A BRIEF LIFE: ALFRED HITCHCOCK (Nan A. Talese-Doubleday) Peter Ackroyd Brief but not frivolous, this intimate biography on the life of the legendary director is packed with interesting facts about his life and movies, rare anecdotes and cameos from such names as Cary Grant, James Stewart and Grace Kelly. Ackroyd makes Hitchcock’s life so accessible and entertaining that the book will delight more than just film buffs and fans. $26.96 www.amazon.com

SUNKEN CITIES Egypt’s Lost Worlds (Thames & Hudson) Franck Goddio and Aurélia Masson Berhoff The next best thing to taking an underwater dive and coming face to face with some of the greatest underwater excavations of our time is this astonishing book featuring the ancient Egyptian buildings and artifacts that lie submerged at the edge of the Nile Delta for more than 1,200 years. More than 250 illustrations are presented with a history including the Ptolemaic period and the legendary Cleopatra. $60 www.thamesandhudsonusa.com

TEQUILA COCKTAILS (Assouline) Brian Van Flandern Renown Michelin three-star mixologist, Brian Van Flandern focuses on the superb Casamigos tequila by George Clooney, Rande Gerber, and Mike Meldman to show you how to create quick yet complex cocktails that will impress with both taste and look. Sixty recipes ranging from the Agavacado Martini to an Unencumbered Jalapeño Margarita will have you feeling like an expert. $50 www.assouline.com

GAY GOTHAM Art and Underground Culture in New York (Skira-Rizzoli) Donald Albrecht, Stephen Vider An accompaniment to the exhibit at the Museum of the City of New York, this landmark book brings us more than 350 images consisting of works of art, letters, snapshots and ephemera that embody the LGBT culture and movement from the early part of the 20th century, through the post-Stonewall era of Studio 54 and until the close of the century.  A book that not only celebrates a vibrant and sometimes heartbreaking movement and city, but also encapsulates it for future generations. $65 www.amazon.com

— GD