The best thing about Parnassus Books staff: They’re real people. They love to read and talk about books, and they also have a wide range of other interests. They have cool hobbies, nerdy obsessions, favorite bands, beloved pets (see: Sparky, above, getting into the holiday spirit), friends and families. Many of them have fascinating past careers and world travels. Some of them are writers or have worked in publishing. And all of them have holiday parties to go to and gifts to give, which means that just like everyone else, they’ve been making shopping lists. So when a group of professional book-people with diverse interests give presents, what do they pick? We asked our booksellers to share their lists.
For the party host, a better gift than a bottle of wine:
Want to be a genius gift giver? Give this book, just be sure to buy a copy for yourself as well or you’ll never be able to part with it. We live in Nashville. We know songwriters. From “Brother Can You Spare a Dime” to “I Can’t Give You Anything But Love” there isn’t a cooler book than this. – Ann Patchett
For the history buff, adventure lover, wannabe explorer, or survival enthusiast:
One of my favorite books of all time, this book covers so many bases. I normally don’t fall into any of the above categories, but the true story of the polar expedition of the USS Jeannette is so well told that I would put it on my list for any lover of a thrilling novel, too. It is that good. – Catherine Bock
For anyone who’s been looking for a book as good as Unbroken:
The story is a gut wrenching cliff hanger even though we know exactly how it’s going to end. The writing is clear and spare and endlessly beautiful even though there is no beauty to relate. Tobar takes on all the big issues — the value of a human life, the tests of character, the persistent hopes for God. Simply put, this is my favorite book of the year. – Ann Patchett
For people who have parents:
For the person who yearns to get away from it all:
For the picky, discriminating book addict who has already read everything on earth:
For the fashion lover who usually prefers magazines to books:
Vogue‘s Hamish Bowles pulls together photographs from the Met’s fashion exhibitions and galas, as well as the Vogue shoots inspired by their themes. Chloe Malle contributes editorial talent; the Met’s director, Thomas P. Campbell, provides a foreword; and the one-and-only Anna Wintour pens the introduction. How’s that for star power? – Mary Laura Philpott
For women and girls of all shapes and sizes and for anyone interested in art and sociology:
For artsy types, book nerds, and armchair psychologists:
And a few more for those who appreciate the art in places, creatures, and things:
For anyone who loved Marilynne Robinson’s other Gilead novels and has been waiting for more:
For someone who loves stories about the Civil War and might like one that’s a little different:
The story of a young woman who goes off to join the Union Army instead of her husband because, she says, “he was made out of wool and I was made out of wire.” Her distinctive voice and unforgettable experiences will remain with you for a long time. Perfect for the reader who likes novels about strong women. – Kathy Schultenover
For the reader who takes pride in stocking their personal library:
The 2013 Nobel Prize for Literature was presented to Munro with this speech: “Reading one of Alice Munro’s texts is like watching a cat walk across a laid dinner table. A brief short story can often cover decades, summarizing a life, as she moves deftly between different periods. No wonder Alice Munro is often able to say more in thirty pages than an ordinary novelist is capable of in three hundred.” In this companion volume to Selected Stories (1968-1994), we are given a selection of 24 more of her most brilliant short stories, chosen from her collections published between 1995-2014. Every home library must include this book.- Karen Hayes
For someone over 40 who wants to read about a protagonist who gets middle age:
Frank Bascombe is a regular guy whose reactions to work, relationships, and the lives and events going on around him feel familiar to all of us. Sometimes his observations are deeply profound; other times, they’re fumbling, profane, or downright hilarious. Bascombe is the protagonist of Richard Ford’s three terrific novels — The Sportswriter, Independence Day, and The Lay of the Land — and now a fourth, Let Me Be Frank with You. This time, Bascombe’s making his way through life in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. Ford has won both the Pulitzer Prize and the PEN/Faulkner Award, and with this latest production, we can see why he is recognized as a master of modern fiction. – Karen Hayes
For high school students making their first forays into “grownup” literature:
For anyone whose soul is not made of ice and rocks:
The only thing better than Underwater Dogs is Underwater Puppies! I don’t even need to pitch this to you, just open the book and lose yourself in the immeasurable cuteness of these puppies. This book is perfect for anyone who loves puppies. So… everyone. – Ashton Hickey
For the person who thinks they don’t like “apocalyptic novels,” a stunning book to prove them wrong:
A beautiful, elegant novel examining the persistence of both art and cultural memory through catastrophe. The catastrophe, in this case, is a chilling, world-ending epidemic. – Tristan Charles
For someone who wants to understand a bit more about the modern Middle East:
A must-read from one of America’s greatest journalists, Thirteen Days explores the crucial meeting President Jimmy Carter arranged so that Egypt and Israel could find a long-sought peace. As the following decades have shown, that peace is all but certain; however, the accomplishments of the Camp David Accords are still among the greatest diplomatic feats of the 20th century. – Tristan Charles
For elementary or middle schoolers who love a classic:
For music lovers:
Rick Bragg spent two years working on this book with Jerry Lee Lewis. If it had been any other writer, I probably never would have considered picking it up, but I could not resist this combination of writer and subject. They both came from the rural South, from dirt poor families, and each made a name for himself. Bragg is one of the best storytellers around, and he brings this complex man’s story to life like no other writer could. If you are a fan of either man, or just a music lover in general, you will not regret picking this book up. – Karen Hayes
For aspiring actors and anyone with a bit of a Hollywood obsession:
Anjelica Huston was 29, still trying to carve out a career as an actress, when the director Tony Richardson said to her: “Poor little you. So much talent and so little to show for it. You’re never going to do anything with your life.” As Huston writes: “Tony had a singsong voice, like one of his own parrots, but there was no mistaking the edge. ‘Perhaps you’re right,’ I answered. Inside I was thinking, Watch me.” This autobiography picks up where Huston’s first memoir, A Story Lately Told, left off. Here, we get to experience colorful remembrances of her adventures in Hollywood, her career decisions, and the acting advice she gained from working alongside many of the most legendary actors and directors of our time. She writes candidly about her high profile 17-year relationship with Jack Nicholson, as well as her marriage to the sculptor Robert Graham. Huston proves again to be wonderful storyteller, capable of delivering a delicious read. – Karen Hayes
For people who loved the documentary series on PBS or anyone who wishes Jon Meacham or Doris Kearns Goodwin would hurry up and write another book:
For anyone who loves hummingbirds. (And who doesn’t love hummingbirds?)
For when you really need to pull out all the stops with a gift:
For holiday houseguests and fans of the essay format:
I like to leave a few books out in our guest room for people who come to stay with us — things they can pick up and put down. I’ll be adding Meghan Daum’s smart new essays to the stack by our guests’ bedside. It’s just right for reading one essay at a time and makes a nice contrast to some of the more sentimental fare that’s popular this time of year. Daum tells it like it really is — at least how it really is for her — with honesty and humor. – Mary Laura Philpott
For anyone who loves beauty:
This is a masterpiece, a gift in every sense. I’ve already ordered 10 copies and I’m going to need more because I can think of so many people to give it to. While the book is nominally about a show Kalman curated at the Cooper-Hewitt Museum, it’s really about things she loves, balanced out with some things she doesn’t love. It isn’t a story, it’s an experience. More like life and less like a book. – Ann Patchett
For the mature middle grade or young adult reader who likes harrowing true stories:
For the very-youngster with excellent taste in board books:
Finally back in stock! This is my favorite kids’ book of the year. If you have a baby or know a baby, get them this. – Niki Coffman
For the kid (or adult) who can watch sloth videos for hours:
For parents and little ones who enjoy Goodnight, Moon:
For anyone named Emily, plus those who love poetry and beautiful things:
If you can recite even a single line of Emily Dickinson, you are bound to love this book. It’s a sugar-spun confection of her “envelope poems,” mirrored by transcriptions. To leaf through its pages is to catch a glimpse of genius at work. – Miriam Mimms
For the tightly-wound doctor, lawyer, or businessperson:
Have an uptight, overly efficient medical student or Wharton School grad in your life? Get them this book for the holidays. They need the heart and soul in here. They need to be moved. As William Carlos Williams wrote: “It is difficult / to get the news from poems / yet men die miserably every day / for lack of what is found there.” – Margy Roark
For the novel-lover who only takes breaks from reading novels to read about novels:
Mr. Schmidt, a fine editor, critic, poet, and scholar, has written the perfect companion to his Lives of the Poets with this delightfully ambitious and comprehensive book, chronicling the history of novels and their relevance. – Nathan Spoon
For fans of The Great Gatsby:
I’m a devoted re-reader of The Great Gatsby so a book about how Gatsby was made and what it means with tidbits about Fitzgerald’s life was heaven for me. Attention all book clubs — read this one alongside Gatsby and have your smartest conversation ever. – Ann Patchett
For the friend who can’t resist a witty comeback or terrible pun:
For those who like a little extra kick in their cooking:
No. – Karen Hayes
For that coworker who’s always baking delicious treats and bringing them into work to share:
Also: We stand by all our monthly Staff Picks books from this year. And if you enjoy our staff’s selections, you might also like the IndieNext book list. It’s a short list, released monthly, of titles that come highly recommended by staff at indie bookstores around the country. We love the choices for December — one of which comes from us!
- Us by David Nicholls
- The Happiest People in the World: A Novel, by Brock Clarke
- The Wild Truth, by Carine McCandless
- Small Victories: Spotting Improbable Moments of Grace, by Anne Lamott
- The Heart Has Its Reasons: A Novel, by Maria Duenas
- Penelope Fitzgerald: A Life, by Hermione Lee
- Texts From Jane Eyre: And Other Conversations With Your Favorite Literary Characters, by Mallory Ortberg (This one’s our recommendation!)
- Far As the Eye Can See: A Novel, by Robert Bausch
- 33 Artists in 3 Acts, by Sarah Thornton
And finally, we hope you’ll check out all the books in our 2014 Authors in Real Life interview series — every single one of which belongs on this best-of-the-year list.
Sue Monk Kidd · Jeff Kinney · Anna Quindlen · Matthew Quick · Claire Cameron · Meg Wolitzer · Karen Joy Fowler · Jovan Haye · Emma Straub · Michael Pollan · Elizabeth McCracken · Willie Geist · David Sedaris · Tracy Barrett · Smith Henderson · Anton DiSclafani · Jojo Moyes · Edan Lepucki · Hampton Sides · Jon Scieszka · Tony Earley · Kim Teter · Seth Casteel · Kirsten Gillibrand · Connie Britton · Jonathan Tropper · Martina McBride · Jodi Picoult · Héctor Tobar · Sharon Draper · Sean Brock · Mallory Ortberg · Megan Amram · Scott Turow · Grace Helbig · Andrew Maraniss · Garth Stein
So, what books are YOU giving this year? Share your suggestions with fellow readers by joining the conversation on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, or Instagram!
PS: Know a book lover but have no clue what they’ve read already? Consider helping them build their library by giving a pre-paid subscription to our Signed First Editions Club or Young Adult Signed First Editions Club! The books we’ve selected have gone on to win honors including the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award! (Join the YA First Editions Club by December 24 — or give a membership — and your subscription will be eligible to win an extension of 3 FREE extra months!) Who wouldn’t love a bookish surprise landing on the doorstep every month?
Musing 