Chapter 41 - The Gift of Stories

Christmas gift giving can be difficult. So many of us have all that we need and honestly if we need something, we go and buy it. So what do you give the person who has everything? While I am a big proponent of charity giving during, well, any season, I always consider books for the people on my list.

What could be better than the gift of stories? From childhood, stories help us learn about the world and our place in it. Stories teach us how to be kind to others (remember all those fairy tales where nice people won the day?), how to be compassionate, and help us to learn about people not quite like us. Stories take us to places and times we've never experienced before and broaden our perspectives.

So here are some author recommendations for the people in your life. I am not recommending specific books mostly because these authors always have something new out, are tried and true, and really any of their books are good.

For your elderly aunt who loves mystery try Nina Prose (Maid series), Richard Osman (Thursday Murder Club series), and Jesse Q. Sutanto (Vera Wong series).

For your father who is into World War II nonfiction I'd recommend Alex Kershaw, Hampton Sides, Adam Makos, or Ben MacIntyre.

For your mom who loves relationship and romance books but hates graphic sex or foul language try T.I.Lowe, Debbie Macomber, Jan Karon, or Jenny Colgan.

For your sister who loves historical fiction I suggest Kate Quinn, Melanie Benjamin, Fiona Davis, or Marie Benedict.

For your brother is more into the Civil War nonfiction try James McPherson, James Swanson, Shelby Foote, or Bruce Catton.

For your daughter who loves literary fiction there is Ann Patchett, Ann Tyler, Kristin Hannah, and Ken Follett.

For your uncle who reads only popular fiction try James Patterson, John Grisham, Daniel Silva, and Harlan Coben.

So that should start to help you check people off your Christmas list. Don't forget to shop local and at independent booksellers if you can, but even the staff at the big box bookstores live in your community!