Need some literary stocking stuffers for a geek? Here are six smart-but-breezy reads including something for everyone, from the tormented goth to the comic-book fanboy:

Go to Hell: A Heated History of the Underworld, by Chuck Crisafulli & Kyra Thompson (Simon Spotlight, $15.95, paperback) -- Tour the land of the damned with this light-hearted beginner's guide to hell. The authors catalog the incarnations of Hades throughout history, from Bertolt Brecht to Buffy. Just don't expect philosophical debates: This is cultural history, not religious contemplation.

The Physics of Superheroes, by James Kakalios (Gotham, $26.95, hardcover) -- Physics prof Kakalios says Krypton's explosion is surprisingly realistic, Spider-Man's webline was indeed to blame for Gwen Stacy's death, and Cyclops' neck should snap like a twig every time he uses his optic blast. Real math proofs back it all up. Comics scribe Mark Waid says he keeps the book close at hand.

How to Survive a Robot Uprising, by Daniel H. Wilson (Bloomsbury, $12.95, paperback) -- Carnegie Mellon roboticist Wilson knows from personal experience what the new generation of autonomous robots are capable of. Here he intersperses information about real cutting-edge research with tongue-in-cheek (but accurate!) suggestions for subduing an out-of-control mechanoid.

How to Rule the World: A Handbook for the Aspiring Dictator, by Andre De Guillaume (Chicago Review, $9.95, paperback) -- For those who liked the idea of Machiavelli's The Prince but found the period prose a bit dated. Robin Chevalier's cartoons provide smiles, but the actual text is quite deadpan; readers may complete chapters like "Dress Like a Leader" and "How to Tell Who Is Plotting Against You" only to find themselves thinking it all sounds quite doable.

The Space Tourist's Handbook, by Eric Anderson (Quirk, $15.95, paperback) -- Author Anderson is CEO of Space Adventures, the company that trained multimillionaire Dennis Tito for his $20M paid excursion on a Soyuz mission. This fun volume offers that same training in a "how-to" format, and comes with a contest entry form offering readers a real shot at a suborbital flight.

Navigating the Golden Compass, edited by Glenn Yeffeth (BenBella, $17.95, paperback) -- The latest collection in BenBella Books' Smart Pop series sees literary visionaries Gregory Maguire, Michael Chabon and Harry Turtledove join 15 other writers in offering their own takes on Philip Pullman's fantasy epic His Dark Materials. Provocative essays include titles such as "Science, Technology and the Danger of Daemons."