Chapter 48 - Finding Father Christmas

While some of you are not scampering around looking for Christmas presents for your nearest and dearest, others of us are starting to go into panic mode for the best gift. Thankfully there are some terrific new books out there to grab for your nearest and dearest.

November and December are great months for new books and any reader knows, books are an easy gift. It is important to match the book with the reader however, so do be mindful of what your favorite reader enjoys. I always appreciate books that my family and friends have read and decide I must read too. It is sort of like getting an introduction to a new friend.

Here are some books on my giving or receiving books this year.

Giving

The Jane Hawk Series by Dean Koontz - Jane Hawk is a new character for Koontz and I really hope he continues the series. Jane is an FBI agent who has lost her Marine husband to suicide. She believes that his suicide was murder so starts to pursue those who would have done him harm. This is a clever and action packed series by a really good writer. There are three in the series so far and they are available in paperback now so it is an inexpensive present as a trilogy.

The Century Trilogy by Ken Follett - I like giving books that are part of a series because then the fun never ends. This trilogy by Follett spans the years before World War I through the Cold War and tells the stories of five interrelated families. If you have someone on your Christmas list who is a history buff as well, this series is sure to be a hit.

The Princess Bride: An Illustrated Edition of S. Morgenstern's Classic Tale of True Love and High Adventure by William Goldman - This edition published in 2017, is a beautiful book for sharing with your child, grandchild, or biggest Princess Bride fan. It tells the wonderful story of Buttercup and Wesley of course, but the heavy cream colored pages are deckled and it has over 50 illustrations and a map on its end pages.

Indianapolis: The True Story of the Worst Sea Disaster in U.S. Naval History and the Fifty-Year Fight to Exonerate an Innocent Man by Lynn Vincent - A wonderful book for your history lover, Vincent's nonfiction book about the worst sea disaster in history is a must read. The research and revelations within the book are stunning.

Getting

Always Look on the Bright Side of Life: A Sortabiography by Eric Idle - Idle was part of the Monty Python group, a British comedy team popular in the 1970's and 80's. I can only imagine his "sortabiogrphy" will be filled with humor and wit.

Once Upon a River by Diane Setterfield - Setterfield wrote The Thirteenth Tale, a terrific gothic novel. Her latest one sounds promising as well. The story is about a child found drowned who then seemingly returns to life.

The Great American Read: The Book of Books - If you watched the PBS special this is the companion book to it. The book presents all 100 novels with fascinating information about each book, author profiles, a snapshot of the novel's social relevance, film or television adaptations, other books and writings by the author, and little-known facts. This is a must for you or the reader on your list.

Are there any books you can recommend for gifting or receiving? Let me know!

You can order these or other books at www.bookendsonline.com.