Young Mother: "What to Expect the First Year"... if the child is less than 1. Young Father: "Father Figures" by Kevin Sweeney Middle Aged Woman: "Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit", "Sexing the Cherry", or anything else by Jeannette Winterson.

I finished reading "The Blind Side" by Michael Lewis recently. If you aren't familiar with Michael Lewis, you might want to be. he's a great non-fiction author and this book tracks and discusses the evolution of the NFL blind side rusher, the West Coast Offense and Bill Walsh, and traces back to Lawrence Taylor how OLB's and the opposing Left Tackles have changed the game.

It would help to know something about them to give a specific recommendation. If you don't know them well, there are many nice coffee table books out there on topics ranging from fine art and architecture to race cars and the history of flight. You can often find this type of book drastically discounted at book stores, outlets and places like Tuesday Mornings which sell close outs. I have purchased two such books for $5-$10 each - one on the making of "Shrek" and one about French impressionist painters.

Moomin, peanuts, classy/classic comic books. they'll work for everyone. maybe a pretty hardbound treasury of fairytales for the young parents.

National Geographics has a gorgeous book out this year. I will be posting it on my blog.. It's beautiful and BIG. Also you might want to check out the book s on locations and painters --- available from high end book stores (there's one in Beverly Hills Taschen 310 274-4300 354 N. Beverly Drive Beverly Hills http://www.taschen.com ) they have the MOST amazing collection of books you can imagine-- fashion by decade, movies by decade, books on different photographers, artists and more.

I REMEMBER READING THIS BOOK WHEN I WAS A TEEN AGER! TO THIS DAY IT HAS LEFT AN IMPRESSION AND ONCE IN A WHILE I STILL PICK IT UP AND READ IT. http://www.amazon.com