Something for all

Here, arranged in ascending order of price, is a selection ofgeneral-interest holiday gift books. Contributors are DoloresFlaherty, Roger Flaherty, Joseph Harrington, Ginny Holbert, TomMcNamee, Delia O'Hara, Lloyd Sachs and Char Searl. UNDER $20

The Arthurian Book of Days, by Caitlin and John Matthews(Macmillan, $19.95). The romance and tragedy of King Arthur and theKnights of the Round Table are presented as the creators of the sagamight have done. Modeled after a medieval book of the hours andrichly illustrated with gold decorations and full-color medieval art,the book presents one episode from the Arthurian saga for each day ofthe year.

Treasure: Lost, Found & Undiscovered, by Mike Groushko (CourageBooks, $19.95). The seas off the Americas are rich with the goldencargos of Spanish galleons and pirate ships that went down to theirdepths. This illustrated book tells the story of great sunkentreasures, as well as tales of lost kingdoms, excavated tombs andeven some notable spoils of war. $20 TO $29.99

The Complete Tutankhamun, by Nicholas Reeves (Thames & Hudson,$24.95). Ah, travel way back to those thrilling days of Tutmania -for Chicagoans, the Tut World Tour arrived in 1977 - via this insidelook at "The King, the Tomb and the Royal Treasure." Reeves digsdeep into the artifacts to reveal such interest-ticklers as theautopsy conducted on the royal mummy, the games Tutankhanmun playedand his wine list. Of the 519 illustrations, 65 are in color.

The History of the World Series, by Gene Schoor (Morrow,$27.95). This remarkable volume recounts every inning of every WorldSeries game played, giving special attention to stories about greatand awful ballplayers. It is crammed with stats, histories andanecdotes, although the 300-plus photos are mostly unexceptional.

Arnold Schwarzenegger - A Portrait, by George Butler (Simon &Schuster, $29.95). The author of the book and film Pumping Iron,which helped transform an obscure Austrian bodybuilder into a moviestar has compiled more anecdotes and photos, mostly from the star'sold bodybuilding days.

The Flowering of Art Nouveau Graphics, by Julia King (GibbsSmith, $29.95). A compact survey of the Art Nouveau style which wascharacterized by flowing natural lines, and rich, exotic colors. Theauthor includes works from the U.S. and Europe, by such artists asBeardsley, Guimard, Toulouse-Lautrec, Klimt, and Parrish. $30 TO $39.99

Grab the Brass Ring: The American Carousel, by Anne Dion Hinds(Crown, $30). What goes around, comes around, but in fewer numbers:Of the more than 5,000 hand-carved wooden carousels built between1880-1930, only about 175 remain today, says Hinds. She chroniclestheir history and restoration through readable text and vividclose-ups.

Chess: An Illustrated History, by Raymond Keene (Simon &Schuster, $35). Chess, whose strategies parallel warfare, has beenaround for two millennia, although it really came into its own duringthe Renaissance. This book tells the story of chess, interspersedwith photographs of the beautiful boards every culture that plays ithas produced.

Ellis Island, by Wilton S. Tifft (Contemporary, $35). No symbolof melting-pot America is quite so powerful or moving as EllisIsland, the port of call through which some 12 million immigrantspassed between 1892 and 1954. This comprehensive volume is timed tothe restoration and reopening of the island, which took 17 years and$160 million to achieve. The book includes 175 archival photos.

The Discovery of the Bismarck, by Robert D. Ballard (Warner,$35). In 1985, Ballard discovered the wreck of the Titanic and wrotea best-selling book about it. This time around he has salvaged theBismarck, Hitler's greatest battleship, and here's the book to tellthat tale - both the history story and the detective story. He tellsit well. He does not skip. And he offers fine photos on every page.

Ireland in Poetry, edited by Charles Sullivan (Abrams, $39.95).This collection of 150 poems and over 100 works of art evokes manyaspects of Ireland: its natural beauty, its political divisions, andthe aspirations - both public and personal - of its people. Thepoems range from a 9th century ode celebrating victories overheathens to the likes of Samuel Beckett's "I would like my love todie." Included are works by Irish Protestants and by non-Irish - insum offering a vivid, balance view of the Irish experience.

The Moulin Rouge, by Jacques Pessis and Jacques Crepineau (St.Martin's Press, $39.95). It's a household word all over the world,and what a remarkable place it has been - the nightclub in Montmartrethat, from the day it opened in October of 1889, set Paris on itsear. Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec painted it; the can-can wasintroduced there; Jane Avril, Mistinguett and Maurice Chevalierperformed there. The text, drawings and photographs take the MoulinRouge from its opening to the present.

Yachting: The History of a Passion, by Robin Knox-Johnston(Hearst Marine Books, $39.95). Yachts may be too expensive for mostadmirers to consider owning, but yachting continues to attractgrowing numbers of passionate sailors who somehow find the means tofinance their love of speed and spray. Accompanying this collectionof maritime paintings and photographs is a text chroniclingdevelopments since sailing races started in the Netherlands threecenturies ago. The author was the first man to sail alone around theworld without a stop. $40 TO $49.99

The Sotheby's Guide to Classic Wines and Their Labels, by DavidMolyneux-Berry (Ballantine, $40). The man who helped set up the winedepartment at the world's largest international auction house decodeswine label esperanto for aspiring and established connoisseurs. Thehandsome volume gathers full-color reproductions of 2,500 labels,arranged geographically by regions of production.

The Beauty of Stained Glass, by Patrick Reyntiens (Bulfinch,$40). This illuminating history pieces together the significance,colors, symbolism and inspiration of this misunderstood art form,which falls somewhere between painting and sculpture. An enjoyabletext and photos of modern works by the author himself are highlights.

Japonisme Comes to America: The Japanese Impact on the GraphicArts, 1876-1925, by Julia Meech and Gabriel P. Weisberg (Abrams,$45). A fascinating look at the influence of "Japonisme" on Americanartists such as Louis Comfort Tiffany, Frank Lloyd Wright and WillBradley. In the late 1800s, Americans and Europeans were enchantedby Japanese style, from watercolors to ukiyo-e (woodcut) prints,inexpensive and accessible to middle-class Americans.

At Home: The American Family 1750-1870, by Elisabeth DonaghyGarrett (Abrams, $49.50). At the beginning of the nation's historythe home was the center of activity, the base for family income aswell as shelter, sustenance and emotional life. This account ofearly American household arrangements draws on diaries, letters,household manuals and fiction. Tastes and living arrangements areillustrated in 200 paintings, drawings and prints. $50 AND UP

Thoroughbred Kingdoms: Breeding Farms of the American Racehorse,photographs by Henry Horenstein, text by Carol Flake (Bulfinch, $50).The breeding of horses for racing has deep roots in America, andgreat dynasties have risen and been eclipsed here. The text andgorgeous photographs take the reader on an insider's tour of thisfabulous world of wealth, tradition and history.

The America's Cup: 1851 to the Present, by Beken of Cowes(HarperCollins, $60). This is largely a photo album intended for theavid yachtsman. The 175 full-page black-and-white photos wereselected by yachting photographer Keith Beken from the work of fourgenerations of his family. The introduction is by Olin Stephens, anAmerica's Cup winning yacht designer.

Modern Design 1890-1990: The Design Collections of the Museum ofModern Art, by R. Craig Miller (Abrams, $60). Although the museumhas an extensive collection of modern decorative arts, very little ofit is on display, except here. This heavy volume details fashion,glassware, furniture, textiles, metalwork and ceramics, showing howmuch contemporary design owes to the earliest pioneers.

My Time At Tiffany's by Gene Moore and Jay Hyams (St. Martin's,$60). Window dresser par excellance Gene Moore is best known for hiscontroversial Tiffany's windows showing realistic New York streetscenes complete with bag ladies and winos. But he also was the firstdesigner to use tiny white lights on Christmas trees and votivecandles on restauarant tables.

Posters of the Belle Epoque: The Wine Spectator Collection, byJack Rennert (Rizzoli, $75). Paris 100 years ago was kicking high,alive with the spirit of the can can. Daring new popularentertainment was available in theaters and dance halls, and luxurieslike absinthe, tobacco, and chocolate were abundant. EnticingParisians to join the fun were a band of gifted artists, whoseposters gave birth to modern advertising. There are more than 200color reproductions.