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VIDEOS

Rediscovering America’s State Capitals (IVN entertainment, $79.99)

This very minute, 10,000 pieces of Czechoslovakian crystal are hanging in the rotunda of the state Capitol in West Virginia. They are part of the four-ton chandelier that is one of the structure’s claims to fame. Other state Capitols sport fancy domes or roofs: pink granite in Wisconsin, copper in Texas, glazed tiles in New York, gold in Colorado. It would be easy to think of this four-volume set of videos as an adjunct to elementary social studies classes. After all, before delving into the details about a particular Capitol, the series offers a thumbnail history of its state, illustrated with pencil sketches of pioneers braving the wilderness. But the videos are more than a history lesson (important as that is); they also give an overview of what each capital city is like today and what is worth seeing in each of the Capitols. The architectural emphasis takes us from Delaware’s modest Georgian-styled 1792 brick State House; to Louisiana’s 1932 Art Deco skyscraper of 34 stories; to New Mexico’s round, flat-roofed adobe, finished in the 1960s, that takes its shape from the Zia Pueblo sun symbol. Most people may never see all 50 state capitals in person. This is a good way to “shop” for the ones you’d like to visit. (925-688-0833)

GEAR

Euro Interpreter W7, model TRE-400 (Franklin Electronic Publishers, $59.95)

Here’s a pocket-sized pal that’s never at a loss for words. This electronic interpreter can translate 210,000 words and phrases in English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Dutch and Swedish. It even corrects spelling, differentiates between American and British versions of words, calculates metric and currency conversions, and stores up to 30 names and phone numbers. And if you get bored on the long plane ride to your destination, the Euro Interpreter can play Hangman, Quiz and Word Blaster. Close its attached cover, and it measures 4 3/4 by 3 3/8 by 5/8 inches. (800-266-5626)

GIFT BOOKS

“Chasing Rickshaws” (Lonely Planet, $34.95)

Perhaps it was inevitable that someone named Wheeler — Tony Wheeler — would write a book about rickshaws, the world’s most basic wheeled vehicle. Wheeler, who created Lonely Planet publications 25 years ago, has built an empire on creating guidebooks that delve beneath the tourist veneer and really examine the local culture, really get to the feel and heart and personality of a place. He has taken that concept into the realm of hardcover coffee-table books with “Chasing Rickshaws.” Strictly speaking, this is not a travel book (which disqualified it as a Pick of the Week). The jacketed hardcover, which measures 10 1/2 by 9 1/4 inches, focuses on the design and manufacture of an ages-old transportation mode. It examines the work that they do, the goods and passengers they transport and the people who operate them. Its 192 pages share text with 238 color photos by Richard I’Anson that help tell the story. This is the kind of book that National Geographic might once have produced — back in its golden era, when the subject at hand was more important than the person who wrote about it. Wheeler avoided that heady temptation. People who travel to experience other cultures will find that the simple rickshaw, in all its variations, emerges in this book as a symbol of the lure of Asia. It is a rare title that can transcend the shallowness of most gift books. And National Geographic had better look out.

GUIDEBOOKS

“Healing Centers & Retreats” (John Muir Publications, $16.95)

Let’s face it. Wilbur Hot Springs (Williams, Calif.), where you play Ping Pong and listen to bamboo flute music, just doesn’t sound like a very sexy vacation spot. Neither does the Cardiovascular Wellness Center (Westbury, N.Y.), where they conduct extensive lipid studies. But those two destinations are right here along with famed Canyon Ranch (Tucson, Ariz.), with its eight tennis courts and four swimming pools; right along with the Chopra (as in Deepak) Center for Well-Being (La Jolla, Calif.), with its Ayurvedic therapies. This is not a glossy, photo-clogged book. In fact, there are no pictures at all past the cover. But a wealth of health destinations is listed. And the glossary explains terms such as “holotropic breathwork,” “Rubenfeld synergy” and, yes, “Ayurvedic therapy.” (800-888-7504)

SKI GUIDES

“Skiing USA: The Guide for Skiers and Snowboarders” (Fodor’s, $17.50)

This updated second edition focuses on what the publishers esteem as the 30 best ski resorts in the United States. Stat-happy types will like the at-a-glance column of vitals on things like altitude, vertical drop, number of trails, lift capacity and lift prices that appears with each entry. Descriptions of each resort’s ambience are followed by practical advice on how to get there, where to stay, where to eat and, most important, where to apres-ski.

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Toni Stroud’s e-mail address is tstroud@tribune.com.