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My Definitive List of Books to Give as Gifts

Don’t be boring this Christmas. Don’t just buy whichever book happens to be top of the book charts this month – every unimaginative person will be giving the very same thing. Let me help you instead.

I think my dream job might well be a “professional book picker” where I would just spend all day reading good books and recommending the pick of the bunch. I don’t get paid for this [yet], but I do enjoy reading and can vouch for everything suggested here…

For the last couple of years I’ve put together a list of books to buy for the adventure loving / sports loving / entrepreneur in your life.

This year I have also recommended a few good books on Instagram:

I found this a thought-provoking book, if you’re interested in connecting more with nature.

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Planning…

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A word-lover’s guide to the landscape. I adore this book, and it is teaching me a lot about the land I live in.

A post shared by Alastair Humphreys (@al_humphreys) on

Big and bold. Robert Macfarlane’s new book just landed on my doorstep. First impression: lavishly beautiful.

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I also read loads of books that I don’t mention either on my website or on social media. My life is very compartmentalised: I have my ‘adventure life’ which I shout endlessly about online. Then I have my real life, ordinary stuff, family, friends, taekwondo, sport, treehouses, angst, and all sorts of books.

Here then is a broad spread of what I’ve read this year. These are only some of the books I have read in the past 12 months, books that I definitely endorse. Please note this is not necessarily “Adventure Alastair” endorsing them, so maybe check the description first to see if you will enjoy them or not.

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Comments

  1. Michael O'Malley Posted

    Cracking list! Not had chance to look through the other lists yet but my personal favourites include Pirsig’s ‘Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance’, Wainwright’s ‘A Pennine Journey’ and Shepherd’s ‘The Living Mountain’. I recently bought Grand and Micro adventures too so they’re next on my to-do-list 😉 your ‘Lost lecture’ on YouTube inspired me to go on a 4-day backpacking trip recently… it’s safe to say I’ve got the bug. Stay safe, keep moving. ATB for the new year.
    Michael

    Reply
  2. Only two books by women?

    Reply
    • Alastair Posted

      Yes – I don’t seem to have come across many brilliant adventure books by women. Can you offer me some suggestions?

      Reply

 
 

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