- "The College Football Book" (Sports Illustrated, $29.95). This gorgeous photo-packed volume is virtually guaranteed to delight fans of the game, featuring SI's always-terrific photography and everything a Florida fan could love: hard-hitting shots of Gators, Canes, Seminoles - and a great pic of a young and grinning Dan Marino during his Pitt years.

-"The Darwin Awards: Next Evolution" by Wendy Northcutt; Dutton ($19.95). There is no limit to the stupidity of humankind. Don't believe me? Check out this odyssey of idiocy as it winds from the guy who inebriated himself to death with alcohol enemas to the two brothers who were talking to each other on their cell phones and ended up in a head-on collision. This is a book to make you feel immediately better about yourself.

-"1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die: A Listener's Life List" by Tom Moon; Workman ($19.95). The inclusion of Amy Winehouse in this volume is suspect, but otherwise the book is a pleasant time-waster for music lovers, covering everything from classical to jazz to country and rock. Bruce Springsteen, yes. Bob Marley and Beethoven, definitely. But Winehouse? Yikes. The list is bound to start a lot of arguments but of a good-natured variety.

-"Woof: Writers on Dogs," edited by Lee Montgomery; Viking ($24.95). The 20 essays in this book cover a wide range of experience (and dogs) from such writers as Rick Bass, Antonya Nelson, Lydia Millet and Jim Shepard. But they all share a common theme: Clearly, "dog" is merely "God" spelled backward. As a bonus gift, add a copy of "Howl: A Collection of Contemporary Dog Wit" (Three Rivers, $14.95), which features more canine-inclined essays from the likes of Roy Blount Jr., William Wegman, Dave Barry, Ann Brashares, Anthony Head and Haven Kimmel.

-"The Illustrated Wee Free Men: A Story of Discworld," by Terry Pratchett; HarperCollins ($24.99). This Discworld tale by the sci-fi favorite is geared for ages 9 to 12, but any Pratchett fan will be charmed by the story of a girl whose baby brother has been stolen by the Queen of the Fairies and the rowdy tiny blue men who help her rescue him.

-"The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao," by Junot Diaz; Riverhead ($14). The Pulitzer Prize-winning novel - which chronicles the adventures of a comic book geek and the diabolical nature of the Trujillo regime in the Dominican Republic - is out in paperback now. The tragicomedy is perfect for any avid reader who likes a few Lord of the Rings references with his Latin American history.

-"The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society" by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows; Dial ($22). Fans of epistolary novels should warm immediately to this warm-hearted tale by an aunt/niece team. Set just after World War II, the book centers on a writer's discovery of a unique book club formed to protect its members from arrest by the Germans.

-"The Joker) by Brian Azzarello; DC Comics ($19.99). There's no doubt: 2008 was the year of The Joker, thanks to Heath Ledger's unforgettable performance as the severely disturbed devotee of anarchy in "The Dark Knight." Now comes this graphic novel from the co-creator of the award-winning series "100 Bullets," every bit as dark and grim as Christopher Nolan's moody, violent film. Batman fans will love it.

-"The Encyclopedia of Earth: A Complete Visual Guide" by Michael Allaby, Robert Coenraads, Stephen Hutchinson and John O'Byrne; University of California ($39.95). Who says reference books have to be dull? This gorgeously illustrated guide to Earth is useful and absorbing as it explores scientific premises from the history of the universe to the environmental issues facing us today. An excellent guide for the shelf of any student - or anyone interested in the intriguing world around us.

-"The Art and Colour of General Motors"; Coachbuilt ($100). The price is a splurge, but car nuts will linger over this beautifully designed book, a love letter to classic GM cars, from the Mako Shark (prototype for the Corvette) to the 1958 Firebird III on the cover. Not everyone is capable of falling in love with a machine, but if you are, this collection is the stuff of dreams.

(c) 2008, The Miami Herald.

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