We all have Christmas tribes, people with whom we spend the holiday, maybe family of origin, maybe family of choice. Even before becoming the book monger of Edgartown, I loved giving books to my tribe. And there are so many good ones to give this year.
For movie lovers, “Sonny Boy,” Al Pacino’s memoir, is as choppy, uneven, riveting, and fascinating as his performances. For the fisher people in your life, there’s Michael Tougias’s “The Power of Positive Fishing, A Story of Friendship and the Quest for Happiness.” Mary Oliver’s “This Wild and Precious Life” journal, blank pages with prompts from her amazing poems, is a gift for the thoughtful.
Someone’s a history buff? They might want “Kingmaker,” about Pamela Harriman. She was Churchill’s daughter-in-law, encouraged by him to court both Charles de Gaulle and Averell Harriman, in charge of lend lease, which helped save Britain. Decades later she became Mrs. Harriman. Spotting Bill Clinton, seeing his potential, she helped him, aided by Harriman money. Clinton made her Ambassador to France.
For those who love books on WWII, there is “When the Sea Came Alive: An Oral History of D-Day,” a vivid telling of that day, when the ocean did come alive, became red with the blood of those who died, told in the haunting memories of survivors.
Dan Jones is out with a magnificent biography of Henry V — who some think was England’s greatest king — told in unconventional style.
For fans of mystery, David Baldacci, one of the best-selling authors of the genre, has “To Die For.” Friends might be enemies; enemies might be friends. Louise Penny arrives with “The Grey Wolf,” her latest Inspector Gamache tale.
Nita Prose’s “The Maid” series has swept the mystery world the last few years. “The Mistletoe Mystery” is from her this season, a Christmas novella set at the Regency Grand hotel where her character, Molly the maid, works — and solves mysteries. Who can you trust?
For the lover of literature, Haruki Murakami is back, his first novel in six years, with “The City and its Uncertain Walls.” There are those who say Murakami invented 21st century literature.
And who knew there was such a thing as Rooney-mania? Well, there is, in full sail with her “Intermezzo.”
Kristin Hannah is one of the great storytellers of our time. This past summer, a woman who’d been a nurse in Viet Nam, said “The Women” captured their lives. Hannah has an older book, “Comfort and Joy,” a modern Christmas fairy tale, of finding love when it’s not expected. Perfect for the season!
Noah Trevor’s memoir, “Born a Crime,” has been popular for years, and he’s out with a new book, “Into the Uncut Grass,” widely compared to the wildly popular, “The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse.” Both are books to touch the soul; a good gift for someone who might be needing a little comfort.
Have a “foodie” in your life?
Ottolenghi is out with a new cookbook, “Ottolenghi: Comfort,” a celebration of hearty, comforting food. I’ll be gifting it to several. Know a fan of Ina Garten, “The Barefoot Contessa?” She tells her life’s story in “Be Ready When the Luck Happens.” Stanley Tucci’s “Taste” sold and sold and sold. This fall brings “What I Ate in One Year,” memories, high points, low ones, all held together by food, as often is the case.
Looking local? So many local authors!
“Made with Kindness: Tales & Tastes from MV Salads on Martha’s Vineyard,” by Susanna Herlitz-Ferguson is recently out. Dan Martino, local oyster farmer, has written “The Oyster
Book,” a deep dive into the oyster’s world, a great gift for the bi-valve lover. Tom and Joyce Dresser have produced “A Culinary History of Martha’s Vineyard.”
Terri Potts Chattaway has penned a biography of her husband, Emmy winner Jay Chattaway, a composer of jazz and the amazing music of “Star Trek: Next Generation” and all its offshoots.
The great Nancy Slonim Aronie is out with “Seven Secrets to the Perfect Personal Essay,” the perfect gift for someone on your list.
Gregory Mone has been prolific this year, co-authoring, “The Heart and the Chip: Our Bright Future with Robots” for adults and solo penning “The Duke’s Curse,” for middle readers.
Haven’t read Kate Feiffer’s “Morning Pages” yet? Laugh out loud at the deadline challenged heroine caught between a stoner teenage son, a mother moving into dementia, wedged against an ex-husband and his vapid trophy wife.
Carole Hopson in “A Pair of Wings” tells the story of Bessie Coleman, a Black aviatrix at the dawn of aviation, who, in the clouds, found freedom from the forces clawing at her back on the ground.
“Up Island Harbor” launches the next book series from the amazing Jean Stone, who has probably written more books about the Vineyard than anyone.
“James,” by Percival Everett, is destined to end up in our Classics section someday, a great idea for someone who loved Huck Finn. “From Here to the Great Unknown,” is the story of Elvis Presley, his ex-wife, daughter, and granddaughter, not a celebrity tell-all, a book about a complicated family.
For children, I’ve become enchanted with “The Christmasaurus,” by Tom Fletcher and Shane Devries. This is a story of a boy who, by mistake, receives a real dinosaur from Santa instead of a stuffed one.
For young adults? How about “The Afterlife of Holly Chase,” by Cynthia Hand. A selfish teenager is warned by the Ghost of Christmas Past to mend her ways; she doesn’t, dies, becomes the Ghost of Christmas Past, not a happy time. But are changes afoot?
Christmas is joyful, complicated; often we’re thrust together with the crazy uncle who should be stashed in the attic, or the uncouth cousin. But they’re family, so we smile, and gift.
To me, there’s no better gift than a book, whether for the crazy uncle, the uncouth cousin, the adored older sibling, or the parents who had more forbearance than we credited them for when we were younger. A book is a gift of thoughts, experiences, lives, and love.
