN NGO
Little, Brown and Company
You
may want to treat yourself to a nice pair of earplugs
when you hand this present to her. If she's the high-pitched,
squealing type (and if she habitually dresser her dog
in costume, she probably is), you'll want protection
for your eardrums when she unwraps this gift. As the
title suggests, InDognito is a photography book
of dogs wearing ridiculous outfits, including a chihuahua
matador and a pug in a chicken outfit. Actually, now
that I think about it, maybe this suggestion isn't such
a good one; it might give your sister ideas… (Yennie
Cheung)
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A GRAPHIC DESIGN STUDENT WHO LOVES
VIDEO GAMES.
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THE
ART OF THE VIDEO GAME
By JOSH JENISCH
Quirk Books
Josh
Jenisch writes about video games for The Los Angeles
Times, so expect to read a few interviews and the
obligatory history of video games. The best part, of
course, is not the text but the gorgeous artwork, which
includes exclusive sketches and full-color digital shots
from classics such as Sonic the Hedgehog and
Tomb Raider, as well as more recent games such
as Elder Scrolls and LEGO Star Wars. (Yennie
Cheung)
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AN ART HISTORY MAJOR WHOSE GUILTY
PLEASURE IS READING US AND PEOPLE.
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SECRET
LIVES OF GREAT ARTISTS: WHAT YOUR TEACHERS NEVER TOLD
YOU ABOUT MASTER PAINTERS AND SCULPTORS
By ELIZABETH LUNDAY
Quirk Books
The
front of Secret Lives of Great Artists looks
like a comic book version of a tabloid magazine, which
is rather appropriate, given the material the book covers.
Elizabeth Lunday, author of Secret Lives of the U.S.
Presidents, uncovers all sorts of dirt on the masters.
Did you know Georgia O'Keeffe liked to paint in the
buff and Pablo Picasso did time for stealing statues
from the Louvre? Who did these people think they were—drugged
out actors and pop starlets? (Yennie Cheung)
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MY POLITICALLY MINDED ARTIST BOYFRIEND.
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POSTERS
FOR THE PEOPLE: ART OF THE WPA
By ENNIS CARTER
Quirk Books
In
the 1930s and 40s, the Works Progress Administration
(WPA) employed hundreds of out-of-work artists to create
hundreds of posters promoting good civic and domestic
lives. Nearly 500 of these now-iconic posters have been
collected in Posters for the People, featuring
some renowned images that are catalogued by the Library
of Congress and some images that have never before been
published in book form. Serving as both a graphic design
and history book, Posters for the People makes
for a fascinating read. Special bonus: 12 of the designs
have also been collected into a separate 50-count postcard
set. (Yennie Cheung)
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COMICS, GRAPHIC NOVELS, GRAPHIC MEMOIRS
A
PERPETUALLY SINGLE FRIEND WHO READS A LOT OF GRAPHIC NOVELS
BUT SAYS HE DOESN'T HAVE TIME FOR BOOKS.
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AN
ANTHOLOGY OF GRAPHIC FICTION, CARTOONS, AND TRUE STORIES:
VOLUME 2
By IVAN BRUNETTI, Editor
Yale University Press
For
the most part, this anthology is simply a collection
of Ivan Brunetti's favorite cartoonists' work. Big names
such as Chris Ware and Daniel Clowes are pretty much
a given, but Brunetti doesn't just keep to the modern
or the most obvious. Several dozen cartoonists of varying
popularity, spanning 60 years of cartooning are represented
in this collection, adding up to a whopping 400 pages
worth of graphic literature. Chances are good that your
friend will find both the new and the familiar in this,
and because it's an anthology, he can read a few short
pieces in one sitting without taking up much time. (Yennie
Cheung)
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MY FRIEND WHO LOVES ALL THINGS JAPANESE,
INCLUDING MANGA.
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BAT-MANGA!
THE SECRET HISTORY OF BATMAN IN JAPAN
By CHIP KIDD
Pantheon
Bat-Manga!
may be an interesting read not only for manga fans but
for someone fond of comics in general. Though Batman
is synonymous with DC Comics, a Tokyo-based publisher
bought the rights to create a weekly Batman manga for
Japan in the 1960s, drawn by popular manga artist Jiro
Kuwata. Apparently, even DC itself seemed to have forgotten
about the comics, as the strips are only now being translated
into English so that we can compare our superhero worship
to theirs. (Yennie Cheung)
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GOOD-BYE
By YOSHIHIRO TATSUMI
Drawn and Quarterly
Tatsumi
is the father of the dramatic long-form graphic novel,
but until Tomine and D+Q published his work in English
a few years ago, he was unknown in these parts. In his
third translated collection, Tatsumi deals with the
aftermath of the bombing of Hiroshima, and Good-Bye
contains all the Tatsumi touchstones—depression,
violence, sex, and loneliness. (Marie Mundaca)
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AN
ARCHAEOLOGIST THAT READS COMICS AND PAINTED A CAR TO LOOK
LIKE AN X-WING.
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THE
TEN-CENT PLAGUE
By DAVID HAJDU
Farrar, Straus and Giroux
For
someone who both loves comics and spends his or her
days attempting to understand how cultural artifacts
reflect and influence a civilization, this book is an
ideal fit. The Ten-Cent Plague examines the social
backlash against comics for allegedly corrupting our
nation's youth, focusing on the censorship and career-ruining
that came as a result. Bonus points are given for having
a scene where a guy argues that a picture of someone
holding a severed head is "in good taste." (Kyle Olson)
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MY HUBBY, WHO REFUSES TO READ BOOKS
BUT AVIDLY READS COMICS. THE ONLY BOOKS I'VE EVER SEEN HIM
READ ARE BY CHUCK PALAHNIUK.
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THE ESSENTIAL BATMAN ENCYCLOPEDIA
By ROBERT GREENBERGER
Del Rey
Perhaps
books about comics will keep his attention. The
Essential Batman Encyclopedia is pretty much what
the title suggests, containing details of all the primary,
secondary, and sometimes even tertiary aspects of the
Batman universe. This may not be the novel you'd like
him to read, but there's plenty of black-and-white comic
book graphics, as well as two 16-page full-color artwork
inserts to keep him preoccupied. (Yennie Cheung)
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THE
ALCOHOLIC
By JONATHAN AMES and DEAN HASPIEL
Vertigo
All
right, it's a comic book, but Ames is a serious author
who has written some incredibly funny books, like Wake
Up, Sir and What's Not to Love? Hubby will
be used to the addiction genre from Chuck P., but Ames
is a totally different sort of writer; more introspective
but no less outrageous. And Haspiel is a fantastic illustrator
who has worked for DC and Image, among others. His stark,
Steve Ditko-esque style is perfect for this sad story
of a man hitting rock bottom and trying to find his
way out. (Marie Mundaca)
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MY
OLDER BROTHER IN THE NATIONAL GUARD WHO LIKES RAP, STEPHEN
COLBERT AND RAG TO RICHES STORIES.
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THE
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #573
By MARK WAID and PATRICK OLLIFFE
Marvel Comics
I know what you're probably thinking: What the heck
is Yennie doing suggesting a single issue of one of
America's most beloved comic books? It seems rather
silly—especially since you didn't mention anything
about comics. But if you look closely at the variant
cover on the left, you'll notice the one thing that
your older brother will love about this issue of Spidey:
Stephen Colbert is on the cover! In this issue, Colbert
actually continues his run for president and wins the
popular vote, though Barack Obama still wins the electoral
vote (you can blame that crap on Florida…again). Incidentally,
if your brother decides that he's not that into the
comic, you can always regift the book to me. Seriously.
Stephen Colbert in 2016! (Yennie Cheung)
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MY ODD, EASILY BORED YOUNGER BROTHER.
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BEARDS
OF OUR FOREFATHERS
By DAVID MALKI
Dark Horse
A
collection of Malki's "Wondermark" internet comic strip
is a solid choice for anyone whose sense of humor is
a little...off-center. Beards of Our Forefathers
presents a world where old-timey clipart engages in
conversations that originate from a place so whimsical
and dadaistic that anyone with a fractured sense of
humor would love to read it. Strips with titles like
"In Which a Tiny Dinosaur Factors" and "In Which an
Ape is Totally Emo," are going to go over well with
those of discerning tastes (nerds). (Kyle Olson)
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MY PARTNER, THE GLBTQ ACTIVIST WHO LIKES
FICTION.
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THE
ESSENTIAL DYKES TO WATCH OUT FOR
By ALISON BECHDEL
Houghton Mifflin
This
isn't fiction in the traditional sense (because it's
not in prose), but for 25 years Alison Bechdel has been
creating Dykes to Watch Out For, a syndicated
comic strip that Bechdel herself calls "half op-ed column
and half endless serialized Victorian novel." As the
title suggests, the smart and sometimes political Dykes
follows the lives and loves of a mostly lesbian cast
of characters living in a midsized American city. In
The Essential Dykes to Watch Out For, Bechdel
(the author of the highly praised graphic memoir Fun
Home) compiles pieces from all 11 volumes of the
strip, as well as 60 new strips that have never been
released. (Yennie Cheung)
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FOOD, COOKBOOKS
MY
BEST FRIEND WHO CAN COOK EVERYTHING UNDER THE SUN BUT SOMETIMES
DOESN'T LIKE READING.
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THE
FLAVOR BIBLE
By KAREN PAGE and ANDREW DORNENBURG
Little, Brown and Company
If
your friend is adventurous enough, perhaps coming up
with new, original dishes might be in order. In The
Flavor Bible, Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg tap
the knowledge of the country's leading chefs to compile
a comprehensive guide to seasoning and perfecting any
dish. With thousands of ingredient entries organized
in alphabetical order and cross referenced, your friend
will be able to concoct her own dishes by figuring out
which ingredients work well together in unexpected ways.
(Yennie Cheung)
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MY FRIEND WHO LOVES SOUTHERN COOKING
AND THOMAS KELLER.
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UNDER
PRESSURE: COOKING SOUS VIDE
By THOMAS KELLER
Artisan
Sous
vide is a controversial cooking method that allows cooks
to create ideal flavors and textures by sealing food
in plastic and leaving it in exact temperatures for
an exact amount of time. This, mind you, is in lieu
of traditional cooking methods such as braising, sautéing,
and roasting. After two decades of experimentation by
Thomas Keller and the chefs of his restaurants, French
Laundry and per se, Under Pressure offers instructions,
techniques, and recipes for those interested in cooking
sous vide. (Yennie Cheung)
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SCREEN
DOORS AND SWEET TEA: RECIPES AND TALES FROM A SOUTHERN
COOK
By MARTHA HALL FOOSE
Clarkson Potter
Though
Martha Hall Foose grew up Southern, she certainly didn't
let that limit her cooking. Having trained as a pastry
chef in France and traveled around the world, Foose
brings to the book a combination of traditional Southern
fare and international sensibilities. Along with simple
recipes for fried chicken and grits are instructions
for tabbouleh and Chinese Grocery Roast Pork. Foose
also peppers in humorous anecdotes about her family
and friends growing up, making this a little more personal
than the average cookbook. (Yennie Cheung)
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MY
FRIEND WHO LOVES COOKING SHOWS.
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EAT
ME: THE FOOD AND PHILOSOPHY OF KENNY SHOPSIN
By KENNY SHOPSIN AND CAROLYNN CARREÑO
Alfred A. Knopf
Famously
curmudgeonly New York City restauranteur Kenny Shopsin
offers readers insight into his Goodnight Moon-style
of cooking, where everything you need to make great
food is right at hand. Interspersed with recipes are
stories about his legendary restaurant, Shopsin's, where
the customer is often wrong. My favorite is the one
about the waitress who dumped the glass of soda on a
diner's head. (Marie Mundaca)
[See
the HBC review]
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MY
SISTER, WHO IS DISCOVERING A LOVE FOR CATERING AND COOKING
BEAUTIFUL MEALS FOR GROUPS.
|
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it from
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KATIE
BROWN CELEBRATES: SIMPLE AND SPECTACULAR PARTIES ALL
YEAR ROUND
By KATIE BROWN
Little, Brown and Company
In
Katie Brown Celebrates, Brown gives readers good
reason to host a hassle-free party every month, including
children's birthday parties and family reunions. Recipes
are a given, but Brown also provides craft projects
and tips for entertaining. If this sounds a little too
much like Semi-Homemade with Sandra Lee, have
no fear. Katie Brown is a columnist for The New York
Times and the host of PBS's Katie Brown Workshop,
both of which make her just a little bit hipper than
those celebrity cooks on Food Network. Think more Nigella
Lawson than Rachael Ray. (Yennie Cheung)
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SOMEONE
WHO WANTS TO EAT BETTER.
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IN
DEFENSE OF FOOD: AN EATER'S MANIFESTO
By MICHAEL POLLAN
Penguin
The
bestselling author of The Omnivore's Dilemma
returns with a look at nutrition and how to be healthy
without going on a crazy carb-less fad diet. His advice
is simple: "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants."
Sounds simple enough, right? (Yennie Cheung)
[See
the HBC review]
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A FREE SPIRITED, FICKLE,
MAN-CHILD TYPE OF GUY I MET BECAUSE HE'S A BOHEMIAN TRAVELER
AND IS IN MY CITY OFR AN UNDETERMINED AMOUNT OF TIME.
|
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VEGAN
A GO-GO!: A COOKBOOK & SURVIVAL MANUAL FOR VEGANS ON
THE ROAD
By SARAH KRAMER
Arsenal Pulp Press
This
cute cookbook is an essential for fickle traveling man-children,
especially if they are lactose-intolerant. Kramer will
teach your free-spirited fuss-budget to cook his friends
some good meals in exchange for the couches I know he
sleeps on. And there's even dessert! (Marie Mundaca)
[See
the HBC review]
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A
POETRY LOVER WHO ALSO ENJOYS COOKING.
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A
PLATTER OF FIGS AND OTHER RECIPES
By DAVID TANIS
Artisan
Who
better to write an ode to food than a chef? David Tanis,
the part-time head chef at Berkeley's Chez Panisse,
provides a book full of worldly recipes, calling for
seasonal ingredients. This is more than just a cookbook,
however; Tanis also writes of his travels around the
world, enjoying delicious dishes wherever he goes. Perhaps
the nice thing about understanding the poetry of food,
however, is knowing that it can be appreciated in both
simple and complex forms. Thus, Tanis provides both
recipes that are almost ridiculously simple and ones
that are far more detailed and complex. (Yennie Cheung)
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