Struggling to find the right present for everyone on your holiday shopping list? I’m here to help.
Write a comment with a few sentences describing the person (or people) you’re shopping for and I’ll respond with a book or two to consider. For example: a dad who likes baseball, mobster movies and good food (yes, this describes my dad), an aunt who isn’t a huge reader, but really loved Gone Girl or a cousin who is really into “Succession.”
If you see a gift-giving conundrum you can help to solve (with a book or anything else), please respond to one another. Let’s try to take some of the stress out of holiday shopping off each other.
I promise to respond to every request, but just know it might take me a bit.
Love this! I'm looking for a book or series to recommend to someone who loves heists and fantasy combos like Lies of Locke Lamora, Misborn, and the Palace Job. She'll take any great book but does prefer a strong central female character.
Husband (of course) who mostly likes speculative science fiction (i.e. Three Body Problem), but also somehow that three-part, trillion-page biography of Teddy Roosevelt that won a Pulitzer several decades ago...? He also reads REALLY slowly so new books are a commitment.
My book club friend who is looking for a gripping book. She has been in a book rut lately and nothing is speaking to her. Typically likes literary fiction she had a big Jacqueline Woodson phase, loves Salley Rooney (minus Conversations with friends), help!
Thank you for this! My daughter reads a lot of nonfiction; historical or political but wants to start reading novels. Most recent books were How the South Won the Civil War and Hiding in Plain Sight. Help!
My father-in-law loves Western history and non-fiction (his favorite fiction book is Lonesome Dove). I've randomly found him books on some more unknown topics in the past he liked but feel like I'm always googling "good western non-fiction" this time of year so would love a rec!
This is amazing, thank you! My cousin is so hard to shop for because he reads 200+ books per year. He can devour 800 pages in an afternoon. So everything I try to buy him he’s already read! He loves psychology and history, and he reads a lot of science fiction. If you have any obscure-ish suggestions it would help me so much!
Someone who loved The Secret History and The Goldfinch. Also A Little Life. Books that have this grand epic literary sort of feel to them or some dark academia vibe. Another book she liked was Troubled Blood by Robert Galbraith. So immersive whodunit as well.
A man who knows every Sherlock Holmes story by heart, has read tons of fan fiction and is always on the hunt for writers who can take the characters and do something special with them. Or if someone has come up with a really good modern-day Holmes and Watson type, that might be good too?
Looking for a book for my dad. He liked Bad Blood and Destiny of the Republic. Would love a shorter narrative nonfiction to give him that isn’t overly political or dry history. Thanks in advance!
Cool post! Looking for book recs for someone who is into the "dystopian battle royale" genre. Books like Battle Royale, Ready Player One, or Hunger Games.
I'm looking for a fantasy book similar to the Kingkiller Chronicle and Lies of Locke Lamora, with a strong female character. (A lot like a few other comments I've seen below, actually!)
Love this! I'm looking for a book or series to recommend to someone who loves heists and fantasy combos like Lies of Locke Lamora, Misborn, and the Palace Job. She'll take any great book but does prefer a strong central female character.
Husband (of course) who mostly likes speculative science fiction (i.e. Three Body Problem), but also somehow that three-part, trillion-page biography of Teddy Roosevelt that won a Pulitzer several decades ago...? He also reads REALLY slowly so new books are a commitment.
Someone who needs their attention grabbed and pulled into the book. Generally likes books in the espionage, scifi, light fantasy, and magic spaces.
best friend who likes fiction/literature but has very little time to read. has to be a "can't put it down" kind of fiction
My book club friend who is looking for a gripping book. She has been in a book rut lately and nothing is speaking to her. Typically likes literary fiction she had a big Jacqueline Woodson phase, loves Salley Rooney (minus Conversations with friends), help!
Thank you for this! My daughter reads a lot of nonfiction; historical or political but wants to start reading novels. Most recent books were How the South Won the Civil War and Hiding in Plain Sight. Help!
My father-in-law loves Western history and non-fiction (his favorite fiction book is Lonesome Dove). I've randomly found him books on some more unknown topics in the past he liked but feel like I'm always googling "good western non-fiction" this time of year so would love a rec!
This is amazing, thank you! My cousin is so hard to shop for because he reads 200+ books per year. He can devour 800 pages in an afternoon. So everything I try to buy him he’s already read! He loves psychology and history, and he reads a lot of science fiction. If you have any obscure-ish suggestions it would help me so much!
Someone who loved The Secret History and The Goldfinch. Also A Little Life. Books that have this grand epic literary sort of feel to them or some dark academia vibe. Another book she liked was Troubled Blood by Robert Galbraith. So immersive whodunit as well.
A good friend who is into craft beers and breweries….
A man who knows every Sherlock Holmes story by heart, has read tons of fan fiction and is always on the hunt for writers who can take the characters and do something special with them. Or if someone has come up with a really good modern-day Holmes and Watson type, that might be good too?
Looking for a book for my dad. He liked Bad Blood and Destiny of the Republic. Would love a shorter narrative nonfiction to give him that isn’t overly political or dry history. Thanks in advance!
My mom! she likes historical fiction and mysteries. Something British would be welcome--she's into Downtown Abbey, The Crown etc.
Cool post! Looking for book recs for someone who is into the "dystopian battle royale" genre. Books like Battle Royale, Ready Player One, or Hunger Games.
This person also loves Japanese culture as well.
Thanks again!
I'm looking for a fantasy book similar to the Kingkiller Chronicle and Lies of Locke Lamora, with a strong female character. (A lot like a few other comments I've seen below, actually!)