Gift Recommendations

Books for Christmas!

‘Tis the Season!

The decorations are soon upon us. And you have no idea what to buy for your loved ones. Oh no! But fear not friends, for I have come, in your hour of need with present suggestions for one and all.

That’s right. I’ve come with book recommendations for one and all to help you helpless folk get through the festive season. I’ve got a variety of them, so buckle in and enjoy:

1. For the one who still has a stocking

It’s for the youngster in your life who still get visits from Father Christmas, Santa Claus, Saint Nick etc. It could be your child or grandchild or godchild etc, this will do for any under the age of 12 I’d say:

Letters from Father Christmas

This is a series of letters written by Father Christmas written to the children of J. R. R. Tolkien which he then published. I would also recommend getting an audiobook copy, because this is excellent bedtime. The book has the illustrations but the performance by Sir Derek Jacobi is superb. I owned this growing up and many times we busted this out mid-July, much to my grandmother’s confusion.

2. For the scientist in the family

This is for the scientist in your life, whether they are a university lecturer or an amateur with a passion for bugs, may I introduce you to The Accidental Scientist by Graeme Donald, which lays out the “role of chance and luck in scientific discovery”. Donald has collected and explained some well-known, and less well-known anecdotes about the

Please note this book is not for the faint of heart and some scientists of old were not doing ethical experiments so to avoid upsetting or embarrassing moments at the family Zoom call this year, I would recommend this for readers of 16 years and up.

3. For the one who’s into D&D

D&D and the world of tabletop roleplaying is a mystery to some. Not me. If you happen to be blessed with a loved one with such an interest, I recommend:

A Dragon Walks into a Bar by Jef Aldrich and Jon Taylor

This is exactly the type of thing you would expect from a Father Christmas with a sense of humour; a joke book with interest-specific jokes! There is a sprinkling of more adult jokes so I would recommend this for readers of 16 years and up.

4. For the person that hasn’t discovered Terry Pratchett yet

Guards! Guards! by Sir Terry Pratchett

Terry Pratchett is regarded as one of the best fantasy writers of all time, as well as the most prolific. He wrote over 40 novels in his Discworld series, taking place in the same world. Pratchett has the incredible knack of being able to make fun of the fantay genre while still showing you that he loves it. Guard! Guards! is an excellent place to start as it begins with an arc of books that follows the Night Watch characters.

Safe for readers 12 and above.

P.S. Also contains dragons.

5. For everyone

Girl, Woman, Other by Bernadine Evaristo

This book was the co-winner of the Booker Rpixer in 2019 and for good reason. This book contains the lives and perspectives of 12 characters, most black, most female and all of the lives interconnected to one another. It feels like an entire world within one book, bringing with passion, feeling and personalities. This is story of their lives and the lives of them up until they all meet in one room in London for a book reading. It is fascinating and really shows you how much variety and personality there can be in one group of people.

Safe for readers 12 and above.

So there you have it! My picks for Christmas! Read well my friends.