A dozen picks – from literary jewels to coffee table beauties
It’s that time of year where you wrack your brain trying to come up with imaginative, thoughtful gifts for all those people on your shopping list. Here’s a simple tip: A stop at your neighborhood bookstore is an easy solution. Here’s why.
It’s a great way to shop local – and to get all of your holiday prep done in a single place – without having to brave the crowds in a big-box store. Books fit every personality, and they end up giving much more of an “I really thought about you” message than a sweater or a bathrobe. They also come in all sizes and price ranges, from stocking stuffers in the $10 and under category, to the nice present of a trade paperback or new hardback for $16 to $30, all the way up to the extravagance of an art or architecture book for $50 to $100 or more.
On the off chance you miss the mark, books are easy to exchange. If you want to make sure to get exactly what someone wants, all the bookstores sell gift certificates – another great addition for stockings.
And a major bonus – for those of you who struggle with paper, ribbons and bows – books are hands down the easiest presents to wrap.
I asked our local bookstores to recommend a few titles to get you started. Read on, and I dare you to resist coming home without at least one book for yourself. (Maybe that’s just me.)
Oh, and one more thing: Don’t forget to look for books by local authors. They are available at most bookstores, and are also on sale at various coffee shops and other locales throughout the county. See Local Authors’ Distributor on Facebook to find out more about what titles are hot right now and where to find them.
Copperfield’s Books
(reviews by marketing
director Vicky DeArmon)
“The Rosie Project: A Novel” Graeme Simsion, $24
An international sensation, this hilarious, feel-good novel is narrated by an oddly charming and socially challenged genetics professor on an unusual scientific quest to find his perfect mate.
“Burial Rites”
Hannah Kent, $26
This riveting literary debut, inspired by a true story, recounts the final days of a young woman accused of murder in Iceland in 1929. How can one woman hope to endure when her life depends upon the stories told by others?
“We are Water”
Wally Lamb, $29.99
Lamb takes on marriage, family and human resilience as only he can in this disquieting novel, that ends on an uplifting note.
“The Valley of Amazement”
Amy Tan, $29.99
With her characteristic wisdom, grace and humor, Amy Tan conjures a story spanning 50 years and two continents and, of course, mothers and daughters.
Levin & Co.
(reviews by co-owner
Aaron Rosewater)
“One Summer”
Bill Bryson, $28.95
A thoroughly entertaining look at an amazing series of watershed events, all of which took place in the United States during the summer of 1927. From Lindbergh’s transatlantic flight to Babe Ruth’s pursuit of 60 home runs to the premiere of the first “talking picture,” Bryson weaves together these and other lesser known epochal moments to create a snapshot of America moving out from under the cultural and technological shadow of Europe. With his trademark wry humor, Bryson sketches many fascinating character portraits while mixing in plenty of entertainingly absurd tales. A great read-aloud book while preparing meals.
“Levels of Life”
Julian Barnes, $22.95
An exquisitely crafted literary jewel consisting of three short essays by master observationist Julian Barnes. He begins with a portrait of ballooning culture in Europe during the late 19th century, followed by an imagined romantic encounter between the famed French actress Sandra Bernhardt and a British military officer. Everything comes into focus in the third essay, however, as he switches to a first person narrative and explores his own grief over the death of his wife several years ago. Here Barnes ties the entire book together using metaphoric symbols from the first two pieces, completing a work of both formal beauty and profound insight. Every paragraph is a gem.
“Dissident Gardens”
Jonathan Lethem, $27.95
In this story of three generations of leftist radicals in Queens, Lethem eschews his surrealistic genre experimentation for a relatively straightforward American epic. Communist party member Rose Zimmer, her Greenwich-Village-commune-dwelling daughter Miriam, and Miriam’s Occupy-Movement-encamped son Sergius represent the responses of three different eras to the fiery impulses of radical idealism. Lethem nails the Zeitgeist of each age precisely with wit and humor, but it’s his intelligent exploration of the intimate details of personality and the problems inherent in a didactic approach to life that make this book such a compelling read.
“George Ohr: The Greatest
Art Potter on Earth”
Eugene Hecht, $50
A gorgeous coffee table book dedicated to the revolutionary ceramic work of George Ohr (1857-1918), the self-proclaimed “Mad Potter of Biloxi.” Ridiculed in his day for his “eccentric” forms and wild color glazes, Ohr’s work is now recognized as a major forerunner of the 20th century American modernist art movement. His vessels are technical tours de force, unexcelled in the thinness of their bodies and the control with which they were shaped – and misshaped. He threw perfect vessels and then folded and twisted them into unique and original forms. This book lovingly reproduces more than 135 of his masterpieces, many to be featured in an upcoming major exhibit at the Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art in Biloxi, Mississippi. A unique and essential addition to any art-lover’s library.
Pages Books on the Green (reviews by co-owners Dean Winegarner and Lindy Anderton)
“Divergent”
Veronica Roth, $9.99
The best dystopian novel since the “Hunger Games,” “Divergent” offers a strong female lead with an exhilarating and unique story line. In a world where people are divided based on their personality traits, their identity and career are defined by the faction they belong to. At 16, the heroine, Beatrice Prior, is now of age to take the aptitude test that will inform the rest of her life. When the results are not only unexpected but divergent from the rest of society, Tris is forced to navigate a world in which being unique is dangerous. This page-turner is the first of a trilogy and is coming out as a major motion picture in March 2014 – read the book before you see the movie!
“Wild”
Cheryl Strayed, $15.95
This is a soul-baring autobiography of a young woman who has made a series of questionable life choices and then faces the death of her mother from cancer. In an effort at salvation at this point in crisis, she decides to hike the Pacific Crest Trail, with no practical experience. Far from making excuses for the events in her life, Cheryl lays them in front of us and forces us to face them with her. “Wild” is so much more than a book about hiking, although she describes her trek with an awe-inspiring voice. It is a story about life’s journey: the good, the bad and the power within ourselves to face what we thought unfaceable.
“The Best American Series of
Non-Required Reading 2013”
Editor Dave Eggers, $14.95
Every year, a group of teenagers get together with acclaimed author Dave Eggers. They read everything: fiction, investigative journalism, comics, anything. This is their “best of” for the year. Divided into two sections (the front, composed of quirky works that defy classification, and the back, longer works of fiction and non-fiction), every work is a revelation. This is, quite literally, the perfect book for any reader in that there’s something for everyone. And the best part is that since teens don’t suffer fools (or boredom) gladly, every piece is riveting and worth your time. “Non-Required Reading” is a unique and always interesting collection from a diverse group of writers and genres.
“Sycamore Row”
John Grisham, $28.95
With “Sycamore Row,” Grisham takes us back to his roots in the Deep South. The old racial tension still simmers in the town of Clanton. When one of the wealthiest citizens commits suicide and leaves his fortune to his African American housekeeper, and nothing to his three children, chaos ensues. Questions are raised, hidden motives are revealed, and the town of Clanton will never be the same. Grisham’s character development is superb, leaving the reader with a true connection to the characters. If you’re familiar with Grisham’s work, you will be excited to find he revisits Ford County in this engaging and controversial book.
Michelle Wing writes the “Off the Page” column monthly for Sonoma West Publishers.
