Giving depends so much on the receiver - this year I am giving a copy of the Tao Te Ching, Giada's Family Dinners, Ram Dass' Still Here, and The Daring Book for Girls.
I would love to receive a copy of Alice Water's new cookbook, The Illuminated Rumi, or Nigella Express.
Depending on the reader, I'd give the recently reviewed: The Brief History of the Dead by Kevin Brockmeier. I'd also give Mary Modern by Camille DeAngelis (and actually have given it to two people). Eventhough it is an older book, I just read it: Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card. Loved it! Any book by Neil Gaiman is a good gift in my estimation.
1) Poetry has a timeless quality, so I would give poetry collections by Carol Ann Duffy, Mary Oliver or Jane Hirshfield.
Robertson Davies's "The Deptford Trilogy" - because it is still the best book I have ever received as a gift. I would like to pay it forward, and maybe convert more Davies fans.
2) I would like to receive "30,000 Years of Art" published by Phaidon.
The new "War and Peace" translation by Pevear and his wife is also something I would like to receive, except I bought it for myself already ;p
I am giving Water for Elephants and the Everyday Food cookbook.
I would like to recieve Alice Waters' new book, the reprint of Deborah Madison's Vegetarian book, and At Home With Books (which I won't get since it's expensive and I wouldn't ask for it).
Yogamum, I like the idea of giving the Ta Te Ching. I've never heard of the Dass book...
Bhadd, I want to read Tree of Smoke -- what a controversy it is stirring up! (I think Jesus' Son is one of the best short story collections of the later 20th century).
Carl V. -- you are right, depends on the reader. I have to read Gaiman and I would like to read the Brockmeier as well.
Tim, good choices all around. Consumption (great title) sounds very interesting...
Dark Orpheus, I love Phaidon books!
Tara, think the Waters' book is on high demand. I wonder how difficult the recipes are...?
Funny you should ask this question on the very day that I sent off a big box of gift wrapped books to my family in Saskatoon! My choices for each person lie at the nexus of my literary taste and that of the gift recipient. I won't give a book unless I really like it (or really want to read it in the rare case when I gift a book I haven't yet read) AND I think the recipient will really like it. So, on to the list:
For my dad: Last Rituals by Yrsa Sigurdardottir (gloomy, atmospheric Icelandic mystery novel) and Scotland's Books: the Penguin History of Scottish Literature by Robert Crawford.
For my mom: Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear and Findings by Kathleen Jamie (a wonderful book of natural history essays by a Scottish poet).
For my brother: Born Standing Up: A Comic's Life by Steve Martin and The Book of Dave by Will Self.
For my 13-year old-niece: Enter Three Witches by Caroline Cooney and How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff.
For my 9-year-old niece: Wild Girls by Pat Murphy.
And for beau Eric, I'm thinking about Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain by Oliver Sacks and This is Your Brain on Music by Daniel Levitin.
I get such fun out of buying people books!
Of all these books, the one that I haven't yet read that I would dearly love to receive as a gift myself is Scotland's Books: the Penguin History of Scottish Literature.
I've gone on long enough now that perhaps this ought to have been a post on my blog rather than a comment on yours LK, but I'd better wait on that lest the aforementioned family member stop by my blog and spoil the Christmas morning surprise!
9 comments:
Giving depends so much on the receiver - this year I am giving a copy of the Tao Te Ching, Giada's Family Dinners, Ram Dass' Still Here, and The Daring Book for Girls.
I would love to receive a copy of Alice Water's new cookbook, The Illuminated Rumi, or Nigella Express.
I would give Tree of Smoke. I would like the new War and Peace translation.
Depending on the reader, I'd give the recently reviewed: The Brief History of the Dead by Kevin Brockmeier. I'd also give Mary Modern by Camille DeAngelis (and actually have given it to two people). Eventhough it is an older book, I just read it: Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card. Loved it! Any book by Neil Gaiman is a good gift in my estimation.
I've been buying two books for holiday gifts: (1) What is the What by Dave Eggers and (2) I Like You by Amy Sedaris.
I would liek to receive the Best American Non-Required Reading 2007, Best American Comics 2007, and McSweeneys 25.
Also: Buy the novel Consumption for yourself.
1) Poetry has a timeless quality, so I would give poetry collections by Carol Ann Duffy, Mary Oliver or Jane Hirshfield.
Robertson Davies's "The Deptford Trilogy" - because it is still the best book I have ever received as a gift. I would like to pay it forward, and maybe convert more Davies fans.
2) I would like to receive "30,000 Years of Art" published by Phaidon.
The new "War and Peace" translation by Pevear and his wife is also something I would like to receive, except I bought it for myself already ;p
I am giving Water for Elephants and the Everyday Food cookbook.
I would like to recieve Alice Waters' new book, the reprint of Deborah Madison's Vegetarian book, and At Home With Books (which I won't get since it's expensive and I wouldn't ask for it).
Yogamum, I like the idea of giving the Ta Te Ching. I've never heard of the Dass book...
Bhadd, I want to read Tree of Smoke -- what a controversy it is stirring up! (I think Jesus' Son is one of the best short story collections of the later 20th century).
Carl V. -- you are right, depends on the reader. I have to read Gaiman and I would like to read the Brockmeier as well.
Tim, good choices all around. Consumption (great title) sounds very interesting...
Dark Orpheus, I love Phaidon books!
Tara, think the Waters' book is on high demand. I wonder how difficult the recipes are...?
Funny you should ask this question on the very day that I sent off a big box of gift wrapped books to my family in Saskatoon! My choices for each person lie at the nexus of my literary taste and that of the gift recipient. I won't give a book unless I really like it (or really want to read it in the rare case when I gift a book I haven't yet read) AND I think the recipient will really like it. So, on to the list:
For my dad: Last Rituals by Yrsa Sigurdardottir (gloomy, atmospheric Icelandic mystery novel) and Scotland's Books: the Penguin History of Scottish Literature by Robert Crawford.
For my mom: Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear and Findings by Kathleen Jamie (a wonderful book of natural history essays by a Scottish poet).
For my brother: Born Standing Up: A Comic's Life by Steve Martin and The Book of Dave by Will Self.
For my 13-year old-niece: Enter Three Witches by Caroline Cooney and How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff.
For my 9-year-old niece: Wild Girls by Pat Murphy.
And for beau Eric, I'm thinking about Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain by Oliver Sacks and This is Your Brain on Music by Daniel Levitin.
I get such fun out of buying people books!
Of all these books, the one that I haven't yet read that I would dearly love to receive as a gift myself is Scotland's Books: the Penguin History of Scottish Literature.
I've gone on long enough now that perhaps this ought to have been a post on my blog rather than a comment on yours LK, but I'd better wait on that lest the aforementioned family member stop by my blog and spoil the Christmas morning surprise!
Kate, what an awesome list! There's some great reading go on there! P.S. I finally got a copy of your short stories -- merry Xmas reading for me!
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