Entertaining, by Martha Stewart (Crown, $31.50, www.amazon.com)

FIRST PUBLISHED: 1982.
WHY: Those who arrange a crudite platter with Cezanne's still lifes in mind have Martha Stewart to thank. Though lampooning the labor-intensiveness of the Martha Stewart ideology has become a favorite American pastime, the truth is she changed the way we think about entertaining. And she did it with this standard-setting book. It was the first to suggest that having a party or guests for dinner doesn't have to be a formal, stultifying event. It was also the first to tell us that we shouldn't be embarrassed to make entertaining a creative, special occasion. "I often don't even use the specific recipes," explains a San Francisco chef. "I just use the ideas for design and presentation."
TRY THESE FIRST: Valentine's Day Rack of Lamb, any platter from the "Crudite, Fruit, and Cheese Party" chapter.