Fine books for your worldly friends

By Guy Cosentino

Friday, December 20, 2002 10:04 AM EST

So you havent finished your Christmas shopping? Hey, you still have a few days left and if youre looking for a couple of ideas here are some books worth considering for a mix of tastes.
The best columnist in the country might be Thomas L. Friedman, the foreign affairs columnist for The New York Times. It is hard to pin down his politics and views, other than maybe he is a balanced mix of idealism and realism. He understands the world is complex and has a great way of explaining it. He has two books out that are worthy gifts.

His best is The Lexus and the Olive Tree # Understanding Globalization. Now in paperback for $15, it gives an overview about how our world, from the sheikdoms of the Middle East to the coffee houses of Seattle, are connected. His easy-to-read book, which talked about the danger of Osama bin Laden before most of the world took notice of him, contains a gold mine of information. He also explains why we have to look at the world, not in black and white, not in 3-D, but in six dimensions that take into account everything from politics and economics to the environment.

Look at the last 18 months since Sept. 11, 2001. Using columns prior to the terrorist attack and another column nine months later, he gives a linear but multidimensional view of world changes and how Americans must become globalists. Included in the hardcover volume is a travel diary of his non-column thoughts for the period.

While Mr. Friedman is not as flashy or boisterous as a Christopher Matthews or a Bill OReilly, his analysis will entertain you and provoke thought.

Also in paperback, for the person who wants to know how little ideas become trends, the New Yorker magazines Malcolm Gladwells The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make A Big Difference, for $14.95, is the hot read for people wanting to know how Hush Puppies made a comeback or Blues Clues became hotter than Sesame Street. Gladwell explains the Three Laws of Epidemics and The Stickiness Factor.

Closer to home, Auburnians can now pick up Meyer Bookbindings newest edition to their local post card history series Tickets Please for $36. It is a follow up to last years popular Post Cards from the Past. Both books are available at Meyers new location at 35 Market St. near the Auburn Fire Department.

Mr. Cosentino is a former mayor of Auburn. He can be e-mailed at cozguytho@aol.com.

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