REVIEW: A holiday guide for your book buying needs
Stumped on what to give your roommate, dad, cousin or co-worker this gift-giving season? Here are 15 books, all released this year, that might be just the thing. Since they’re new releases, even your most bookworm-y friend might not already have them, and with this list you’ll have time to check out a few over the Thanksgiving break and still make your purchases before the major holiday rush.
For the political guru (listed by release date, please don’t hurt me):
1. “America by Heart: Reflections on Family, Faith, and Flag” by Sarah Palin, to be released Nov. 23
2. “Of Thee I Sing: A Letter to My Daughters” by Barack Obama, released Nov. 16
3. “Decision Points” by George W. Bush, released Nov. 9
4. “Valley Forge: George Washington and the Crucible of Victory” by Newt Gingrich, et al., released Nov. 9
Pick by party or by topic: Obama and Palin both write about their inspirations, both in their families and in whom they consider great Americans, while Bush offers his own perspective on the events leading up to and throughout his presidency. These include the contested election and 9/11, among others. Gingrich and co-writers follow up their 2009 novel “To Try Men’s Souls” – that’s right, it’s historical fiction – with this revolutionary war-era tale narrated by Washington himself.
For the pop-culture afficionado:
5. “Unbearable Lightness” by Portia De Rossi, released Nov. 1
The autobiography of the actress with body image issues and the struggle of rising to fame seems overdone, but De Rossi often flies under the radar and I’m interested to see what she has to offer to the sea of inspiration with her sexuality and famous wife. This one also comes with an endorsement from one of my favorite authors, Jonathon Safran Foer.
6. “Decoded” by Jay-Z, released Nov. 16
Yeah, I’m sure there are ghostwriters more often than not with these celebrity autobiographies, but the guy has got to have a great story. For music fans in general, this has got to offer some insight from a solid guy who’s been in, and all over, the business for a long time.
7, 8, 9 and 10. Ricky Martin (“Me”), Keith Richards (“Life”), John Stewart and Glenn Beck all have new books out. Purchase at your own risk.
For the kids, or kids-at-heart:
11, “Harry Potter Film Wizardry” by Brian Sibley, released Oct. 19, is a welcome treat.
On the heels of the soon-to-be-released movie, this makes a great gift for the movie-lover or Harry Potter lover. Sibley worked with cast and crew members from the Harry Potter films to create a colorful, fully illustrated look behind the scenes of the magical series.
For the quick reader, novel devourer or thrill-seeker:
12. “The Confession” by John Grisham, released Oct. 26
Legal thriller master Grisham’s latest offers the story of a crime from the criminal’s perspective instead of the lawyer’s. An innocent man has been sentenced to death for a crime committed by our narrator – will he watch and revel in quite literally getting away with murder, or will his overwhelming guilt compel him to initiate a shocking turn of events for all involved? Better question: How will any reader empathize with a heinous killer as “protagonist?”
13. “Full Dark, No Stars” by Stephen King, released Nov. 9
A collection of four dark stories, “Full Dark, No Stars” led one reviewer to dub King the “modern heir” to Edgar Allen Poe. While this won’t make for any kind of warm-fuzzy holiday reading, it might be appropriately suited to the gloom and doom come the start of inversion season, I mean, spring semester, Jan. 10.
14. “Autobiography of Mark Twain, vol. 1” by Mark Twain with multiple editors, released Nov. 15
Although this new edition of Twain’s brilliant autobiography – the first of three volumes compiled and edited by the Mark Twain Project to include what the author didn’t want the public to see for 100 years after his death – is exciting, it isn’t why I included it here. Classics old and new, in special editions, new editions or old used editions make a great, thoughtful gift and shouldn’t be overlooked.
15. “Heaven is for Real: A little boy’s astounding story of his trip to heaven and back” by Todd, Sonja and Colton Burpo and contributor Lynn Vincent, released Nov. 2
Just reading the title of this book and taking a look at the cover was instantly moving. The book tells the real-life experience of a young boy who loses consciousness while on the operating table and goes to heaven, then returns to tell his family about deceased loved ones and the love and power of God. This story co-written by Colton and his parents is bound to invoke humility, gratitude, wonder and curiosity.
– chelsey.gensel@aggiemail.usu.edu