I love Christmas! Sure, I love it for the music, the lights, and the good smells, but I really love it for the gift-buying! Mainly because it gives me another reason to push books! Everyone knows I give books on Christmas, and I love to try to figure out what the best book would be for each person. Here are the books I’ve selected for those special someones on my list.

1. Catherine the Great by Robert K. Massie

and

2. The Boy in the Suitcase by Lene Kaaberbøl and Agnete Friis

For my mom: My mom digs historical fiction, and while I know that Catherine the Great isn’t fiction, I think she will love it. When I was a kid, we watched a really good mini-series on Catherine the Great, which starred Julia Ormond, and we loved it. This book is at the top of many lists.

The Boy in the Suitcase is a mystery novel written by a Danish author, and takes place in Denmark. My mom loves mysteries and she loves Denmark. Sounds like a sure-fire win to me.

3. Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman and Whitman scented candle by Paddywax

For my sister: My sister carries a copy of Whitman’s collected works in her purse for pete’s sake! This has to be a good choice as it is a beautiful copy. However, I think she hates candles. I can’t remember why. Oh well. It’s the thought that counts.

4. The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach

For my brother-in-law: The guy loves literature and he loves baseball. This is highly recommended by seemingly everyone who has read it, and it is centering around a baseball game. Score.

5. Thoreau and the Art of Life by Roderick MacIver and Henry David Thoreau and Thoreau scented candle by Paddywax

For my dad: My dad is pretty deep dish and could probably be considered a Transcendentalist. He just doesn’t know it yet. I’m here to introduce it to him. Sigh. I hope this doesn’t end up in a stack somewhere in his house. At least I’m pretty sure that he’ll burn the candle.

6. IQ84 by Haruki Marukami

For my husband: Jesse loves 1984. He also loves quirky books (his favorite authors are Vonnegut and Palahniuk). He really needs to get back into reading. I hope this will be the book that gets him into it. His best bud loves Marukami, so maybe now they can have book talk! Push push!

7. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen and Austen scented candle by Paddywax

For my mother-in-law: I got her into Austen a few years ago when she borrowed all of my Austen and read all of them! I think it’s time that she had her own copy. A very pretty hard copy with a candle to go with it!

8. Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett

For my father-in-law: He loves Discworld and Terry Pratchett! I’ve been trying to get him to read Gaiman for the last few years, but I don’t think he’s checked him out yet. Here is a tricky way for me to get him to read what I want him to read! Hook!

9. Lights of Mankind: The Earth At Night As Seen From Space by L. Douglas Keeney

For my father-in-law’s lady friend: She is an artsy nature girl. This book is artistic and yet is natural. Makes sense. Plus, it will be an awesome conversation piece on her coffee table in the new house she just bought!

10. What Do People Do All Day and Busy, Busy Town by Richard Scarry; How Do Dinosaurs Clean their Rooms? and How Do Dinosaurs Say Good Night? by Jane Yolen; Fancy Nancy and Fancy Nancy: Splendiferous Christmas by Jane O’Connor

For Jesse’s niece and nephew: My two favorite children’s books (Scarry) plus four recommended by esteemed librarian and blogger Readerbuzz.

Note: Just because it’s on this list, doesn’t mean it’s bought yet! I am very behind! How’s your Christmas shopping going?

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish.

Posted by borkadventures in meme Tags: 2011, About Me, Books, childrens lit, classics, family, fantasy, holidays, mystery, non-fiction, Reading, science fiction, Winter