How is your December shaping up? The past week was taken up with my Griffin turning 16 and getting his driver’s license, which I can hardly believe, and Jackson coming home from college. A lot of fun, but naturally I’m behind on posting and shopping. I’m trying hard not to over-buy this year, avoid the mall, shop small in town, and bought online when I could. I have more shopping ideas coming soon, and today is about my favorite thing to get and give- books!
With few ACTUAL bookstores left, it is sometimes hard to browse, so I love hearing book recommendations. I made some here and would love if you would also share any you found this year or have gifted before that are winners. You’ll notice there are few novels as I find those a very personal choice, and harder to buy for gifts. Let me know what you think. In the meantime I’m working on cards, cookies and shopping still..
From Napa With Love is a fun guide and read that takes one to the less traveled and cooler spots in Napa. I really enjoyed seeing how Napa folks and summer residents like Kate and Andy Spade, live and what they like to do while there. Great for anyone planning a trip or who loves this part of California.
What Unites Us is what we need to hear with so much divisiveness. Dan Rather makes the case that, ‘Patriotism is rooted in humility and nationalism is rooted in arrogance.’ Dan is someone I greatly admire for speaking his mind and being a voice of reason during this tumultuous time in America.
One of my favorite new books is How They Decorated. A great look back a tastemakers of the past decades and how they designed their homes and lives. I appreciate this book in an era of Pinterest and the homogenization of home design. If you’re over the barn doors, shiplap and all that this book is for you.
If you like reading about how creative people live at home, The Authentics is a gem. Beautiful photos and interviews.
Remodelista The Organized Home is perfect for those who are into simplifying and committed to living better with less. Great ideas on how to eliminate plastic from your home, store less stuff and use what you have to live simply and beautifully.
Gardenista is a wonderful tour of some of the most inspirational and beautiful gardens and yards and how they were created. I’m using this as my guide in redoing my yard next year. It makes a beautiful book for the coffee table as well for the garden lover.
If your ready to up your cookie game check out Holiday Cookies, a beautiful book with excellent recipes, tips and some pretty ideas for packaging and decorating.
I love this new Betty Crocker Lost Recipes book. Not only are the recipes vintage, but the tips are culled from all the best books of the past. These little nuggets of wisdom give charm to this adorable book. Really fun to look back by decade and see what was popular and the mindset of those times!
Do you have a creative friend or someone who sews or wants to learn? Want to stop buying what everyone else does and live a little greener? I appreciate everything about Everyday Style and it’s chic ideas for making your own unique capsule wardrobe and totes.
In a slump? Got a friend going through some life changes? You are a Badass is seriously motivating. This book gets you off your butt and out of your own way to make the life you want happen. Just picking it up and re-reading a chapter now and then changes the way you think.
Got an 8-13 year old? I really like the positive messages about being different and powerful in Strong is the New Pretty .
Any science nerd teens or adults? My 19 year old highly recommends What If? which was written by the creator of the highly popular xkcd.com science comic website.
Atlas Obscura is another cool book for curious teens or adults who are interested in the world and travel. Great photos and stories of amazing marvels to get to one day. I plan on getting this for my geography loving kid this year.
I bought The Genius of Birds last year for my bird loving husband. In the year past I have heard so much about this book and the crazy intelligence of birds, I plan to read it over holiday break.
Hero of the Empire is a bio that reads like a thriller and details the heroism of young Winston Churchill in South Africa during the Boer War years. I love anything on Churchill and history buffs will appreciate this war that is relatively unknown to many Americans.
THank you for the great list. THE womderful thing about a POST like this one is that it takes ONe into DIFFERENT sections of the virtual bookstore. . We are lucky in VICTORIA to have three excellent independent bookstores as well as THE UBIQUITOUS chapters.
Sorry about THE randm CAPITALISATION. For some REASON i am not able to choose WHEN to capitalise!
I hope the list is helpful! Victoria, Canada? I have been there 20+ years ago and loved it. I remember very unique shops there. How wonderful to have three different independent bookstores! Sorry about the capitalization. It was a design thing and I just changed it. Thanks so much for the comment! Love hearing form book people!
I BOUGHT ONE OF THESE BOOKS AS A GIFT…………..MET ALEXIS this year at a book signing!
ALSO, own the P.GAYE TAPP BOOK which I ADORED!LOVE your referral to BARN DOORS!!!!!!!!!
DEcorating has really become a bit BORING in my world as all THE MAGAZINEs SHOW THE SAME THINGS!FOR THE LAST 10 YEARS!
There is one book which caught my eye here THAT I MUST INVEST UPON!CAN YOU GUESS which one that mIGHT BE?
CONGRATULATIONS on having another driver in the HOUSE!!!!!!!!!
Can’t STRESS ENOUGH……….ENJOY THIS TIME WITH HIM!!!!!!!!!!
OVER AND OUT!
XOXO
How cool you met Alexis. She seems like a neat person. Of course you have the Tapp book and I bet you would love The Authentics, which is so you. However, that sewing book has a dress on the cover that is very you too??? Yes home decor is so the same I am tempted to cancel some of the magazines I get. They all seem like repeats and boring as Pinterest can be… Loving my new driver. He’s doing my grocery shopping and errands! I could even sleep in if I wanted to, but I am not good at that. xo
YOU NAILED IT !
THE AUTHENTIC’s!
YES< BUT I WOULD NEVER SEW!!!!!!!
THE BETTY CROCKER INTRIQUES ME!!!!!!!
GREW up on her cake mixes!!!!!!
XX
Thanks for all of the great gift ideas! So many fun and unique books on your list and I’m loving the garden book and the napa book! I really try to support my local bookstores and buy directly from them. Sometimes it is easier to just go online but so good to support our local store. the girls and I love perusing bookstores and we would be so sad if there weren’t any more left. We might have to pay a few bucks more for a book, but i’m okay with that if it means keeping a darling bookstore open- They bring so much to the community! I look forward to your upcoming gift guide! April xo
April, Love that you are supporting your local bookstores! So important. We sadly lost the two we had in town last year. I am hoping we get another. In the meantime I try to go to Hicklebees in Willow Glen which has a great section for adults and teens as well as kids and I always love Keplers in Menlo Park. It’s my most favorite bookstore probably. The good news is we are getting a Books,Inc. in Pruneyard in Campbell which is very close and I look forward to shopping there! You are so right about supporting them. I am also happy to pay a little more to keep them open! xo