HOLIDAY HOTTIES

It's gift-giving season again, and The Book Babes are cruising the shelves in search of just the right book for each person on their lists. Here are the ones they mention on this month's radio show, which airs from Tampa on WMNF Radio (88.5 FM) at 11:30 a.m. EST on Wednesday, December 19:

MARGO'S PICKS:
"Secret Ingredients: The New Yorker Book of Food and Wine," edited by David Remnick -- This compilation of food writing from past issues of The New Yorker belongs next to the recipe file in the home of two of my favorite cooks. What foodie wouldn't love Calvin Trillin?
"Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain," by Oliver Sacks -- Neurologist Sacks is back with another book about some of his most remarkable patients. These are some whose brain injuries profoundly affect their response to music, offering some clues about how tunes play in our heads. Perfect for my younger sister, a music teacher in Maryland.
"Elmore Leonard's 10 Rules of Writing," by Elmore Leonard -- Who better than the bestselling author of "Get Shorty" to cut to the chase and deliver ten commandments for the aspiring writer. This is perfect for a friend who's struggling to finish her novel.

ELLEN'S PICKS:
"I Am America (And So Can You!)," by Stephen Colbert -- At risk of being a shill for a guy who doesn't need me to sell his book, I'm mentioning this because 1) my nephew Billy, a middle schooler who gets the joke, asked for it, and 2) I'm a Colbert fan, too. In his mock political commentator fashion, Colbert hits all the "right" buttons. But unlike those he imitates, he knows that he's ridiculous.
"The Book of Psalms," a new translation by Robert Alter -- My sister has already received her copy of this handsome new translation, which brings the economy of the Hebrew language and valuable footnotes to biblical verse. (SERVE YOURSELF FIRST: I bought myself a copy, too.)
"Cheating at Canasta," by William Trevor -- This new short story collection shows the Anglo-Irish writer still has the right stuff after all these years. Like Alice Munro, he turns the commonplace into a study of relationships and life's fleeting beauty. My California sister-in-law, who just started seminary, gets this one.