GREAT GIFT BOOKS FOR ADULT READERS
So many books, so little time to find the perfect ones for your friends and loved ones! Below, you'll
find suggestions for a few different types of readers: those who are 100% plugged into popular
culture; those who cry "Calgon, take me away!" when too stressed to take on a challenging read;
those who like plentiful illustrations to liven up minimal text; and finally, voracious readers who inhale
everything and want "something exactly like [their favorite bestseller]." Each section has a variety of
suggestions, so hopefully we’ll have you finished with your shopping in time to actually enjoy the
holiday season.
Escapist
Emma: A Modern Retelling
by Alexander McCall Smith
Those who enjoyed Jane Austen's Emma for its insight into the
eponymous character's propensity to meddle will want to read
Alexander McCall Smith's contemporary retelling. This gentle but witty
and insightful book will also please non-Austen fans. In McCall Smith's
version, a 21st-century Emma Woodhouse settles on an interior design
consulting business for her career. She also brings people together in
hopes of making them happier -- though some would call her a meddler.
Austen fans will especially appreciate the extent to which McCall Smith
has maintained the characters' names, circumstances, and behavior
within the contemporary English setting.
Murder at the Brightwell
by Ashley Weaver
Agatha Christie's books were often published at the end of the year,
prompting people to give a "Christie for Christmas." Though no newly
discovered Christies exist, shoppers can still gift an engaging traditional
mystery: Ashley Weaver’s Murder at the Brightwell. In 1932 England,
while her playboy husband swans around Europe, unhappily married
Amory Ames helps her friend and ex-fiancé, Gil, in an effort to save his
sister from a similar marriage. When a murder occurs, Amory
investigates, and her husband, surprisingly, shows up to help.
The Soul of an Octopus: A Joyful Exploration into the Wonder of
Consciousness
by Sy Montgomery
In the opening pages of this engaging memoir, author and naturalist Sy
Montgomery heads to the New England Aquarium for a date with
Athena. Five feet long, 2 1/2 years old, and 40 pounds, Athena is a giant
Pacific octopus who captivates Montgomery from their first meeting,
inspiring her to learn more about these amazing marine animals.
Octopuses (not -pi, nor -podes) are known for their keen intelligence and
strong personalities, and Montgomery’s enthusiasm proves infectious as
she describes interactions with Athena, as well as fellow cephalopods
Octavia, Kali, and Karma, in this informative and highly entertaining
account.
Step Aside, Pops
by Kate Beaton
In Step Aside, Pops, Kate Beaton, author of Hark! A Vagrant, plies her
pen once more in a snarky take on historical figures and situations. Her
black-and-white drawings enhance the humor she extracts from the road
trip undertaken by Beat writers Allen Ginsburg, Jack Kerouac, and
William Burroughs. Or the intense competition between 19th-century
composers and pianists Frederic Chopin and Franz Liszt. She also
illuminates weightier subjects, including racial discrimination against
journalist Ida B. Wells and Canadian long distance runner Tom
Longboat. This amusing but factual comic offers an ideal opportunity to
relax and soak up some history simultaneously.
Media Junkies
Armada
by Ernest Cline
"It's just another day of high school for Zack Lightman. He's daydreaming
through another boring math class, with just one more month to go until
graduation and freedom--if he can make it that long without getting
suspended again. Then he glances out his classroom window and spots the
flying saucer. At first, Zack thinks he's going crazy. A minute later, he's sure of
it. Because the UFO he's staring at is straight out of the videogame he plays
every night, a hugely popular online flight simulator called Armada--in which
gamers just happen to be protecting the earth from alien invaders. But what
Zack's seeing is all too real. And his skills--as well as those of millions of
gamers across the world--are going to be needed to save the earth from
what's about to befall it. Armada is at once a rollicking, surprising thriller, a
classic coming of age adventure, and an alien-invasion tale like nothing
you've ever read before--one whose every page is infused with author Ernest
Cline's trademark pop-culture savvy."
Bad Feminist
by Roxane Gay
"I embrace the label of bad feminist because I am human," proclaims Roxane
Gay in this candid and insightful essay collection. Bravely recounting her
experiences while confronting her flaws, blind spots, and conflicted feelings,
the acclaimed Haitian-American novelist (An Untamed State) blends the
political and the personal to explore the complexities and contradictions of
contemporary feminism, particularly in relation to popular culture. Reflecting
on feminist themes in literature, music, television, and movies, Gay pays
special attention to the intersection of race, class, and gender in media, while
inviting readers to participate in the ongoing cultural conversation about
women and society. Give this one to friends and family members who love to
get into deep discussions at the dinner table.
The Royal We
by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan
Written by two celebrity-fashion bloggers who are as knowledgeable about
terrible television as they are Kate Middleton's wardrobe, The Royal We is a
delightful peek into the unlikely romance between England's most desirable
bachelor (and heir to the British throne) and the commoner -- an American, no
less -- he falls in love with. (Readers will no doubt notice similarities to the
current British royalty, especially if they're familiar with the versions of them
found on Heather and Jessica's popular blog, Go Fug Yourself.) With the
same goofy, intelligent humor they bring to their blog, Heather and Jessica
write of late-night binge TV sessions and some of England's most historically
noteworthy castles...all while bringing their charming characters to life.
So You've Been Publicly Shamed
by Jon Ronson
We've all seen it happen -- someone makes a bad decision in the public eye
and people pile on in judgment. His interest piqued by a takeover of his own
Twitter account, journalist Jon Ronson dove deep into an exploration of
human nature, technology, and humiliation via social media. Interviewing both
those famous for being shamed and those doing the shaming, Ronson
discusses motivations, consequences, and recoveries. Readers interested in
the dark side of social media will appreciate this witty, well-researched, and
wide-ranging take on social humiliation.
Diverse Comics
March: Book Two
by John Lewis
The second volume in this acclaimed graphic novel series continues to put a
human face on historical events as Congressman John Lewis chronicles his
life as a civil rights activist in the early 1960s. From participating in sit-ins and
freedom rides to chairing committees, Lewis’ involvement in the movement
awakened his political consciousness, shaped his personal philosophy, and
(frequently) placed him in physical danger as he pursued the cause of social
justice. March pairs a compelling autobiographical narrative with bold, visually
stunning black-and-white artwork that will transport the recipients of this book
to another time and place.
Relish
by Lucy Knisley
You might want to provide a snack along with the gift of a copy of Relish,
because it's sure to make its recipient hungry. In this charming, humorous
food-centric memoir, cartoonist Lucy Knisley serves up mouthwatering recipes
alongside memories about growing up with her chef mother and foodie father.
While many people are snobby about gourmet food, Knisley's upbeat attitude
and appealing, slightly retro illustrations are refreshingly unpretentious, giving
her stories a friendly, intimate flavor. Whether your friends and loved ones are
accomplished cooks or need instructions just to boil water, they'll savor this
delicious read.
The Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace and Babbage
by Sydney Padua
Now for something completely different: a graphic novel (originally a
webcomic) set in Victorian England, featuring real historical figures and the
(not really very true at all) story of the world's first computer. As envisioned in
this book, Ada Lovelace (who in real life died not long after writing the first
paper on computer science) and Charles Babbage (who created, but never
built, the first calculating machine) fight crime and financial collapse using a
steam-powered Analytical Engine. Tidbits of actual history along with dynamic
drawings and plenty of wit and whimsy make this a great gift idea for readers
with wide-ranging interests.
The Undertaking of Lily Chen
by Danica Novgorodoff
Tasked with finding a female corpse to join his recently deceased brother in a
"ghost marriage," Deshi is frustrated, not only with his parents' insistence on
the old custom, but also with the lack of fresh bodies. That's when he meets
headstrong Lily Chen, who would be ideal if she weren't so very alive. Running
out of options, Deshi grimly resolves to kill Lily…but winds up falling for her
instead. Juxtaposing exaggerated, spindly-limbed figures with hauntingly
beautiful watercolors, author/illustrator Danica Novgorodoff deftly depicts
Deshi's personal conflict, as well as the larger push-and-pull of tradition and
progress in contemporary China.
Sure Bets
I Remember You
by Yrsa Siguroardottir
Want to get a gift for someone who loved the chilly, inhospitable setting of Ajvide
Lundqvist's atmospheric horror mystery Harbor? I Remember You definitely has
that – as well as the gradual discovery of links between missing children, the
history of the area, and an assortment of acquaintances. Told in parallel
narratives, I Remember You recounts an investigation into the vandalism of
a school classroom and the efforts of three friends to renovate an old cottage
they plan to make into a guesthouse. The trio soon find that the old building is
in worse shape than they had anticipated…but that's nothing compared with the
creepy atmosphere they encounter. Meanwhile, the psychiatrist who's looking
into the classroom's trashing finds creepy similarities with a 60-year-old incident
in the same room.
Madison's Gift
by David O. Stewart
Readers who appreciated Joseph Ellis' Quartet, which portrays key leaders in the
establishment of the U.S. as a federal republic, will enjoy this biography of one of
Ellis' featured Founders, James Madison. Madison often seems to fade into the
background compared to his revolutionary comrades, who were physically taller
and more extroverted. However, he was a brilliant writer and skilled negotiator,
making him indispensable to the success of the new republic. In Madison's Gift,
acclaimed author David Stewart highlights Madison's abilities and details his work
with five collaborators – his wife Dolley, George Washington and Alexander
Hamilton (two more of Ellis's quartet), Thomas Jefferson, and James Monroe.
Motherland
by Maria Hummel
When German surgeon Frank Kappus receives orders to report to a military
hospital in Weimar in 1944, he has no choice but to leave his three sons in the
care of their new stepmother, Liesl. Frank's work with wounded soldiers is difficult,
but Liesl's task borders on the impossible. In addition to keeping the children fed
and clothed amid strict rationing, she must also prevent middle son Anselm
(declared "mentally unfit") from being sent to the local asylum. Writing to Frank
in code, Liesl begs her husband to desert his post and return home. But can he?
Will he? Inspired by letters written by her grandparents, author Maria Hummel’s
haunting, melancholy World War II-set novel should appeal to fans of All the Light
We Cannot See, which also centers around authentic, flawed characters wrestling
with difficult moral dilemmas.
The Other Woman's House
by Sophie Hannah
What do The Girl on the Train and The Other Woman's House
have in common? Well, other than the setting (suburban England), they're both
absorbing psychological suspense novels featuring women who believe they've
witnessed proof of a murder in someone else's house -- and are struggling with
fears about their own sanity and judgement when others don't believe them.
Twists abound in both books, but The Other Woman's House involves a
disappearing (and reappearing) corpse. It's also part of a series, so you'll have
plenty of follow-up gifts if this one proves to be a hit.
Northport Public Library
151 Laurel Avenue
Northport, NY 11768
East Northport Public Library
185 Larkfield Road
East Northport, NY 11731