The Best Coffee-Table Books of 2006

ByABC News via logo
December 20, 2006, 6:55 PM

Dec. 21, 2006 — -- A coffee-table book can make a great last-minute gift.

The anchors of "Good Morning America" revealed some of their favorite coffee-table books this year.

"TV Land Legends" celebrates America's greatest television characters -- and the performers who made them "legendary." The oversize collectable book features photographs by Annie Leibovitz, Mark Seliger, Herb Ritts, David LaChappelle, and more. It includes essays by Billy Crystal, Mary Tyler Moore, plus quotes from one celebrity on another -- including David Letterman on Johnny Carson, Jon Stewart on Bob Newhart, and Megan Mullally on Carol Burnett.

"Bird Songs" includes 250 illustrations of the most notable North American birds. Its built-in digital audio player features songs and calls of each bird. Material in the book is drawn from world-renowned Macaulay Library at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology collection. It's great for the bird enthusiast in your family and will inspire children's curiosity about nature.

With the help of more than 300 photos and vintage ads, the author tells readers "what made [1960s] cars great and explains how the cars reflected their times." The book comes at a time when the popularity of '60s cars is on the rise -- Camaros, Mustangs, etc., have been sold at auction for more than $100,000. The Big Three automakers are planning "pony cars" -- affordable, compact and highly styled cars with a sporty- or performance-oriented image.

This book features exquisite photographs of a view of Ellis Island few have seen, such as the ruins of the island's long-abandoned hospital complex. It shows readers what detainees first saw of America with the help of 77 pictures, all shot with natural light.

For more information, visitEllisIslandghosts.com.

Photographer-editor Michael Poliza was a child actor and Internet entrepreneur, and is now a nature photographer and filmmaker. His latest work is "Africa." The 12.5-pound book features 180 vivid animal portraits and vistas from nearly every African country.