OK, Here is an interesting one:

I need a college graduation gift for a friend of mine. She has often
talked about how she would like to open a small retail specialty store
selling what I consider knick-knacks. Think Anthropology (the retail
store) meets Urban Outfitters etc.

So I am thinking I would like to get her a book that is a fun read,
and gives an overview of how one goes about starting a business.

Amazon lists hundreds of books about starting a business, I don't want
to go through them all. I am looking for a book that is straitforward,
fairly high level - covering all areas of starting a business from
scratch, and interesting to read. I don't want 900 pages of text
detailing every minute detail of every business.

Of course I'm also open to other good gift ideas :)

Thanks

Entrepreneur Magazine publishes an excellent series of guides for
people who are starting businesses. I have consulted these guides in
the past and have found them to be extremely well-written and
well-organized. The guides offer detailed information about all
aspects of running your own business, including tips on location,
facility, equipment, inventory, resources, personnel, legal
requirements, record-keeping, financial management, advertising and
promotion. The information is presented in a logical, interesting way.
The material is typically organized in a binder with tabs separating
sections on different topics. This allows for quick reference when
needed.

The guides assume no particular business expertise on the part of the
reader, but they're written in a straight-forward, intelligent way
that is comparable to what one would find in a magazine geared toward
college-level readers. The guides often include short anecdotes from
successful business people who offer tips on strategies to pursue and
mistakes to avoid.

Here is a link to the web site for the guide, "How to Start a Retail
Store":
http://www.smallbizbooks.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/newmedia/product.d2w/report?prrfnbr=244151

I hope this helps. Congratulations to your friend on her graduation,
and best of luck to her if she decides to open her store!

Helpful Answer, thanks!