Santa will be very relieved. You’ve taken most of the burden off him by making a list and checking it twice on his behalf. The gift-buying in your house is almost done — except for those few people who are just so darn hard to buy for. So what do you give to the person who has (almost) everything? You give them a good book, like maybe one of these….
## General Fiction
The giftee who loves multigenerational plots will adore *Kaplan’s Pilot* by Jason Diamond (Flatiron Books). It’s the story of a man who returns home to care for his dying mother, but mother and son have kept secrets for far too long. When the man learns a few surprising truths about his ancestry, it could change the relationship he has with his mother forever.
Here’s something for the historical novel lover you know: *This Here is Love* by Princess Joy L. Perry (W.W. Norton) is set in 1690 in Virginia. One of the characters is a slave. One is the child of a freeman. One is an indentured slave, and all somehow find love despite their bondage. How can anyone resist a tale like that?
The new mother on your gift list — the one who loves thrillers — will be so happy to unwrap *Her One Regret* by Donna Freitas (Soho Crime). It’s the story of a disappearance that may or may not have been criminal. Did Lucy Mendoza do the unthinkable?
What would your mystery-loving giftee like better than a good whodunit? How about *What About the Bodies* by Ken Jaworowski (Atlantic Crime), the twisty story of a town in Pennsylvania where a single mother, an autistic man, and an up-and-coming musician collide in a dangerous situation that’ll have everyone on the edge of their Christmas seat.
## General Nonfiction
For the politics-watcher, *The Improbably Victoria Woodhull* by Eden Collinsworth (Doubleday) will be a nice surprise gift. It’s about the first woman to run for President, but that’s not the only historical thing Woodhull did with her life. Wrap it up with a bookmark and let your giftee be astounded.
Another politics-based book you might want to give is *A Dream Deferred: Jesse Jackson and the Fight for Black Political Power* by Abby Phillip (Flatiron Books). This book focuses on Jackson’s legacy, specifically, his runs for President in 1984 and 1988. It’s a great addition to your political giftee’s library.
Is there a person on your gift list who can’t get enough of monsters and scary stuff? Then you cannot possibly go wrong by wrapping up *Ghostly Encounters: Terrifyingly True Hauntings* by Richard Estep (Visible Ink Press). Ghost stories? Yes, please. Poltergeists? Of course! Haunted places? Ohhhh, yes!
Wrap it up with *Bigfoot Sightings: True Tales from Across America* by Jim Willis and Michael A. Kozlowski (Visible Ink Press), a book that will put the “eeeeeeek” in freaky.
## History
For the person on your list who wants to know more about slavery, *Freedom Ship* by Marcus Rediker (Viking) is a book for you to wrap up. It’s about a little-known part of the Underground Railroad, specifically the passageway that went over water, over the sea. If your giftee is a scholar of Black history, in particular, this will be a very welcome present.
The person who loves legends and the real story behind them will eat up *Bring Me the Head of Joaquin Murrieta* by John Boessenecker (Hanover Square Press). So your giftee thinks Robin Hood was just some guy in a movie? Not so — and neither was Zorro, as they’ll see in this action-packed, wild true story.
If there are parents on your list who are tired of defending themselves, wrap up *Just One: The New Science, Secrets & Joy of Parenting an Only Child* by Susan Newman, Ph.D. (Prometheus Books). It’s a balanced, all-around book that may offer comfort for parents who have made up their minds about the old baby-maybe dilemma.
Also consider *Man Made: Searching for Dads, Daddies, Father Figures, and Fatherhood* by Steve Majors (University of Wisconsin Press), a book about the journey to become a man, be a gay man, and to become a father.
## Memoirs and Biographies
The person who loves digging into a multi-level memoir will be happy unwrapping *Blessings and Disasters: A Story of Alabama* by Alexis Okeowo (Henry Holt). It’s a memoir about growing up Black in what was once practically ground zero for the Confederacy. It’s about inequality, it busts stereotypes, and yet it still oozes love of place.
You can’t go wrong if you wrap it up with *Queen Mother: Black Nationalism, Reparations, and the Untold Story of Audley Moore* by Ashley D. Farmer (Pantheon). It’s a chunky book with a memoir filled with meaning and plenty of thought.
Your music lover won’t want to open any other gifts if you give *Only God Can Judge Me: The Many Lives of Tupac Shakur* by Jeff Pearlman (Mariner Books). It’s the story of the life, death, and everything in-between about this iconic performer, including the mythology that he left behind. Has it been three decades since Tupac died? It has, but your music lover never forgets.
## Health
For the person on your list who’s concerned with her health, wrap up *Not Just a Period* by Dr. Hazel Wallace (Macmillan Bluebird), a book that explains in easy-to-understand terms what a woman needs to know about her body, her hormones, and how to give her body what she needs to stay well.
Wrap it up with *The Stronger Sex* by Starre Vartan (Seal Press), a scientific look at the power and strength of the female body, and how your giftee can do a lot more than she thinks she can.
The caregiver (or potential caregiver) on your gift list will appreciate finding *Generation Care: The New Culture of Caregiving* by Jennifer N. Levin (Balance) beneath the tree this year. It’s a book full of advice, coping information, and support for the difficult journey.
Also consider *The Good Death: A Guide for Supporting Your Loved One Through the End of Life* by Suzanne B. O’Brien, RN (Little, Brown Spark). O’Brien is the founder of the Doulagivers Institute and she has plenty of help to offer.
## Self-help
Is there someone on your list who’s experienced a lot of change this year? Then wrap up *Resurface: A Guide to Navigating Life’s Biggest Transitions* by Cassidy Krug (Penguin Life). We all go through challenges in life, and Krug — a former Olympic diver — has had her share. This book is easy to read, filled with advice and help, and your giftee will thank you for it.
Wrap it up with *The Fear Knot: How Science, History, and Culture Shape Our Fears – And How to Get Unstuck* by Natasha Swalve, Ph.D. and Ruth DeFoster, Ph.D. (Prometheus Books) and give your giftee that extra push they need, personally.
For the person on your list who’s looking for love, *The Trouble with Fairy Tales: A Memoir* by Plum Johnson (Viking) will be a welcome gift. It’s the story of happily-ever-after and happily-never-after and everything in between. This book is THE gift for Johnson’s fans and it’ll make a bunch of new ones, so go ahead, wrap away!
## Business
For your business-minded giftee, a little inspiration is surely always welcome, which is why wrapping up *Make It Snow* by Denise Persson and Chris Degnan (Wiley) could be the exact right gift. It’s the story of Snowflake, a technology corporation that helps readers understand how to create an organization that’s set up to win.
If there’s an investor on your gift list, or someone who likes making money, then give *How to Make Money in Any Market* by Jim Cramer (Simon and Schuster). Yes, that Jim Cramer, who can help your giftee understand how to make their money grow now and next year, in up-markets and down ones.
While you’re at it, toss *Fixed: Why Personal Finance is Broken and How to Make It Work for Everyone* by John Y. Campbell and Tarun Ramadorai (Princeton University Press) in the package, too. It’s a book about investing, getting rich, and money, honey.
## Kids Books
### Younger Kids
For your picture-book lover, why not introduce a favorite old classic by wrapping up *Rumpelstiltskin*, retold by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Carson Ellis (Scholastic)? It’s the story of straw spun into gold and a big secret that must be told. Give it to the 6-to-9-year-old on your list.
The 4-to-7-year-old on your list will open *I’m Trying to Love Farts* by Bethany Barton (Viking Penguin) and immediately know that it’s their favorite gift. Bonus: even Santa makes an appearance in this funny, factual book.
### Older Kids, Teens, Young Adults
For the kid who loves history, *A World Without Summer* by Nicholas Day, art by Yas Imamura (Random House Studio) will be a welcome gift this year. It’s a true story of disaster, a volcano that darkened the skies for months, and the influence it left behind on a host of real people your 10-to-14-year-old will recognize.
The young scientist on your list will love unwrapping *Mushrooms and Company: How a Marvelously Moldy Network Supports Life on Earth* by Geert-Jan Roebers, illustrated by Wendy Panders (Greystone Kids). It might send your 9-to-12-year-old outside, to the woods, to start hunting for fungi.
Wrap it up with *Dinosaurs: Exploring Prehistoric Life and Geological Time* by Rachel Ignotofsky (10 Speed Press) and send your budding 9-to-12-year-old archaeologist out hunting, too.
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### A Little Note About Titles and Availability
Titles change. Release dates get moved all the time — it’s never a problem — which is to say that if you’re looking for something on this list, check with your favorite librarian or bookseller to be sure you’re getting exactly what you want. They’ll also have other great ideas for you, just for the asking.
Enjoy your holidays, and Season’s Readings!
https://www.phillytrib.com/lifestyle/before-ending-your-holiday-shopping-consider-putting-these-reads-under-the-tree/article_f26fe2a6-6db2-4825-a301-7d89e7cb6373.html
