SilverSage's technique of "carelessly" leaving a wishlist around in plain sight--oops, did I leave that there?--gets used in my house, too. In fact, there's a Jessica's Biscuit wishlist sitting right here on the desk. But around here, the deal is, if it's on the wishlist, we don't buy it for ourselves (at least not until after Christmas!).
And SueMmm, I know exactly how those unplanned purchases happen--you are just going along minding your business, folding your umbrella, and a book throws itself at you. It would have followed you home, if you hadn't bought it, right?
And you asked about what drew me to those books I listed.
The cookie book is easy--it was mentioned in the EYB thread on cookies and is going to a relative who has occasions to bake cookies for social functions but not much experience.
The hummus book is not just hummus, but other chickpea recipes as well. I live close to a chickpea-growing region, so I tend to buy them by the 5 pound bag and then I need to figure out what to do with them.
I'm a big fan of Madhur Jaffrey, but I tend not to buy titles when they first come out. This one has been out for more than ten years. I figured the time was right and the price had come down about as much as it was going to. I am really looking forward to having the time to delve into this one.
Charcuterie is something I would like to learn more about. I have very fond memories of cured fermented sausages for picnic lunch while walking in France. I'm handicapped by not having the ideal conditions or place for curing meats, or the equipment for cold-smoking, but I can at least do some of the recipes.
And the book on Singaporean cuisine--one of my favorite kinds of books, an Australian import. Plus, it's a cuisine I don't know much about, so here's a place to start.