For the procrastinators among you, may I suggest some last minute gifts for your favorite Buckeye spouse, child or in-law. Give the gift that gives something back, a good Ohio State Book with a life message. Here are several I would highly recommend:

Busted - The Rise and Fall of Art Schichter This gripping and emotional tale of Art's life as a compulsive gambler illuminates the powerful pull of this wicked disease and the unimaginable price paid by those afflicted, their friends, and their family. You may think you know the Art Schlichter story, but think again. Nothing you have read prepares you for hearing it in his own honest and brutal words, as you ride a roller coaster of emotions that is Art Schlichter's life - rise, fall, anger, agony, despair, deceit, repentance, and now hope. The book is that rare juxtaposition of desperation and inspiration that has you thinking about it long after you have finished.

Chick - Bob Hunters book about the Chick Harley story is a must for every serious Buckeye's book shelves.

The One And Only - Todd Wessell's fascinating book about his Uncle Chic tells the Chic Harley story from the perspective of Chic and his family. Twenty-five years in the making, The One and Only will give you new found appreciation, not only for Chic Harley and where Ohio State might be today without him, but for the impacts of a life of Schizophrenia in an era when treatment wasn't available.

For those of you with baby boomers on your list, you could do no better than going to Barnes and Noble or Amazon used book sellers and picking up an inexpensive used copy of any of the late Mike Hardens out of print books. I have collected all three, First Gathering, The Best of Mike Harden, and Homegrown. Each of these is a timeless blend of humor, history, and human interest that will make you laugh, make you cry, and leave you a better person having read them.