Five books to help you fill a holiday stocking

The holidays will be upon us soon. Here’s a short list of books on a variety of subjects perfect for gift-giving.

“Running Deep: Bravery, Survival and the True Story of the Deadliest Submarine in World War II” by Tom Clavin. ($30, St. Martin’s Press)

This book is about the USS Tang, an American sub that had a short but powerful career in the Pacific Theater.

The USS Tang, commissioned in mid-October 1943, sank more tonnage, rescued more downed flyers and completed more surface attacks than any other American submarine.

It is credited with sinking 33 enemy ships during its five patrols.

The USS Tang’s greatest success was its final encounter. On Oct. 24-25, 1944, it took out an entire Japanese convoy before it was sunk when one of its own torpedos boomeranged.

Only nine of the sub’s 87 crewmen survived, including its commander, Richard O’Kane. The survivors were picked up by a Japanese frigate and taken as prisoners of war.

O’Kane subsequently survived abuse, disease and malnutrition in a Japanese “torture camp.”

“The Martian Chronicles” by Ray Bradbury. ($30, William Morrow)

This is the 75th anniversary deluxe edition of “The Martian Chronicles” that sports a new cover illustration, elegant endpapers and red-tipped pages in tribute to Bradbury’s visionary universe.

The novel is divided into a series of related stories that explore humans’ arrival on Mars, their encounters with native Martians and the consequences of exporting humans’ vices, such as war, greed and prejudice.

The book blends lyrical storytelling with social and political commentary about the human condition.

First published in 1950, “The Martian Chronicles” helped define the genre of speculative fiction and since then it has also helped shape the work of writers like Margaret Atwood, Stephen King and George R. R. Martin.

“¿Qué es un poema? What is a poem?” with text and illustrations by Jovi de la Jara. ($18.95, Arte Público Press)

This picture book is a fun introduction to reading and writing poetry in Spanish and English.

Semi-abstract illustrations accompany the text.

Here’s an excerpt, first in Spanish: “... El poema le habla al pasado y al futuro/al mismo tiempo y al revés. ...Todo lo puede el poema./El poema es un espejo dentro de tu cabeza. ...”

Now in English: “... A poem speaks to the past and the future/backwards and forward. A poem can do anything./A poem is a mirror inside your head. …”

Though aimed at youngsters ages 4-8, the book can also be a useful beginning educational tool for readers and writers of poetry of any age.

The book received the 2025 Reyes-Olivas Award for Best First Book of Latino Children’s and Young Adult Literature.

The front half of the book is in Spanish, while the back half is an English translation.

“Backbeats: A History of Rock and Roll in Fifteen Drummers” by John Lingan. ($30, Simon & Schuster)

The book traces six decades of rock history, from drummers John Bonham of Led Zeppelin and Charlie Watts of the Rolling Stones to The Beatles’ Ringo Starr and Questlove, leader of the hip-hop band The Roots.

This book shines a light on groundbreaking and under-appreciated drummers like Maureen Tucker of The Velvet Underground and Sam Lay, a pivotal figure in blues’ transition to rock.

Further, the book looks into some of the rock’s unforgettable moments, including Bob Dylan’s seismic shift from acoustic to electric, James Brown’s funk in the late 1960s and the birth of thrash metal in the early ’80s.

Reviewer Bob Spitz wrote, “‘Backbeats’ glows with enthusiasm and delivers an insightful glimpse into the sultans of swing who created fire by rubbing two sticks together.”

“The Art of Jacques Pépin: Favorite Recipes and Paintings from My Life in the Kitchen” by Jacques Pépin. ($35, Harvest)

Pépin is a legendary author of more than 30 cookbooks and the winner of 24 James Beard Foundation awards, as well as holding France’s highest civilian distinction, the Legion of Honour. This volume brings together Pépin’s twin passions — food and art — through his personal stories.

Born in France, he was the personal chef to three French presidents and has been a pioneering influence in kitchens in the United States and worldwide alongside Beard and Julia Child.

Five books to help you fill a holiday stocking