($24.99, St. Martin’s Press) With its breathless, wink-wink tone of “I shouldn’t be telling you this, but . . .” and insider tips on how to work the system, “Concierge Confidential” sometimes comes off as being delightfully but completely full of it. On the other hand, author Michael Fazio co-founded Abigail Michaels Concierge, a well-respected, Manhattan-based company that claims to have pampered more than 20,000 people over the years, and he also still takes care of some concierge services for InterContinental Hotel New York. It’s a hoot of a read, with tales from Fazio’s early days in L.A. as a personal assistant for a talent agent — don’t miss the hilarious bits about Salma Hayek — and other amusing asides, such as the “Wealthy-to-English” dictionary and “Things Rich People Can’t Do for Themselves.” If you travel extensively, many of the annoyances of trying to get into the latest hot-spot eateries and procure tickets for top shows will absolutely ring true, and there’s simply no question that good concierges are worth their weight in gold. Kyle Wagner
