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.
