This Week in Calendar

David L. Ulin reviews “A View of the Ocean” by Jan de Hartog.

Chet Raymo reviews “The Animal Dialogues: Uncommon Encounters in the Wild” by Craig Childs.

Tim Rutten reviews “The Anatomist: A True Story of Gray’s Anatomy” by Bill Hayes.

The following reviews are scheduled:

Martin Rubin reviews “The Wonderful and Surprising History of Sweeney Todd: The Life and Times of an Urban Legend” by Robert L. Mack.

Steven Moore reviews “You, or the Invention of Memory,” a novel by Jonathan Baumbach.

Molly Hennessy-Fiske reviews “The Driver: My Dangerous Pursuit of Speed and Truth in the Outlaw Racing World” by Alexander Roy.

On the Web

This week at latimes.com/books:

In Word Play, Sonja Bolle considers new holiday-related children’s books, including Ian Falconer’s “Olivia Helps With Christmas,” Lemony Snicket’s “The Latke Who Couldn’t Stop Screaming” and Frank McCourt’s “Angela and the Baby Jesus.” These stories share a comforting familiarity, which is, in many ways, what the holidays are all about. At this time of year, Bolle suggests, we let our guards down, allowing our sentimental sides to emerge. It only makes sense that we would look for stories that rely on tried-and-true themes: the warmth of family, the search for the perfect gift, the stranger taken in.

Lists and blog: Look for our favorite books of 2007, expanded bestseller lists and our guide to local literary events, as well as Jacket Copy, our book information blog, at latimesblogs.latimes.com/jacketcopy.