The papers and mailboxes are full of invitations to join a gruesome ritual to turn what should be the pleasant experience of buying gifts for people we love, or even just like, into joyless, manic drudgery. One way to avoid this, at least for the brighter recipients on your list, is to give books. For the more than quarter-century I’ve been writing a book column, I always offer my suggestions at this time of year. But what makes something a good "gift" book? Who knows? Possibly it’s something a little more expensive, or possibly something that flatters the taste or talents of the recipients…