Avast! If ye be new to this vessel, partake in the lootin' with our Arrrrh! S.S. (RSS), Matey!

With a title like that, how can this book be anything but awesome? Well, I read it cover to cover on a very long flight and can assure that it is, indeed, awesome. Tucker Max is a self proclaimed a**hole, and his stories certainly prove that fact. The book is a compilation of short stories about Tucker getting inappropriately drunk, hurting people’s feelings, seducing beautiful women, and everything in between; a must read. $13.

Here is the “Bible” for surfing addicts or for those who haven’t been on the waves, but wanna try it out. Michael Fordham’s The Book of Surfing features a complete guide for those who know nothing about this surface water sport. It contains over 300 images, including many by the world’s leading surf photographers. I can say that this book is the only one-stop guide to the complete surfing world. Watch a short video after the jump. £18. Read more »

For some, to barbecue is a hobby; for others, it’s a reason to live. With 500 recipes and techniques, The Barbecue Bible is a complete book of chapters you’ll probably never finish, and only begin the get the message of. It’s on it’s 10th Anniversary already, and to celebrate, Steven Raichlen made this version with color photos and a hardcover. You can’t really put a price on this kind of man-knowledge… well actually you can. $21.

In this new book by Tom Vanderbilt, the topic of discussion, is the finer details of one of the most common activities in America. Vanderbilt claims that unless you are a brain surgeon, driving is one of the most complicated things you do in life, mostly due to the thousands of intricacies that are just second nature to drivers. The book also gets into detail about the connection between driving habits and personality, and methods you can practice to help reduce traffic. I may just start exiting my car while backed up on the 405 freeway and hand these out to the frustrated motorists, thanks Tom! $15.

Good day, Muggle! This is about the closest you’ll ever come to being a wizard, and no that one magical night you almost pulled an ‘HB10′ at the local bar doesn’t count. The Tales of Beedle the Bard is the book that’s within a book series, Harry Potter that is. It’s like the Brothers Grimm stories for wizarding youth in the series. Some time ago, a few copies were sold for a buttload by J.K. Rowling herself, all handwritten. Now a limited edition (100K copies) printed collector’s version is available to you. No need to ‘front’ and act like you don’t actually enjoy the Harry Potter books and/or movies; the kid in all of us wants to see Voldemort bite the big one when Harry, the lovable nerd gets him in the final book. Well, kind of. $100. Read more »

Gary Vaynerchuk’s 101 Wines is an excellent guide for newbies who learn about wine or for experienced drinkers who look for new wines. Every wine identified in the book represents a lesson in a glass, complete with the technical notes, availability, and the story behind the vintage and flavors. You can also watch the video of Gary Vaynerchuk who talk about his new book. Watch the video after the jump. $13.

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For all of you ‘lucky’ people out there who own an Apple iPhone, here’s some great bedtime reading for your enjoyment.

The iPhone book provides everything you need or want to know about the sometimes elusive device, all for a reasonable $16.49.

Playboy: The Celebrities might be your best present for this holiday. The book is filled with over 150 photographs from some of the magazine’s most famous subjects, including Naomi Campbell, Stephanie Seymour, Jenny McCarthy, Pamela Anderson, Debbie Harry, and Marilyn Monroe.