The winter holidays are coming up soon, and with midterms and exams it can be difficult to find thoughtful gifts that your loved ones will appreciate. Over the years, I’ve found that gifting someone a book that suits their interests, expands their horizons, or just provides a fun escape from the winter blues is a great (and relatively inexpensive) way to show that you care. Here are five books to gift your loved ones this holiday season.
1. Historical Fiction: The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd
The Book of Longings is one of my favourite books of all time. This historical fiction tells the story of Ana, the wife of Jesus. Ana longs for fulfilment in life; she is curious, bold, and passionate and is searching for something to pour her love into. The Book of Longings tells the story of Ana and her scholarly devotion to recording the narratives of the women who were silenced. The Book of Longings shines a light on how life was experienced and perceived by those who we don’t read about in the history books. This book would be perfect for anyone with an interest in history or examining the lives of women. It’s a truly touching story of passion and perseverance, and though it takes place long before our time, the struggles and desires of the feminine experience translate to the modern day seamlessly.
2. Fiction: The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett
The Vanishing Half spans multiple generations to tell a story about identity, sisterly connection, and growth as two sisters’ paths diverge by more than just physical separation. The lives of four different women are expertly intertwined to demonstrate how race and social pressures shape a person’s existence. The Vignes twins may have gone their separate ways, but their daughters have been shaped by this decision, allowing for a thought-provoking discussion of personal character when the daughters’ paths intersect. This book would make an excellent gift for anyone with an interest in reading about family bonds and exploring intergenerational trauma and racial identity. The Vanishing Half offers rich and complex characters who you can’t help but care for despite the mistakes they’ve made, and who allow for the explorations of different social experiences.
3. Nonfiction/Science: When We Cease to Understand the World by Benjamín Labatut
When We Cease to Understand the World is one of the more unique books I’ve read. This book combines philosophy, ethics, and scientific discovery to expand beyond science and tell the story of the human toll. When We Cease to Understand the World weaves together history-making scientific discoveries with their sometimes-tragic consequences. It explores the line between genius and madness to look at what happens when humans push the boundaries of our understanding. This book would be perfect for anyone who has a passion for physics, science, innovation, or the ethical dilemmas of science. As a non-science student myself, I found this book to be extremely compelling with its emphasis on humanity.
4. Fantasy/Young Adult: The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake
The Atlas Six follows six medians after they are selected to join the highly exclusive and secretive Alexandrian Society. The Alexandrian Society boasts wealth, power and access to knowledge that the six medians—along with the rest of society—thought was long lost. The six were chosen for their unique talents, but only 5 can be initiated. This book is perfect for any friend or sibling who was obsessed with Young Adult fiction in their teenage years and might want to level up to adult protagonists. The vibe is one of academia, magic, and underlying tension. This novel was a recent read for me and I’ll say I was thoroughly engaged the entire time.
5. Literary Fiction: The Stolen Bicycle by Wu Ming-Yi
The Stolen Bicycle follows a writer as he tries to unravel the mystery of his father’s disappearance 20 years ago by following the path of the bicycle it’s presumed he disappeared with. As the writer works his way back through each person who owned the bike, he’s plunged into overlapping histories and life stories. The Stolen Bicycle touches on themes of loss and family. According to the friend who recommended it to me, the book would be perfect for anyone who could see themselves enjoying sitting on a park bench and listening to a stranger’s life story. With bouts of mystery, this book emphasizes the journey rather than the end.