Staff Gift Guides & books of the year: part 3

We’ve been asking our staff their favourite books of the year, and what they’ll be gifting to themselves and others this Christmas – here’s our latest selection. Read more below, and part 1 & part 2 here.

Andrew – Community Manager

My two favourite fiction books of the year are The Choke and The Life To Come, and this Christmas while I’ll be sharing these widely, I’m also gifting myself the time to sink back into the latter again. Michelle de Kretser writes words, phrases, paragraphs and pages to be savoured. I’ve already spent a good amount of time this year sending her wryly amusing passages that resonate to friends, and am keen to return to her writing again soon.

For anyone I know with small children, they’ll be getting my favourite picture book of the year – I Just Ate My Friend. Our staff picked this as their picture book of the year, and it provides glorious entertainment for both young and old, and one which doesn’t seem to get tired with multiple re-readings either.

For sports nuts I’ll be foisting Grade Cricketer’s Tea and No Sympathy at them, whether they like cricket or not. I’m not a massive cricket fan, and have never played, but anyone who’s played sport at amateur level will relate. Also, amidst the entertainment I’ve found its skewering of society, and in particular toxic masculinity, is every bit as sharp and biting as de Kretser’s.

Finally, for my Mum, the perfect book for anyone with an interest in birds and art, is the exquisite Birdmania – a beautifully presented book filled with gorgeous artwork and fascinating stories about both birds and bird lovers.

Miranda – International Agencies Director

My two picks, are a diverse pair from our friends at Canongate and Faber.

Solar Bones by Mark McCormack is a short but very powerful and moving novel which was longlisted for the Booker Prize.  Originally its description of being ‘narrated in a single sentence’ wasn’t drawing me to it. However the rhythm of the language provides everything that punctuation normally does. It is just so original. It’s an extraordinary and brilliant piece of writing that well deserves being hailed as a masterpiece.

The Secret Life of Cows by Rosamund Young – even the thought of this book makes me sigh contentedly. In this chronicling of her life on the organic farm Rosamund has been running for many years we learn of the individuality and intelligence of cows – and other animals. It provides the perfect antidote to busy urban lives.

Jessica – Children’s & YA Publicist

The Extremely Inconvenient Adventures of Bronte Mettlestone is one of my favourite books of 2017 (and a staff favourite too). This book is gorgeous, inside and out. It’s magical and whimsical and such a divine read.

Kristy – Children’s & YA Promotions Manager

There’s no one who can write a junior fantasy-adventure quite like Lian Tanner and The Rogues is her best yet.

I adore her world-building and her characters are so appealing. I have been recommending this series to everyone I know!