Did you ever notice how the holidays are all about “oy”?
“Oy,” as in “joy:” a joyous season for family.
“Oy,” as in “toy:” what the kids want from Santa.
“Oy,” as in “oy,” I don’t have my Christmas shopping done so now what am I going to do?
Yeah, and that last one is the toughie. So why not relax and head to the bookstore. Look for some of these gift ideas and wrap up a book.
Fiction
There’s a little intrigue and lots of small-town flavor in “Cranberry Red,” the fourth in the Ames County series by Jerry Apps. In this new installment, people are getting sick because of a new chemical added to Wisconsin’s beloved cranberry crop. Can there be a connection?
If your giftee loves a good whodunit, check out “Truthful Moments” by Tom Reed. When a veteran witnesses a killing, it triggers his PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder). Separating memory from murder might be a challenge.
Is your giftee a major fan of “The Office”? Then they’ll love “Russell Wiley is Out to Lunch” by Richard Hine. Professionally, Russell Wiley’s life stinks and his job at a newspaper is practically causing ulcers. Personally, things are no better. And then it gets worse. Hint: wrap this book up for your budding journalist.
Non-fiction
Does someone you know love to be scared? You won’t find many things scarier than “Real Monsters, Gruesome Critters and Beasts from the Darkside” by Brad Steiger. This comprehensive book by the Master of Monsters is filled with short, readable paragraphs about all sorts of things that go bump in the night. Be sure to wrap it up with a flashlight, for obvious reasons.
Also look for Steiger’s “Real Zombies, the Living Dead and Creatures of the Apocalypse,” and “Mirage Men” by Mark Pilkington, a book about UFOs, espionage and paranoia in America.
You’ve given gift baskets in the past to a lovely recipient. This year, add to the basket a copy of “No More Dirty Looks” by Siobhan O’Connor and Alexandra Spunt. This helpful book is filled with information on the things she puts on her face, and lots of better-for-her ideas that she’ll feel safer using.
True crime
If there’s a “CSI” fan on your gift list, you’ll be glad to give “The Profiler” by Pat Brown with Bob Andelman. This is the true story of a woman who knows killers like she knows her own face — because she hunts them down for a living. This book is not for the faint of heart, but it’s an excellent read for your armchair detective.
Also look for “Denial: A Memoir of Terror” by Jessica Stern, the true story of an expert in terrorism and PTSD who is forced to remember her own assault at the hands of a serial rapist. This is a lock-the-door kind of book, so be aware.
Trivia and fun stuff
I’m a big fan of trivia, so I can tell you for sure that “The Judge Who Hated Red Nail Polish” by Ilona Bray, Richard Stim and the editors of Nolo is a trivia-lover’s dream. This light-hearted book is filled with “crazy-but-true” stories of law and lawyers, and it made me laugh.
Wrap it up with “But They Didn’t Read Me My Rights!” by Michael D. Cicchini and Amy B. Kushner, a great gift for lovers of humor, arcane knowledge and law.
I also liked “The Handy Law Answer Book” by David L. Hudson Jr., a wonderful book for the curious and anybody who needs clarification on anything legalese.
Medical
Is there someone on your list who has always aspired to a medical profession? Even if he or she has attained the dream, your giftee will love “Becoming a Doctor,” edited by Lee Gutkind. This book consists of many kinds of stories from all kinds of MDs, and tells the good, the bad and the ugly — all in an entertaining way.
Also look for “What’s New, Doc?” by Elaine Myrie-Richards, MD. This fun, quick-to-read book is filled with stories that will make you smile, gasp or shake your head — and they’re all true!
Pets
Does your recipient aspire to be like Dr. Doolittle? Then help them open the flow of communication between dog and owner by giving “Through a Dog’s Eyes” by Jennifer Arnold. This fascinating, useful book will give any dog owner an understandable way to understand their canine best friend, and — just like any good dog book — there are stories to read in between lessons, too.
African-American authors
What happens when you take two very different women and put them together in circumstances they wouldn’t normally ask for? You’ve got the novel “Butterfly Rising” by HBO star Tanya Wright. This beautiful novel features a little magic and lots of dream-making. Wrap it up for your favorite dreamer this year.
Also try “Don’t Blame the Devil” by Pat G’Orge-Walker.
LGBT (Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender)
If your giftee loves to read memoirs that empower, then wrap up “A Passionate Engagement” by Ken Harvey. In this slim book, Harvey talks about coming out, meeting his husband and becoming an activist. Politics play an important part in this book, so it might be a good choice for anyone who’s politics-minded, too.
I also liked “Pre-Gay L.A.” by C. Todd White. That’s a book about homosexual rights, starting in Los Angeles some 70 years ago, up to the present day. Filled with interviews, history and some great first-person accounts, this book would make an excellent gift for anybody who wants to know how the fight began.
Kids books , ages 2 to 7
Does your little monkey love to mimic? If so, then wrap up “Mimi Loves to Mimic” by Yih-Fen Chou, illustrated by Chih-Yuan Chen. This cute picture book shows kids that they’re not alone in wanting to do what mommy does, even though the results can be disastrous.
You’ll also want to look for “Mimi Says NO” by the same authors, because your kids will be fans.
Kids books , ages 7 to 13
Is there a kid on your list who loves fantasy stories? Then wrap up “The Invisible Order” by Paul Crilley. This book has it all: two orphans in Victorian London, faeries, a secret society and an epic battle to save the city. What more could a young reader want?
Kids books , ages 13 to 18
Is your giftee heading to college after the holidays? If she is, be sure to give her “Take Me With You: Off-to-College Advice from One Chick to Another” by Nikki Roddy. This fill-in-the-blanks book will help her remember wisdom from the family, and it will act as a paper version of a security blanket for when she gets to her new life. Wrap it up with your phone number for extra love.
Season’s readings!
• The Bookworm is Terri Schlichenmeyer. Terri has been reading since she was 3 and never goes anywhere without a book.
