McClatchy Newspapers

This year, books about baby boomers — members of the generation of Americans born after the end of World War II who came of age during the tumultuous 1960s — have moved to the foreground.

So, for the boomer on your holiday list, or the person who needs to better understand the boomer in his or her life, start with:

Tom Brokaw's "Boom! Voices of the Sixties: Personal Reflections on the '60s and Today" (Random House, 28.95) contains interviews by the former NBC News anchor with people who participated in, and now reflect on, the decade's crucial events from the civil rights movement to the Vietnam War and the opposition to it, from the counterculture to the birth of the women's liberation movement.

Two of the biggest rock stars of the 1960s died in their 20s — cementing our memories of them as forever young — and they're celebrated in multimedia boxes that tell their stories in words, photos, memorabilia and audio CDs: "Jimi Hendrix: An Illustrated Experience" (Atria Books, 45) by Jimi Hendrix's sister, Janie L. Hendrix, and John McDermott, and "The Jim Morrison Scrapbook" (Chronicle Books, 40) by Rock and Roll Hall of Fame curator James Henke.

Culture

For students of black cultural history, "Harlem on My Mind: Cultural Capital of Black America, 1900 -1968" (The New Press, 24.95 paperback), edited by Allon Schoener, is an informative collection of newspaper stories and images from the turn of the 20th century through the Harlem Renaissance, the Depression, World War II and the civil rights era.

For ecumenical rock fans, "Rock and Roll" (Abrams, 50, 304 pages) collects the best work of photographer Lynn Goldsmith from the '60s through the '80s, featuring memorable portraits of the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Bob Marley, Aretha Franklin, Kiss, Cher, Van Halen and many others.

Turning to television, for fans of "The Sopranos" who wondered why the series didn't end with, as creator David Chase put it, "Tony face-down in a bowl of onion rings with a bullet in his head," "The Sopranos: The Complete Book" (HBO/Time Inc., 39.95) by Brett Martin includes a complete episode guide, a character chart, a map of New Jersey film locations, loads of photographs and an interview with Chase in which he answers the aforementioned question.

History

For those who have to see it to believe it, Nick Yapp's "100 Days in Photographs: Pivotal Events That Changed the World" (National Geographic Books, 35) brings together photographs of the battle of Gettysburg, the Wright Brothers at Kitty Hawk, the Russian Revolution, the fall of the Berlin Wall and other crucial events.

Supporters of revolution — the 18th century American variety - will enjoy David MuCullough's "1776," out in a lavish, boxed "Illustrated Edition" (Simon & Schuster, 65), which takes excerpts from the original best-seller and adds 140 images, 37 removable replicas of source documents, maps and more.

Civil War buffs and others will delight over "Lincoln: The Presidential Archives" (DK Publishing, 40) by Chuck Wills, which celebrates the political and personal life of our 16th president with photographs, personal letters and documents.

For a different way of looking at American history, architectural historian Judith Dupre's "Monument" (Random House, 45) explores how our most famous monuments and historical sites tell the nation's story.

For connoisseurs and students of the life and work of the 20th century's greatest artist, Pablo Picasso, the third volume of John Richardson's definitive biography, "A Life of Picasso: The Triumphant Years, 1917-1932" (Alfred A. Knopf, 40) now joins Richardson's first two books on the artist, "The Prodigy, 1881-1906" and "The Cubist Rebel, 1907-1916," which are both out in paperback (Knopf, 30 apiece).

Animals

If you're interested in ancient species that have died off, check out "Dinosaurium" (DK Publishing, 24.99) by Laura Butler and Carey Scott, fun for children ages 8-12 (and at least one middle-aged book reviewer), which includes 10 mini-books that tell the story of the earth's largest creatures. But some of the dinosaurs' contemporaries are still alive, and they're featured in Poul Beckmann's "Living Jewels 2" (Prestel, 45), the photographer's second collection of larger-than-life photographs of beetles.

For lovers of more domesticated animals, particularly those that can climb rocks, ski, surf, run marathons, chase balls or simply roll in the grass, the book to get is Lisa Wogan's "Unleashed," a tribute to adventurous dogs (Skipstone, 16.95).

Sports

Golfers of all handicaps should enjoy "Classic Shots: The Greatest Images From the United States Golf Association" (National Geographic Books, 35, 348 pages) by Marty Parkes, a collection of photographs of famous golfers and ordinary duffers.

Basketball fans would love to receive "Sports Illustrated's The Basketball Book" (Sports Illustrated, 29.95), edited by Rob Fleder, a spectacular collection of photographs and essays about the history of college basketball and the NBA.

Christmas

Get into the holiday spirit with these page-turners:

"The Christmas Promise" by Donna VanLiere; St. Martin's Press (14.95), is fourth in a series of semi-related stories set in a small town. It focuses on Miss Glory, who is busy turning other people's trash into treasures for the town's less fortunate. She's still mourning her husband, who died seven years earlier, and missing her youngest son, who ran away around the same time.

In "The Christmas Pearl" by Dorothea Benton Frank; Morrow (14.95), Theodora has made it to the ripe age of 93, living at the same stately Charleston house in which she was born. She loves the tradition of her home, especially the memories of childhood holidays with home-baked fruitcakes, fresh garlands strung together by the family and obsessed-over gifts. But her family now considers the holidays a chore, and she's starting to dread getting everyone together.

The novel's magic can be found in the tiny details of Southern life and the lesson that making an effort to connect with family and friends is really what Christmas is all about.