Books As Gifts Guide

Reprinted from auburnpub.com

It’s time for the annual Books As Gifts Guide as Christmas shopping is beginning earlier this year, and more people are shopping online. Books make the best gifts- they’re never the wrong size or color, and they’re easy to wrap, even for the most gift wrapping-challenged among us. Independent bookstores offer great customer service online; go to bookshop.org to shop and help local independent bookstores across the country.

We’ll start in the fiction section. Your sister will enjoy Lian Dolan’s The Sweeney Sisters as the three Sweeney sisters come to terms with a woman who claims to be their deceased father’s daughter. 

Your best friend will love Jane L. Rosen’s Eliza Starts A Rumor about four women in a small Hudson Valley town who bond together as they face troubles. 

For your friend who likes to laugh out loud, get Gigi Levangie’s Been There, Married That about a woman whose marriage to a Hollywood producer comes apart. 

Your aunt will love Fannie Flagg’s The Wonder Boy of Whistle Stop, a sequel to her Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe. 

Literary fiction fans will enjoy Abi Daré’s The Girl With The Louding Voice about a young Nigerian girl who perseveres to get an education.

Alka Joshi’s The Henna Artist takes us to 1950’s India as a woman discovers she has a young sister, and works to build her career and her own house.

James McBride’s Deacon King Kong brings a Harlem neighborhood and its residents to life. 

Historical fiction fans have several great choices. Fiona Davis’ The Lions of 5th Ave takes us right into the New York Public Library in 1913 with a family who resides in an apartment there.

Ellen Marie Wiseman’s The Orphan Collector is for fans of Christina Baker Kline’s The Orphan Train and Lisa Wingate’s Before We Were Yours.

Jenny Field’s Atomic Love is set in the years following the creation of the atomic bomb, when a woman must discover if one of her fellow scientists is a Russian spy. 

For the mystery lover, Cassidy Lucas’ Santa Monica will satisfy fans of Liane Moriarty’s Big Little Lies.

Riley Sager’s Lock Every Door is for those who like their mysteries a little creepier.

Michael Connelly’s back with The Law of Innocence featuring his Mickey Haller character. 

In the Romance genre, Nina Bocci’s Hopeless Romantics series of four books set in a small Pennsylvania town is a great bundle to give.

Jenny Colgan’s Christmas on the Island Hotel is for your neighbor who is already in the Christmas spirit. 

Turning to nonfiction, for your mom who likes biographies, Michael J. Fox’s No Time Like The Future shares his life living with Parkinson’s Disease.

Dolly Parton is popular this year with Sarah Smarsh’s She Come By It Natural about Dolly and all the women she influenced, as well as Dolly’s own Dolly Parton, Songteller which shares lyrics and stories about her songs. Add Dolly’s new CD A Holly Dolly Christmas and you’ve got a great gift. 

For your niece who is into soccer, Megan Rapinoe’s memoir One Life is perfect. 

For your dad who likes history, John Dickerson’s book about presidential history, The Hardest Job in the World is timely.

Jenna Bush Hager’s Everything Is Beautiful In Time is an inspirational book about her grandparents, George and Barbara Bush.

If you know someone who likes to laugh, Jerry Seinfeld’s Is This Anything? is a good choice, and David Sedaris’ The Best of Me collects his best essays. 

For the cook in the family, Ina Garten’s Modern Comfort Food is one of her best yet. 

If you have a wine aficionado on your list, The New Sotheby’s Wine Encyclopedia is a treat.

Erin Zammett Ruddy’s The Little Book of Life Skills gives great advice to everyone. 

For teenagers, Nic Stone’s Dear Martin and Dear Justyce are popular. 

If they read the City of Bones series, Tracy Deon’s Legendborn is next. 

Middle readers love graphic novels, and Jerry Craft’s Class Act and Raina Telemeier’s “Babysitters Club” are excellent. 

Karina Yan Glaser’s The Vanderbeekers Lost and Found is the fourth book in this wonderful family series. 

 Jeff Kinney’s The Deep End is his newest Wimpy Kid book. 

Meg Medina’s Mercy Suarez Changes Gears is another great choice. 

For the littlest ones, Chris Harris and Dan Santat’s The Alphabet’s Alphabet is colorful and educational.  

Sherry Duskey Rinker’s Construction Site Mission: Demolition!

 continues her fun series of board books.

Happy shopping and Thanksgiving and next month, I’ll wrap up the Most Compelling Books of 2020.