A handful of books we reviewed earlier this year would also make ideal gifts for that special someone. In Black Hollywood (Ebony Magazine/Sourcebooks, $39.99), photographer Carell Augustus recasts familiar shots from films such as The Godfather, Taxi Driver, Cleopatra, Breakfast at Tiffany's and others--as well as career-defining stills of Tinseltown greats--with 60 Black leaders in the field of arts and entertainment. "It is a knockout portrait showcase," said Shelf's starred review.
For that person in your life who is not convinced they have a green thumb, What Is My Plant Telling Me? (Simon Element/Simon & Schuster, $18.99) by Emily L. Hay Hinsdale, illustrated by Loni Harris, will give them the encouragement to become a successful home horticulturalist. Water, soil and light are the essentials, and Hinsdale offers guidance about what kind, in what quantities and for which plants, in a book Shelf's starred review said is "filled with dry humor and steeped in wise counsel."
Inciting Joy (Algonquin, $27), Ross Gay's follow-up to his bestselling essay collection The Book of Delights, delves more deeply into the seeming paradox of finding joy in the midst of pain or challenging situations. With the attentive gaze of a poet, Gay exposes the everyday moments that allow humans to experience delight even as a loved one is dying or a dear friend moves away, as well as the strength to be found in community.
In what Shelf's starred review called a "soaring memoir," Jann Wenner's Like a Rolling Stone (Little, Brown, $35) describes his founding of Rolling Stone magazine in 1967, and the many people he met as a direct result. For fans of rock 'n' roll and music history, "he captures these encounters, fights and friendships with much verve and economy."
Naturalist Sy Montgomery explores the unique falconer-bird bond in what Shelf's starred review called the "radiant" The Hawk's Way (Atria, $20). A hawk is a "living dinosaur," Montgomery insists, not a pet or accessory. Fans of Helen MacDonald's H Is for Hawk and nature lovers in general will appreciate this ode to the ancient bird.