Staff Christmas Gift Guides – Part 1
Stuck for Christmas suggestions? Maybe you have heard that people in the publishing industry only ever give the gifts of books. It is a SCURRILOUS LIE. But it IS true that our loved ones have quite extensive (and carefully cultivated) libraries…
Here are some of the books A&U staff will be giving this Christmas, to various people in their lives. First up Jodie, with a gift to wow anyone!
For anyone you want to impress: The Singing Bones
Ever since the advance copies of Shaun Tan’s beautiful book landed in my office, I’ve had to keep the grabby hands of my colleagues from stealing it. And every person I’ve shown it to has been WOWED by it. Even my family (unheard of!). Put it under the Christmas tree of anyone you desire admire.
Emily serves up these three diverse reads to cover the whole family:
For the conspiracy nut: Surveillance
This year, my most sceptical of friends will receive the timely harbinger of doom Surveillance by Bernard Keane. After tackling this story, I doubt they’ll ever trust any technological device again but… I think they’ll enjoy it.
For the reluctant adventurer: Hester & Harriet
Let’s face it, some books are for people who hate leaving the house and the couch-king I’m shopping for will relate to both of the hilarious and right-minded women in Hester & Harriet. This superb story is all about what happens when good intentions interrupt the comfortable monotony of daily life with a few handy cooking tips thrown in.
For the teen at heart: Zeroes
Okay, it’s actually for me. I love all things superhero and can’t wait to dive into Zeroes before the pudding hits the table. AND IT’S GOING TO BE A TRILOGY! #fingerscrossed #tvseries
From Astrid, our youngest reviewer, here’s a perfect gift for those who like animals or Christmas, and can cope with either words or pictures!
For anyone who likes either animals or Christmas: The Naughtiest Reindeer at the Zoo
I’ll be gifting The Naughtiest Reindeer at the Zoo to as many people as possible, so they can read it to MEEEE! I really like the rhymes, and the way when people read it to me their voices get progressively louder and more animated.
It’s a very exciting adventure all about a reindeer and some zoo animals and also about Santa. I think I’m afraid of the real Santa who lives in the shopping centre because he made me cry, but the one in this book is very nice and friendly.
And from Sophie, this is a groundbreaking story that was developed first as an App but is also available in more traditional book form:
For those who love to untangle complicated, intricately woven plot lines: Arcadia
For many, I’ll be gifting Arcadia by Iain Pears. It is an utterly enthralling book that is about – among other things – time travel, probability, love, and whether we can create a perfect society. It’s the perfect read for fans of literary fiction who want to immerse themselves completely in the world of a book.