Last Minute [Bookish] Gift Guide - 2016

When talking about holidays or events that include gift-giving, there are two types of people. The ones who are well-organised and have everything purchased, wrapped, and mailed a proper time in advance. Then there are people who discover days before Christmas that they haven’t managed to buy one present. Of course, I am being overly dramatic since there are shops open almost throughout Christmas – at least in my part of the world – but let’s admit it, most of us get our gifts online. Thus, we are dependent on lengthier delivery times that come hand in hand with every holiday. So here’s a handy Last Minute Gift Guide for your bookishly inclined friend, family member or partner.

Tiina
In addition to bookish items – tote bags, jewellery, cute mugs, stationary – nothing beats a good old personalised reading recommendation in the form of a book. Here are five from me that should work for even the fussiest of readers. OK, that’s a lie. Some of these books expect you to get out of your comfort zone, but I promise you it’ll be worth it. Here goes.

Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli. This is a contemporary LGBTQ+ romance. Maybe it’s not your thing usually, but if you like sweet and adorable YA books that strike a great balance between important issues and romance, then this is for you. Just read it. I was clutching this book to my chest for an hour after I finished it. I still think of it. Also includes letters if epistolary stuff is your jam. Warning: might induce a book hangover.

Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly. Yes, it’s a non-fiction. Yes, it’s very science and literally follows mathematicians working for NASA, but it is absolutely fascinating. You get social injustice, you get science, and you get female empowerment. Triple whammy right there. There’s also a film coming out so whoever receives this book is likely to read it right away. If you want to gift someone a non-fiction book but think this is too intimidating, then Seven Brief Lessons on Physics by Carlo Rovelli is a great starting point to science-related non-fiction. It’s all in the title.

Signs Preceding the End of the World by Yuri Herrera. This is literary translated fiction. Do you think it sounds like something that’s a bit of a trudge and difficult to get into? Alas, you would be wrong. This is a slim, almost novella-length, immigration narrative. It is not gut-wrenching, but it deals with injustice and prejudice in a way that’s not likely to make you want to throw the book across the room. The language is smooth and flows absolutely beautifully. Definitely one of the most effortless translations I’ve ever read.

Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson. This memoir is written in verse and an excellent choice for someone who wants a quickish read, but is afraid of poetry. Most poems are accessible and even the most surface-level reading is a powerful experience. This works well for younger readers too. Definitely one of my top reads of the year.

Now something for the comic book lover in your life. Bitch Planet (only one volume out so far) is one of the best feminist reads of the year for me. This sci-fi romp imagines a future where non-conforming women – who are, for example, out-spoken, non-heteronormative, overweight, not conventionally attractive - are sent to a different planet. Want to guess the name of it? ;-) This should be a great read for anyone whose sensibilities aren’t too easily offended.

Coll
For me a good book is one of the best gifts I could receive, no matter what the occasion. I am pretty sure everyone has a book lover in their life and showing them you understand their affinity (obsession) towards books will definitely put a smile on their face. So here are five books that have really stuck with me that I think almost any bibliophile would enjoy. 

Illuminae (The Illuminae Files #1) by Amie Kaufman and  Jay Kristoff pretty much blew my mind and is in my top three books I have read this year (it is actually still holding onto the #1 spot). It is science fiction but not the type that would appeal to just sci-fi fans. It is also YA (but not your ordinary YA), which opens it up to a much broader group of readers. The story is amazing and keeps you guessing and on the edge of your seat the entire time. Not to mention the phenomenal concept, execution, format, and structure of the entire novel, which adds a whole new level to the story. I feel this book would appeal to most readers and provides a unique and unforgettable reading experience. 

An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth by Chris Hadfield is a must-read book, as far as I am concerned. Okay yes, it is a non-fiction book about space but it is so much more than just that. It is written in a way that any person can easily understand and relate to, whether they know about space or not. Also it is so much more than just a memoir of an astronaut. This book will make you look at the world around you and your life completely differently and will give you a new understanding and appreciation of everything around you, even the things you cannot see. 

His Dark Materials Omnibus (His Dark materials #1-3) by Phillip Pullman. Now I say the entire omnibus because it is a series that a person will want to read in one shot, all three books back to back. This is a YA fantasy novel but definitely not your typical one. It is incredibly beautiful, both in story and writing, yet also dark at times with a rather heavy underlying theme. This is one of those series that will stay with a person forever, a world you will miss being in, and characters who will always live in your heart.

11/22/63 by Stephen King is high up there on my loved books list and I do not personally know anyone who has read it and didn’t like it. Put out of your mind the usual thoughts you have of Stephen King and his writing, because this is a rather atypical book for him. It is not horror, first of all. I guess you could say it is a sort of alternate reality historical fiction time travel thriller. (That is a genre, right?) This is a book you could read multiple times and always catch something that you missed in a previous reading. 11/22/63 is a novel I feel you need to own in hard copy when you read it and it is one that you will go back and read many times. It also gives readers a new glimpse into the mind and talents of King.

For my final recommendations I am following in Tiina’s footsteps and going with a graphic novel, V for Vendetta by Alan Moore. Everyone knows this movie, but not everyone knows the book and I think they need to. Now I know not all readers are into graphics, but with V I feel like the fact it is a graphic does not even matter. The language is amazing and it is so well-written, not to mention incredibly intense and poignant. Also it is heavy on the word count for a graphic novel, which is something I really liked about it. I feel this is a book that could be for anyone. 

We would like to give one more recommendation gift for the book lover in your life, the Knock Knock Personal Library Kit. This kit comes with pockets that adhere to the inside back of the book, checkout cards, date stamp, ink pad, and pencil. Not only will this take you back to the old school days of checking books out from the library, but it also is a unique way to keep track of books to lend out and a way to make a book collection like a real library.