Give Books That Make a Difference

Looking for a good basic personal finance book that covers a lot of ground? Try "Smart and Simple Financial Strategies for Busy People" by Jane Bryant Quinn. For the spendthrift in your life, get Dave Ramsey's "The Total Money Makeover" or "Financial Peace Revisited."

The two best investment books are the newly revised "The Only Investment Guide You'll Ever Need" by Andrew Tobias and "A Random Walk Down Wall Street" by economist Burton G. Malkiel.

Here's a book for the friend or family member who doesn't get that Christmas is not all about the presents: "Hundred Dollar Holiday: The Case for a More Joyful Christmas" by Bill McKibben. I pull this book out every year.

"The point is not to stop giving; the point is to give things that matter," McKibben writes. "Give things that are rare -- time, attention, memory, whimsy. We run short on these things in our lives, even as we have an endless supply of software, hardware, ready-to-wear."

Finally, here are a few personal finance books that are classics, ones that I consider to be must-reads:

· "The Richest Man in Babylon" by George S. Clason. This book is full of time-tested advice on saving and investing.

· Benjamin Franklin's "The Way to Wealth." Franklin is known for being penny-wise, and you won't be pound foolish for buying this pocket-size book that takes less than an hour to read.

· "Your Money or Your Life: Transforming Your Relationship With Money and Achieving Financial Independence" by Joe Dominguez and Vicki Robin. This book dares you to examine how you are spending your money and your time.

Okay, I doubt any of these books will produce a "wow" when unwrapped. But this year, instead of the same old tie or blouse or scarf, take the time to give someone a gift that makes good financial sense.