Books listed in this column are not...

Books listed in this column are not necessarily recommended by The Times. Smart House: The Coming Revolution in Housing by Ralph Lee Smith (GP Publishing Inc., 10650 Hickory Ridge Road, Columbia, Md. 21044; 127 pages, $11.95 plus $2 postage) describes what the author believes a typical new home of the future will include. One wiring system will run all appliances and entertainment systems and lights that automatically turn on when a person approaches them, he believes.

How to Research Buildings in Glendale, (Glendale Historical Society , P.O. 4173, Glendale, Calif. 91202, 27 pages, $3) an illustrated expanded version of the research guide used by volunteer researchers during the society’s architectural and historical survey of central Glendale.

Retirement Choices For The Time of Your Life by John Howells (Gateway Books, 1750 Post St., San Francisco, Calif. 94115, $10.95, 346 pages) is delightful reading even if retirement is the last thing on your mind. Howells, a Northern California-based writer who has worked on 40 newspapers (a real glutton for punishment!) goes beyond the “Best Places” books that use statistics to determine what’s best for retirement living. Statistically speaking, cities like Pittsburgh have ranked high as “best places to live” but few retirees are considering moving there. Howells’ choice of the best 15 places to retire to includes big cities (San Diego, Albuquerque, Tucson), moderately large cities (Orlando, Reno, Baton Rouge, La.), smallish cities (Aiken, S.C., McAllen, Tex., and Ft. Myers, Fla.) and small towns (Ojai, Calif. and Grants Pass, Ore.).