Notable: Make a list

What is it about lists that fascinates us so? Instead of listing the reasons, I give you three books packed with lists.

The Order of Things: Hierarchies, Structures and Pecking Orders (Workman) by Barbara Ann Kipfer clearly organizes practically anything you can think of, from angels to zoogeographical regions.

Rules of Thumb: Brilliant Guesstimates, Shortcuts and a Few Shots in the Dark (Workman) by Tom Parker is a useful and entertaining collection of tips on a wide range of topics, from how to choose a chandelier to how to quiet down a drunk.

11,002 Things to Be Miserable About (Abrams Image) by Lia Romeo and Nick Romeo is just the thing if you've had your fill of happy-talk self-help books; some entries will make you say "I hate that too!'' and others will make you laugh.

Colette Bancroft, Times book editor