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Give the gift of reading

Posted: November 27, 2013 - 12:00am



Doesn’t it seem like your gift list grows each year?

One new member of the family by birth, three more by marriage. Two “adopted” kids who call you mom or dad just because. Friends who have become dear. A new secret Santa program. It adds up, as it subtracts from your holiday budget.

But here’s a great suggestion: Books! Books are cost-effective. They’re like taking a trip without going anywhere. They give and give again, and they’re share-able. What more could you want to give?

So. Without further ado, here are some great books you can give to the people on your give list this holiday season.

Fiction

Perfect for historians who love a good novel, “The House of Special Purpose” by John Boyne takes a fictionalized trip back to czarist Russia with an elderly man who must lay secrets to rest before he dies. Give this book as a gift — and borrow it back!

Does your giftee like the kind of novel that’ll keep her guessing? Then “The Unchangeable Spots of Leopards” by Kristopher Jansma will be exactly what you want to wrap up. At first, it seems like this is a book about rivalry between two writers, but there’s so much more to this story. Suffice it to say that unwrapping this book isn’t going to be the only surprise your giftee gets — particularly when you pair that book with “This is How You Die,” an anthology with the premise that every character knows the end is near… they know how, but they don’t know how.

So how well do you know that new family member? In “The Darkling” by R. B. Chesterton, a family takes in a teenager who’s been orphaned and they hire a tutor to get the girl up to speed. But there’s something about the girl that just doesn’t seem right — something that will scare the daylights out of your giftee. Wrap it up with “Seduction” by M.J. Rose, which is a literary-based novel of suspense and chills.

For the person who likes a little terror with their holiday, “The Demonologist” by Andrew Pyper will give them that, abundantly. This is the story of a professor who accepts a dark offer that’s too good to be true. Problem is, it’s not to good to be horrifying. Wrap this one up with “Domino Falls” by Steven Barnes and Tananarive Due, for a perfectly frightful night-ful.

If your giftee loves a novel that sprang from real events, then wrap up “My Mother’s Secret” by J.L. Witterick, a fictionalized tale of two women who sheltered a Jewish family in their Sokal, Germany home during World War II. It’s a bit of a thriller, made even better because it’s based on a true story.

General non-fiction

If there’s a poker player on your gift list this year, then you’ve got to wrap up “Straight Flush” by Ben Mezrich. This is the story of a bunch of college buddies who start an online poker site and rake in the cash, but the U.S. Department of Justice wants them to fold.

Why did you pick the gift you picked? Was it just because you knew your friend well, or was there another reason? In “You Are Now Less Dumb” by David McRaney, your giftee will learn a little bit more about what makes you tick, why they didn’t give lots of money as gifts, and why that’s a very good thing.

For the biography lover on your list, “More Scenes from the Rural Life” by Verlyn Klinkenborg might make an excellent gift. This book takes a look at the beauty, the grace, the elegance, and the troubles of living on a farm. It’s a nice companion to the first volume by this author, published 10 years ago.

Surely, there’s someone on your gift list who fears growing older — or someone who’s embraced it wholeheartedly. For that person, wrap up “I’ll Seize the Day Tomorrow” by Jonathan Goldstein, who recounts his last year before he turns the “dreaded 4-0.” Give it to the 30-something on your list, as well as to the something-something who only barely remembers his 40s. Pair it up with “It’s Never Too Late” by Dallas Clayton, a “kid’s book for adults” that will make your giftee think about life, love, and where both are taking her.

For the movie buff, “Sleepless in Hollywood” by Lynda Obst is a good bet for a great gift. In this book, your giftee will read about the movie industry, how it’s changed over the last 10 years or so, and why it costs so much money to make fewer movies. Wrap it up with a pair of tickets and “The Horror Show Guide: The Ultimate Frightfest of Movies” by Mike Mayo. If it’s a scary movie, it’s likely to be listed in this book, making it a reference guide that movie buffs simply should NOT be without.

If your giftee loves old reruns and can’t get enough of the girl who “turns the world on with her smile,” then you need to wrap up “Mary and Lou and Rhoda and Ted” by Jennifer Keishin Armstrong. This is a book about the people who created and brought you The Mary Tyler Moore Show and made it a beloved favorite on oldies channels and TV-on-demand. Wrap it up with “The Joker” by Andrew Hudgins, which is part biography, part look at jokes and things that make us laugh.

The trivia buff on your list will love “Life Skills: How to Do Almost Anything” by the folks at the Chicago Tribune. He’ll learn how to trim hair and unclog a sink, how to pack for a long road trip, how to bowl, and scads of other useful talents. Wrap that book up with “How to Win at Everything” by Daniel Kibblesmith and Sam Weiner, which will further those valuable skills; and “Stats & Curiosities” from the Harvard Business Review folks, for even more knowledge.

Religion

For the Christian who has questions about his or her faith, “50 Simple Questions for Every Christian” by Guy P. Harrison may lay some of those queries to rest. This is a book that’s both light and deep. It touches upon big questions and small ones. It asks the things your giftee didn’t even know he wanted to know. And it’s going to be a great gift. Wrap it up with “Living a Life of Gratitude” by Sara Wiseman — a book about appreciation for all we have — for an even better gift.

Here’s a book you’ll want your giftee to open before dinner is served: “Bless This Food: Ancient & Contemporary Graces from Around the World” by Adrian Butash. This slim little paperback includes prayers of gratitude and blessings from many different faiths and cultures. Wrap it up for even more blessings.

New age

For that person on your gift list who wants to dress for more than just success, wrap up “Magical Fasionista” by Tess Whitehurst. This book teaches readers to consider their innate characteristics and personal elements to enhance their lives, from hats to shoes and all that’s in between. There’s astrology in here, feng shui, intuition, moon phases, and more so your giftee can make magic with her appearance.

No doubt, there’s someone on your gift list who loves monsters. And no doubt, he (or she!) will love reading “The Lady and Her Monsters” by Roseanne Montillo, which is a story of Mary Shelley, her evil scientist and his creation, and the people who inspired Shelley to create such a chilling tale. Pair it with “Alien Mysteries, Conspiracies and Cover-Ups” by Kevin D. Randle, a book about more things that go bump in the night.

Cookbooks

No doubt, your giftee will want to put a little color on the table with “Sprinkles! Recipes and Ideas for Rainbowlicious Desserts” by Jackie Alpers. The recipes in here — I need to warn you — are fun and addicting. I mean, who won’t want to eat homemade pop tarts, homemade donuts, cupcakes, waffles and more? Pass the dessert, please, but don’t pass up this book.

True crime

If you’ve got a true crime lover on your gift list this year, then look for “Stories from Jonestown” by Leigh Fondakowski. This book delves deep into what happened 35 years ago in Guyana and why it happened, and it includes interviews with survivors. This is chilling stuff, and not for the faint of heart.

For anyone who cares for someone who’s elderly, for anyone who’s online all the time, and for anyone who thinks nothing is too good to be true, “Faces of Fraud” by Martin T. Biegelman is a book you need to give early. This book tells readers how to fend off fraud, how to spot something that just doesn’t seem right, and how the problem is more wide-spread than they might think.

Surely, there’s a big CSI fan on your gift list, perhaps someone who loves to solve the unsolvable? Then wrap up “The Sixteenth Rail” by Adam J. Schrager. This is a book that may solve the case of the kidnapping and murder of the Lindbergh baby some 80 years ago. Science, it seems, is now pointing at the guilty party, or not. Give it, and see if your armchair detective agrees.

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