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The Plain
Dealer Cleveland, OH Gifts That Tell Volumes Karen Sandstrom Sweaters and neckties show up with the holiday regularity of "It's a Wonderful Life," yet somehow, unlike the movie, they rarely inspire anyone to cry with joy.On the other hand, when was the last time you watched someone tear the paper from that familiar rectangle under the tree and harrumph, "Another book?" Even people who ought to get rid of some old books are tickled when they get a new one.No matter how good a book looks on the outside, it ultimately delights the receiver by promising to deliver more, not less, as time passes. And unless the giver is fundamentally thoughtless, most books contain a compliment for the receiver."Ahh, look," says the Salman Rushdie novel you've just opened, "Uncle Alvin thinks you're wickedly intelligent!"You could do worse than buy a gift card from the bookstore so your favorite bibliophile might select something he or she has long wanted to read. On the chance that you'd rather make more of a statement, however, I hereby offer thoughts on volumes that are likely to bring pleasure to their new owners.Christmas American Christmas Classics (Christmas Classics Limited, $59.95) by Ronald M. Clancy. This book and CD set presents the lyrics and history behind favorite Christmas tunes. It's terrifically illustrated, and a surefire hit for that guy or gal who just can't take down the tree until mid-January.
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