By Demand: The Irrepressible Book Gifter’s Holiday Recommendations

I like to give books as presents, there’s nothing unique about that. And I spend a fair amount of time selecting the right book for the right reader, because when someone gives me one I’m always interested in why they made that particular selection. I think most people who give books do the same, but for some reason (probably because I published a book in this third career of mine), there are a lot of questions each holiday season about not only what I’m buying, but for whom and why. 

So, this year I thought I’d consolidate and share. It’s not like there aren’t plenty of lists for best holiday gift books out there. But the questions come, so here goes. They aren’t all the latest titles, just the best suited for particular friends, perhaps some of yours as well.

The Candy House / The Many Daughters of Afong Moy

These mind-bending books include glimpses of a plausible near future and grapple with tricky concepts: What if we could sell our memories on the cloud for anyone to download? What if epigenetics was a reality and trauma passes through DNA for generations? These novels are for readers who love to engage with intellectually challenging, as well as page-turning material. They don’t have to have read "Goon Squad" before “Candy House,” but if not, they’ll want to go back to it, so maybe a two-volume gift? I recommend the audio for “Daughters,” the actors are incredible and help keep the time-shifting clear.

Please be Advised

Pure, side-splitting pleasure. I’m giving this hilarious “novel in memos” to everyone I know who has experienced the absurdity of a corporate environment. They will all relate. I’m also using it as a hostess gift for holiday parties. The gift of a belly-laugh.

Coco at the Ritz

An irresistible title for a story of war and fashion colliding for Paris elite under the WWII Occupation, and a plausible answer to one of the era’s still unsolved mysteries. For the reader who always wants a war story, with a new twist--it’s told from the point of view of the irascible Coco Chanel, who may or may not have been a German spy.

Suspect

Turow’s (perhaps first) female narrator, Pinky is an unpredictable hoot. The story twists, of course, but so does this millennial, tattooed, hard-drinking, drug-taking, bi-sexual cub investigator who gets in WAY over her head. Give this, for the sheer fun of it, for those readers who must have a mystery/thriller. Gift the audio book, the voice is a delight. 

The Women of Troy / The Silence of the Girls

I was preoccupied for weeks with this propulsive saga. I picked up the second book first and immediately went back to the first once I finished. For anyone who loves historical fiction, the wonderful Pat Barker retells the Iliad and its aftermath from a women’s point of view. It's deeply insightful and realistic with a contemporary feeling. If you adore the person you give this to, make it a two-volume gift. And, when they resurface, you can make plans for giving them Barker’s Regeneration trilogy of WWI. I’m giving this to a dedicated historical fiction reader still mourning the end of The Outlander series. She’s in for a ride.

Oh, William

My favorite of all the Strout books since Olive Kitteridge. It’s amazing to see how she crafts a compelling narrative out of what you could only call a character sketch. A clear-eyed story of an "unlikeable" man, who happens to be her ex-husband, a connection the author seems unwilling to break, and neither does the reader. This novel saved my life during a failed, overnight sleep study. For anyone who loves women’s fiction (though that’s a reductive description of potential readers) and a great voice.

Klara and the Sun

Someone on your list will love/only read science fiction. I typically do not (except for select Ray Bradbury). But this exquisite tale of an android who becomes the artificial friend of a dying girl and exhibits such innocent powers of observation that she comes to understand humans much better than they do themselves, was addictive. Give it to anyone, then wait for the call when they finish—note the word they use to describe it. Perhaps it will be the one your searching for, besides “awesome.”

Where are the Snows / A Necessary Explosion

Blow the minds of those who love literature, but think they can no longer be surprised. These two books of poetry are wildly experimental but totally accessible. At first your head will spin over Rooney’s daily musings as you try to decide just what they are, but as it goes on you get it. It’s what a poet with a strong sense of the absurd, access to the internet, and endless time to contemplate does during COVID lock-down. Ridiculously quotable. You’ll be taking notes and wishing you could respond to every line she writes. Give to friends with whom you want to crack a bottle of wine, sit back and discuss.

Similarly, in A Necessary Explosion, Dan Burns shares the results of his warm-up process—the poems he generates as he gears up for the writing work of the day. Send either of these to someone you want to inspire into deeper creativity.

Sandman, a Golf Tale

Someone on your gift list will want a sports book, others a wonderful parable of life. If you’re finding it hard to chose gifts for a man, this will do it in particular, though not exclusively. A beautifully written, quiet book that will appeal to virtually any reader--just be sure to warn them it isn’t really about golf.

How to Walk on Water

I’ve frequently given this book for many reasons, but mostly to avid novel readers to get them equally addicted to short story collections where, in the time it takes to read a chapter, they will be able to savor a complete tale. These stories are full of danger and, perhaps, the supernatural. Caution your gift recipients not to read them in the dark.

Last Summer on State Street

I always give a copy of my favorite book of the year to my niece. This one is already wrapped and under the tree. When we say books allow us to experience lives we could never imagine, we mean stories like this. It’s a novel of coming of age under the worst possible circumstances that’s as hopeful and funny as it is shocking and tragic. This is due to a 12-year-old narrator who tells the tale of what happens to four jump-roping girlfriends, their pastime a stark contrast to the racism, poverty and violence of the world falling apart around them. Yes, it’s a book for those looking for a more diverse reading experience, but also for any reader who wants to expand their universe with an excellent story. 

And Now For The Plug (You knew it was coming).

Please scan your list and consider gifting The Fourteenth of September, a novel that checks many boxes for many readers: historical fiction, coming of age, women’s and war fiction (Putin and his conscription/draft have made it newly relevant). Available in paperback, e-book and audio formats.