Can it really be time to buy Hanukkah gifts already? Here are some suggestions on great books to buy, whether in the store or online. To buy one of the featured books on Amazon, click on the title in red.
I know there’s someone on your list who would just love Finishing the Hat. Stephen Sondheim says it all with his subtitle, “Collected Lyrics (1954-1981) with attendant comments, principles, heresies, grudges, whines, and anecdotes.” You don’t even have to be a theater buff to appreciate Sondheim’s genius…but it couldn’t hurt.
While we’re on the topic of show biz, let’s not slight the movies or TV. Memories Before and After the Sound of Music includes sketches by eldest daughter, Agathe von Trapp. She dedicates her book to her father, “The Captain,” whom she describes in loving detail. She also tells of life with her siblings and the real Maria; though different in many aspects from the story we’ve grown to know and love, her recollections are no less compelling.
Stay on the nostalgia wagon for Why? Because We Still Like You by Jennifer Armstrong. Trust me when I tell you that nearly everyone in the baby boomer generation will enjoy getting updates on “Spin and Marty,” bosomy Annette, and the whole Mickey Mouse Club gang. It may be fifty years ago, but to many of us, it seems like yesterday that we were sitting on the sofa eating our Swanson Chicken TV Dinners off our collapsible TV tables, glued to our little black and white TVs, chanting “M-I-C…see you real soon…” And the ears. Oh, the ears.
Replacing one obsession with another, in How to Shop for Free, Kathy Spencer gives us the lowdown on shopping more, paying less. No kidding, this is a serious-nay, scholarly- approach to value shopping; and friends, I am so there.
What do you get for someone who is of a more serious bent? The Match, by Susan Whitman Helfgot, proves once again that truth can be stranger than fiction. A widow is asked to donate her recently deceased husband’s face to a total stranger. When she finds it in her heart to agree, a seventeen-hour transplant gives a broken man a new lease on life. No thriller is more heart stopping than this tale of courage, determination, and skill.
Promise Me is Nancy G. Brinker’s gift to every breast cancer survivor. When her beloved sister Suzy began losing her battle with cancer, Nancy promised her she would do all in her power to achieve the goal of better information and care, and ultimately, to defeating this devastating disease. The result was the Susan G. Komen For The Cure Foundation. It’s not too great a stretch to say that many women today owe their lives to these two valiant sisters.
A strong and brave woman is also at the heart of Catherine of Aragon. This first Queen of Henry VIII would have changed history if only she’d been able to give the monarch a son. As it was, this redheaded daughter of Ferdinand and Isabella stayed firm in her beliefs, even though it cost her everything she loved. If you think you know the story, think again.
Oliver Sacks once again has written a brilliant book about people facing what seem like overwhelming ailments. His unique view of The Mind’s Eye introduces us to a concert pianist who can no longer read music; a woman with aphasia who rejoins society; and a novelist who must figure out how to cope without the ability to read the written word. Sacks has also faced his challenges, and the fact that he was able to deal with his disability and tell us about these patients is inspiring.
One book I’m recommending to anyone who, like me, has a history of Alzheimer’s in the family is 100 Simple Things You Can Do to Prevent Alzheimer’s. Everyone interested in good health and eating well should be acquainted with author Jean Carper. Her suggestions are presented in an easy, chatty style, and her straightforward approach makes the task of taking better care of ourselves seem less daunting.
If all this sounds a little too serious, like “Snakes on a Plane,” Sam Hoffman’s Old Jews Telling Jokes is pretty much self-explanatory. Here are all the classics: The mama who won’t let go, Miami, bar mitzvahs, pork…and a few too blue to mention. “A little song, a little dance, a little seltzer down your pants.” Laugh, enjoy, and don’t forget to call me the minute you get there. Or don’t. After all, what is a mother, anyway?
Light the candles, spin the dreidel, give the blessing, and treat your loved ones to some good reading.
Michall Jeffers is an accomplished Cultural Journalist. She writes extensively, both in print and online. Her eponymous cable TV show is syndicated throughout the tri-state area, and features celebrity interviews, reviews, and commentary. Michall is a voting member of National Book Critics Circle. www.michalljeffers.com
