Holiday Gift Guide: Books For Everyone on Your List

by Theresa Yuan

Staff Writer

Looking to get books that won’t wind up as doorstops for everyone on your list? Look no further. I’ve compiled a list of the best books to get all your friends and family based on the best books I’ve read this year. They range from quirky to thought-provoking, and there’s one for every reader on your list.

For the Fantasy Buff

Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell (Bloomsbury, $20.48) took author Susanna Clarke eleven years to write. It also won dozens of prestigious awards around the globe. But that’s not why your resident fantasy buff will love this book. Clarke has woven a rich alternate reality, one where magicians are a dying breed and magic is now chiefly studied (strictly in theory only) by professors in dusty libraries. The richness of detail, paired with a strangely familiar storyline, will be sure to please any fantasy reader.

Books may be the perfect gift

For the Action Afficionado

James Patterson’s Cross (McGraw-Hill, $9.99) will be a rapid-fire favorite for anyone on your gift list. Alex Cross, Patterson’s famed detective, returns in this thriller. He’s investigating a serial killer known as The Butcher, a former Mafia hit man who may have killed Alex’s wife. The chapters are short at two to three pages each and the characters are vividly depicted and easy to grasp. Any thrill-seeking reader will have an engaging two hours with this book tucked in their stocking.

For the Family Jokester

Something Missing (Broadway, $11.20) by Matthew Dicks is a riot all the way through. Martin makes a career out of breaking into people’s houses. He steals what he needs- toilet paper, butter, the occasional neglected jewelery to sell online. But his occupation starts interfering with his morals when he unwittingly drops one client’s toothbrush into the toilet. One thing leads to another, and soon Martin’s secret identity is on the line.

For the Twilight Fangirl

Lovers of Stephanie Meyer’s popular vampire series will enjoy the dark, Victorian fantasy A Great and Terrible Beauty (Random House, $12.99) by Libba Bray. After her mother’s murder in India, the privileged young Gemma Doyle attends Spence Academy in England. She delves into her mother’s mysterious history and uncovers some ancient magic. Romance, spine-tingling secrets, and the occasional malevolent professor make for a compelling read.

For the Resident Quipster

Know anyone who loves conversations of sparkling wit and caustic barbs? Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest (Dover Thrift Editions, $3.99) will be the perfect book. A case of mixed identities and star-crossed lovers will keep the pages turning rapidly.

For the Mathematician

Outliers (Little, Brown, and Company, $11.08) from Malcom Gladwell is the refreshing story of success. By examining all kinds of outliers including Bill Gates, the Beatles, and Wall Street executives, Gladwell paints a hearty portrait of just what it takes to be the best. Statistics, history, and psychology are all blended with skill.

For the Resident Historian

A cast of eccentric Romantic scientists take the spotlight in Age of Wonder (Pantheon Books, $19.99). The late 1700s saw wild (and often failed) balloon races, travels to Tahiti, the discovery of laughing gas, and various other wonders. Richard Holmes takes readers inside the heads of the Romantic Generation in this meticulously researched tome.

For the Young Reader

Markus Zusak’s The Book Thief (Knopf, $5.99) will instantly create interest. A tight, fast-paced story told from the point of view of Death documents one family’s unforgettable experiences during World War II in Germany. This novel holds a lesson or two for adult audiences as well!