Pop art to ballet, reach for a nonfiction read when choosing holiday gifts

NEW YORK (AP) — A good book packs power. A good book thoughtfully chosen as a gift can add a layer of joy.

The holidays are a great time to track down just the right coffee table reads for loved ones. There's a wide array this time of year. Some options:

“Slim Aarons: The Essential Collection,” photographs by Slim Aarons, text by Shawn Waldron. The World War II photographer turned Hollywood insider had incredible access to the uber rich, from the pools of Palm Beach to the ski slopes of Gstaad. But he was so much more, shooting war orphans in Rome to tailgaters in Aiken, South Carolina. This hefty career-spanning collection has meaty text and includes more than 100 previously unpublished photos. Getty Images purchased his archive in 1997. Abrams. $175.

“The Christmas Book,” by Phaidon editors, with essays by David Trigg, Sam Bilton and Dolph Gotelli. The holiday, in festive cultural imagery. This is a jolly look at Christmas via design and artifacts. There's a history of Christmas pudding charms, to be hidden within the holiday treat. And there's an angel made of beads by an artisan in the Woza Moya collective of South Africa. Picasso's Dove of Peace is included along with a Lego Santa's Visit set. $49.95.