There’s a bestselling book-or two- for nearly everyone. The trick is to find out what kind of reading the giftee likes to do, and plan accordingly.
Nicholas Sparks is practically irresistible for any true romantic. THE BEST OF ME is a Romeo and Juliet tale of Dawson Cole, a poor boy from the wrong side of the tracks. Amanda Collier is from a wealthy, socially prominent family in their small North Carolina town. They fall in love, but events cause them to go their separate ways. Twenty-five years later, they’re brought back together by the death of their mentor.
THE WEDDING QUILT is also a novel about love. The latest in Jennifer Chiaverini’s Elm Creek Quilts series, it centers around Sarah McClure, and her wish to make a wedding quilt for her daughter’s upcoming ceremony. She turns to her friends for help, and as the quilters work, they reminisce about the women who have gone before them.
If thrillers are craved, you can’t go wrong with ZERO DAY, the latest spine-tingler from David Baldacci. A new hero, combat veteran John Puller, is introduced. Puller is considered the most effective investigator in the U.S. Army’s Criminal Investigation Command. He also comes with a lot of personal baggage; his father is a revered lieutenant general, while his brother is serving out a life sentence in prison for treason. Puller is sent to West Virginia to solve a murder; ferreting out the truth may cost him his life.
Marcia Muller is another top author of suspense novels. CITY OF WHISPERS finds private investigator Sharon McCone searching San Francisco to try to unravel the mystery surrounding several murders. Her emotionally disturbed half-brother Darcy Blackwood has sent her a message from that city. Now, he’s missing, and Sharon must race against the clock to solve the killings and find Darcy.
EVERYTHING ON IT is a collection of poems and drawings by perennial favorite, Shel Silverstein. His work is whimsical and wise, at times sweet, at times biting. Are you a short guy who wants to play basketball? Just make sure the basket is four feet high. What if we raced to the equator, me on a snail, you on a turtle? One of us would come in last, the other would come in later, he informs us. A surefire winner for anyone with a sense of humor.
Ellen Degeneres is an undisputed master when it comes to humor. She assures us SERIOUSLY…I’M KIDDING; she even fills the back cover of the book with complements to lure the reader. Who can argue with her logic when she asks, “How come when you wipe up dust it’s called dusting, but when you wipe up a spill, it’s not called spilling?” Written in her trademark stream of consciousness style, the stand-up comedian covers observations about honesty, self-help, and her own personal journey to find happiness.
Amy Sedaris is a pop icon whose bestseller, “SIMPLE TIMES, ” subtitled “Crafts for Poor People,” is now out in paperback. Don’t be fooled by the folksy cover; this is definitely a book for the sophisticated reader. But if someone on your list has a hankering to learn how to make rock candy, hand socks for the wheelchair bound, and a pinecone tote, this is the only book to give that lucky soul.
There are many more wonderful books to consider before Christmas and Hanukah, but why not start your shopping with a sure thing?
Michall Jeffers is an accomplished Cultural Journalist and an avowed bibliophile. She writes extensively, both in print and online. Her eponymous cable TV show is syndicated throughout the tri-state area, and features celebrity interviews, reviews, and commentary. Michall is a voting member of National Book Critics Circle. www.michalljeffers.com
