By Heidi Simmons
What if I said you could get all your holiday shopping done in an hour and find the perfect gift for everyone on your list – even grandkids. It would be a dream come true, right? The local Barnes & Noble can turn the Christmas nightmare into a sweet holiday breeze.
Books are always a wonderful thoughtful present that can be opened over and over to thrill, surprise, inform and entertain. So, go ahead and make your list.
Here are some suggestions to get you started.
Begin with the bestsellers. Located in the front of the store (facing highway 111), this selection of books is usually 30 percent off hardcovers. If you are a “member,” there is an additional 10 percent discount.
Best Seller Hardbacks
Nonfiction
Certain people only like to read nonfiction and there is plenty to choose from. In fact, creative nonfiction is often stranger than fiction!
If the person on your list is curious and open-minded What If by Randall Munroe, and The Innovators by Walter Isaacson are certain to provide compelling reading. Anything by Isaacson is good, so check out his past biographies.
For the conservative males in your circle of family and friends, how about:
41: A Portrait of My Father by George W. Bush. For the history buff, there’s Bill O’Reilly’s, Killing Patton.
Is there a female you know who loves to laugh, play hard and who can relate to workingwomen? Try Yes, Please by Amy Poehler or Not That Kind of a Girl by Lena Dunham.
For the evangelical male or female — no worries, every family has one or two. You Can You Will by Joel Osteen might have the magic answer they are looking for.
Fiction
Nothing beats a great story and these seasoned authors always deliver.
For those who love suspense, thrillers or intelligent mysteries there’s James Patterson’s Hope to Die and Grey Mountain by John Grisham.
Stephen King’s Revival and Prince Lestat by Anne Rice are perfect for those who love to be seduced into something dark and dangerous.
Fiction works best when it takes the reader to another place and time. Jodi Picoult’s Leaving Time and Ken Follett’s Edge of Eternity take the reader back a few generations to deliver a rich yet familiar world.
Best Seller Paperbacks are on the shelf just to the right of the Current Best Sellers. Some are current feature films.
Nonfiction
Men may like Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand only a little more than women. It is a WWII story of redemption and forgiveness. This was one of my favorite books this year and I’m looking forward to the movie that opens on Christmas day. Even if you and your loved ones see the movie, this book is still a great gift and memorable read.
Wild by Sheryl Strayed is now a major motion picture staring Reese Witherspoon. The book is a much better experience than the movie. It is an exceptional tale of a woman gaining back her sanity. Don’t be afraid to give this book even if you don’t love the movie. The read is terrific and it will appeal to all women, especially those who have struggled to overcome weakness and heartbreak.
For the one on your list who loves science, cosmology and philosophy, A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking is back on the bestseller list because of the new movie A Theory of Everything. But the movie’s title and story come from Hawking’s ex-wife’s book. She wrote two books about her life with the famous professor. This would be a nice gift for the reader in your family who understands the sacrifice of putting their husband’s career and family before themselves.
Fiction
If you’re worried that the fiction reader in your family has already read Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn, then get either of Flynn’s other two books, Sharp Objects or Dark Places. They have a similar tone and complicated female protagonists.
Gone Girl is a suspenseful and intriguing read. So even if the person on your list saw the movie, but hasn’t read the book, this is a still a good gift.
Memoirs, Biographies and Cookbooks are great gifts for both young and older readers. Consider actor John Cleese’s memoir So, Anyway… Cleese is an intelligent, fascinating and crazy funny human being.
Make It Ahead, by Ina Garten is a cookbook for busy people who love to entertain. This would make a lovely hostess gift. Consider cookbooks for your adult grandchildren male and female. There are a huge variety of cookbooks from vegan vitals to brewing beer.
Want something different? How about graphic novels, glossy magazines, books on CD and story collections? Don’t forget classic literature. Might be nice to combine a book with its movie version?
If the books you seek are not on the shelves, no worries, they can be found online and mailed to your home, or directly to the lucky recipient. And B&N will wrap them!
Don’t hesitate to ask advice from one of the Barnes & Noble booksellers. They all seem well informed and love books.
The people you think are hard to buy for may not be so difficult when you consider there is a book for everyone. Happy holidays and make time to enjoy a book.
