Difference between revisions of "Bookbag's Christmas Gift Recommendations 2011"

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{{newreviewplain
 
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|title=Amazon Kindle
 
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|rating=4
 
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|summary=Are ebooks the future of books? Is it the right time to get an ebook reader? We thought about it long and hard. Yes we did. We don't often think about things this long or this hard, because it hurts. But sometimes, cogitations are necessary. We wouldn't be here at Bookbag if we didn't love books but we knew that more and more people were enjoying ebooks.  It was time to find out what it was really like to have up to 3,500 books in your pocket or your bag. 3,500! Yikes!
 
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|amazonuk=<amazonuk>B0051QVF7A</amazonuk>
 
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A carefully chosen book is always a welcome gift, but it's not always easy to know which books are good and which have had the benefit of clever marketing.  We've picked out the best books which we've seen this year and we think that you should be able to find something for everyone on your gift list.
 
  
 
==Fiction==
 
==Fiction==
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'''Crime'''
 
'''Crime'''
  
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{{toptennolink
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{{Frontpage
 
|author=Andrea Camilleri
 
|author=Andrea Camilleri
 
|title=The Track of Sand
 
|title=The Track of Sand
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Domestic Violence and obsession feature in [[Into The Darkest Corner by Elizabeth Haynes]].  It's a book with a rather dull cover - but what's inside is superb.
 
Domestic Violence and obsession feature in [[Into The Darkest Corner by Elizabeth Haynes]].  It's a book with a rather dull cover - but what's inside is superb.
  
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When we mention 'Swedish Crime Novel' and the name 'Larsson' you might well jump to conclusions about who we mean, but we've been impressed by [[Until Thy Wrath Be Past:: A Rebecka Martinsson Investigation by Asa Larsson and Laurie Thompson (Translator)|Asa Larsson]] and we thik you will be too.
+
When we mention 'Swedish Crime Novel' and the name 'Larsson' you might well jump to conclusions about who we mean, but we've been impressed by [[Until Thy Wrath Be Past: A Rebecka Martinsson Investigation by Asa Larsson and Laurie Thompson (Translator)|Asa Larsson]] and we think you will be too.
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|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0330507664</amazonuk>
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|isbn=0330507664
 
}}
 
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'''Fantasy, Horror and Science Fiction'''
 
'''Fantasy, Horror and Science Fiction'''
  
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{{toptennolink
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{{Frontpage
 
|author=Laini Taylor
 
|author=Laini Taylor
 
|title=Daughter of Smoke and Bone
 
|title=Daughter of Smoke and Bone
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Horror fans, whether adult or young adult, will love [[Mister Creecher by Chris Priestley]], an ''interlude'' in the story of Frankenstein's monster.  Chris Priestley just gets better and better!
 
Horror fans, whether adult or young adult, will love [[Mister Creecher by Chris Priestley]], an ''interlude'' in the story of Frankenstein's monster.  Chris Priestley just gets better and better!
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|amazonuk=<amazonuk>144472262X</amazonuk>
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|isbn=1444722654
 
}}
 
}}
  
 
'''General Fiction'''
 
'''General Fiction'''
  
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{{toptennolink
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{{Frontpage
 
|author=S G Browne
 
|author=S G Browne
 
|title=Fated
 
|title=Fated
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If you'd like a couple of other suggestions then you might like to look at [[The Secrets of Pain by Phil Rickman]] and [[The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern]].
 
If you'd like a couple of other suggestions then you might like to look at [[The Secrets of Pain by Phil Rickman]] and [[The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern]].
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|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0749954728</amazonuk>
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|isbn=Browne_Fated
 
}}
 
}}
 
<br><br>
 
<br><br>
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'''Literary Fiction'''
 
'''Literary Fiction'''
  
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{{toptennolink
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{{Frontpage
 
|author=Hector Tobar
 
|author=Hector Tobar
 
|title=The Barbarian Nurseries
 
|title=The Barbarian Nurseries
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|summary=It's been the year with a very contentious shortlist for the [[Man Booker Prize 2011|Booker Prize]]. Any of the books on the longlist would make a good present, but you might want something a little different.
 
|summary=It's been the year with a very contentious shortlist for the [[Man Booker Prize 2011|Booker Prize]]. Any of the books on the longlist would make a good present, but you might want something a little different.
  
−
In ''The Barbarian Nurseries'' Hector Tobar looks at a middle-class American family who have struggled hard to live the American dream. Their two young sons go missing with their surly Mexican maid and the situation soon turns into a nightmarish media circus.  
+
In [[The Barbarian Nurseries by Hector Tobar|The Barbarian Nurseries]] Hector Tobar looks at a middle-class American family who have struggled hard to live the American dream. Their two young sons go missing with their surly Mexican maid and the situation soon turns into a nightmarish media circus.  
  
 
For a big book (in all senses of the word) have a look at [[A Man in Full by Tom Wolfe]] or for a slim volume which packs in half a dozen literary prizes we recommend [[Accabadora by Michela Murgia and Silvester Mazzarella (Translator)]].
 
For a big book (in all senses of the word) have a look at [[A Man in Full by Tom Wolfe]] or for a slim volume which packs in half a dozen literary prizes we recommend [[Accabadora by Michela Murgia and Silvester Mazzarella (Translator)]].
  
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It's 50 years (how did that happen?) since [[Catch 22 by Joseph Heller]] was first published and there's anniversary edition which will delight first-time readers or bring back memories for those who were there at the time. Another timely reissue is [[The Silent Cry by Kenzaburo Oe]].
+
It's 50 years (how did that happen?) since [[Catch 22 by Joseph Heller]] was first published and there's an anniversary edition which will delight first-time readers or bring back memories for those who were there at the time. Another timely reissue is [[The Silent Cry by Kenzaburo Oe]].
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|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0701184167</amazonuk>
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|isbn=1444726773
 
}}
 
}}
 
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<br><br>
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'''Historical Fiction'''
 
'''Historical Fiction'''
  
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{{toptennolink
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{{Frontpage
 
|author=Alma Katsu
 
|author=Alma Katsu
 
|title=The Taker
 
|title=The Taker
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When you mention the name 'John Buchan' most people think of [[The Thirty-nine Steps by John Buchan|The Thirty-nine Steps]] but we'd like to suggest [[A Lost Lady of Old Years by John Buchan|A Lost Lady of Old Years]] set in the Jacobite Rising of 1745-6.  It's a book to work at but it's tremendously rewarding.
 
When you mention the name 'John Buchan' most people think of [[The Thirty-nine Steps by John Buchan|The Thirty-nine Steps]] but we'd like to suggest [[A Lost Lady of Old Years by John Buchan|A Lost Lady of Old Years]] set in the Jacobite Rising of 1745-6.  It's a book to work at but it's tremendously rewarding.
  
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|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1846058171</amazonuk>
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|isbn=1846058171
  
 
}}
 
}}
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'''Women's Fiction'''
 
'''Women's Fiction'''
  
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{{toptennolink
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{{Frontpage
 
|author=Ann Hood
 
|author=Ann Hood
 
|title=The Red Thread
 
|title=The Red Thread
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If you'd like some more suggestions have a look at our [[Top Ten Books For Your Auntie]] and [[Top Ten Books For Your Girlfriend]].   
 
If you'd like some more suggestions have a look at our [[Top Ten Books For Your Auntie]] and [[Top Ten Books For Your Girlfriend]].   
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|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0393339769</amazonuk>
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|isbn=0393339769
 
}}
 
}}
 
<br><br>
 
<br><br>
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'''Biography'''
 
'''Biography'''
  
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{{toptennolink
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{{Frontpage
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|author=Sarah Bakewell
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|author=Frances Wilson
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|title=How to Live: A Life of Montaigne in One Question and Twenty Attempts at an Answer
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|title=How to Survive the Titanic or the Sinking of J. Bruce Ismay
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|rating=5
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|rating=4.5
 
|genre=Biography
 
|genre=Biography
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|summary=Every bit as good as its quirky title suggests, Montaigne's ideas are still relevant half a millennium later. A must-read for those with existential angst or pretensions to erudition. It's also going to be one of ''the'' books of 2010.
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|summary=Within a matter of months it will be the centenary of the sinking of the ''Titanic''.  There will be a slew of books to commemorate the event, but this one looks at what happened from a slightly different perspective and we found it readable and informative.
  
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Music fans will love [[Syd Barrett: A Very Irregular Head by Rob Chapman]] - a biography of the 'lost genius', who formed Pink Floyd but left the group within a year of their initial success, and failed to – or perhaps never wanted to – sustain a career for the remaining 38 years of his life.
+
For fans of political biographies we can recommend [[Supermac: The Life of Harold Macmillan by D R Thorpe]].  It's the fruit of over thirty years research and gives a balanced look at the man with an aristocratic background who was also the great-grandson of a crofter.
  
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[[The Last Resort by Douglas Rogers]] is a stunning memoir of Zimbabwe under Mugabe as told by the son of two of the last white farmers in the country.
+
For another impartial biography, this time of a pop legend, we can recommend [[John Lennon: The Life by Philip Norman]].  It will tell you everything you want to know about the man who had premonitions that he would come to a bad end.
  
 
If we haven't suggested something that you fancy then have a look at at [[Top Ten Biographies and Autobiographies]].
 
If we haven't suggested something that you fancy then have a look at at [[Top Ten Biographies and Autobiographies]].
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|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0224082264</amazonuk>
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|isbn=1408809222
 
}}
 
}}
 
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<br><br>
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'''Cookery'''
 
'''Cookery'''
  
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{{toptennolink
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{{Frontpage
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|author=Xanthe Milton
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|author=Yotam Ottolenghi
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|title=Eat Me!: The Stupendous, Self-raising World of Cupcakes and Bakes According to Cookie Girl
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|title=Plenty
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|rating=5
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|rating=4.5
 
|genre=Cookery
 
|genre=Cookery
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|summary=The most amazing book of baking recipes we have ever come across. The only disadvantage is that the cover is bright pink... It will also do nothing if you're on a diet.
+
|summary=Not necessarily a book for the purist vegetarian, but for those who enjoy vibrant food where the individual flavours sing out this book is a gold mine. It was the Best Cookbook in the Observer Food Monthly Awards 2011.
  
−
Unless you're vegetarian or vegan everyone needs [[Leith's Meat Bible by Max Clark and Susan Spaull]]. You might not know it, but you do.  It's everything you need to know about cooking meat.
+
Still on the vegetarian theme High Fearnley- Whittingstall had a brief spell as a vegetarian in 2011 and he shares his recipes with you in [[River Cottage Veg Every Day! by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall|River Cottage Veg Every Day!]].  We can tell you that it was a mackerel which tempted him back to the sins of the flesh!
  
−
It's not necessarily a book for the purist vegetarian but [[Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi]] will redress the balance a little.  For anyone who enjoys vibrant food where the individual flavours sing out this book is a gold mine.
+
It's not strictly a cookery book, more a history, but if you're interested in food then we think that you'll enjoy [[A History of English Food by Clarissa Dickson Wright]].  She always knew that she would write this book - and we always knew that we would read it!
  
 
If there's nothing here which appeals to you then have a look at our [[Top Ten Cookery Books]].
 
If there's nothing here which appeals to you then have a look at our [[Top Ten Cookery Books]].
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|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0091925118</amazonuk>
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|isbn=0091933684
 
}}
 
}}
  
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'''History'''
 
'''History'''
  
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{{toptennolink
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{{Frontpage
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|author=Mary Beard
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|author=Nigel Jones
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|title=Pompeii: The Life of a Roman Town
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|title=Tower
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|rating=4.5
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|rating=5
 
|genre=History
 
|genre=History
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|summary=An in-depth investigation of all things Pompeii. This small, rather unremarkable (pre-event) Italian town is gone over by Beard with the proverbial fine tooth comb; how the local people lived, loved, worked and played are examined and also debated here in this book.  If you'd like to make this a generousand thoughtful present you can pair it with [[The Parthenon by Mary Beard|The Parthenon]] by the same author published earlier in the year.
+
|summary=If you had to choose a building which encapsulates English history then it would pobably be the Tower Of London and here we have a vivid account of the Tower, from its Norman beginnings as a prestigious fortress and palace, to its years of service as prison and torture chamber, and eventually premier tourist attraction.  
  
−
Those with an interest in the history of horse racing will enjoy [[The Masters of Manton: From Alec Taylor to George Todd by Paul Mathieu]] - a very readable look at the history of the racing stable from 1870 through to the 1960s. It's social as well as racing history and highly recommended.
+
For more of English history you might like to consider [[A History of England in 100 Places: From Stonehenge to the Gherkin by John Julius Norwich]]
  
−
[[We Die Alone by David Howarth]] is a superlative real-life story, of a near-death experience or three for a soldier trapped in enemy territory in the Second World War. Chilling.  
+
For some American history we can recommend [[American Caesars: Lives of the US Presidents, from Franklin D Roosevelt to George W Bush by Nigel Hamilton]].  We've read it through from cover to cover and we've dipped into it to illustrate a point.  It's one of those books you'd hate to be without.
−
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1846684714</amazonuk>
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|isbn=0091936659
 
}}
 
}}
  
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'''Politics and Society'''
 
'''Politics and Society'''
  
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{{toptennolink
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{{Frontpage
 
|author=Chris Mullin
 
|author=Chris Mullin
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|title=Decline and Fall: Diaries 2005 to 2010
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|title=A Walk-on Part: Diaries 1994 - 1999
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|rating=5
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|rating=4.5
 
|genre=Politics and Society
 
|genre=Politics and Society
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|summary=Excerpts from the Mullin Diaries from 2005 through to the end of the author's time in Parliament and the implosion of the New Labour administration. It's highly recommended and you could pair it with [[A View from the Foothills by Chris Mullin|A View from the Foothills]] which was published at the beginning of the year.
+
|summary=Another irreverent look at the life of an MP. This volume - the last to be published, but the first chronologically - covers the election of the first Labour government for nearly two decades. Highly recommended.  
  
−
[[The End of the Party: The Rise and Fall of New Labour by Andrew Rawnsley]] covers much of the same time frame and is a good read although it's definitely not an easy read. At 912 pages it's for the reader who is enthusiastic about their politics.
+
[[Nothing but the Truth: Selected Dispatches by Anna Politkovskaya]] is a selection from the later writings of the campaigning Russian journalist who was murdered in 2006. It's a tribute to someone who should not be forgotten.
  
−
Fascinating and thought provoking, [[The Unwanted Sound of Everything We Want by Garrett Keizer]] is a 'must read' for anyone who lives with, near, or even as far away as possible from, anything that makes a noise.
+
In [[Join the Club: How Peer Pressure Can Transform the World by Tina Rosenberg|Join the Club: How Peer Pressure Can Transform the World]] Tnia Rosenberg illustrates how peer pressure can be used for good.  It's a sprawling book but it's very readable.
−
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1846683998</amazonuk>
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|isbn=1846685249
 
}}
 
}}
  
 
'''Popular Science'''
 
'''Popular Science'''
  
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{{toptennolink
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{{Frontpage
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|author=Alex Bellos
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|author=David Crystal
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|title=Alex's Adventures In Numberland
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|title=The Story Of English In 100 Words
 
|rating=5
 
|rating=5
 
|genre=Popular Science
 
|genre=Popular Science
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|summary=A perfect look at all the cool, amazing and fascinating things going on in the world of maths. Part history of maths, part general trivia, it works perfectly for anyone with even a vague interest in maths. Highly recommended.
+
|summary=David Crystal is a god when it comes to language and with 100 carefully selected words he tells us an awful lot about the English we speak today. It's a fun and fascinating book that would make a great gift.  
  
−
[[Why Can't Elephants Jump? by Mick O'Hare]] is the usual excellent Christmas bestseller from the New Scientist's Last Word column. Everything is as great as it has been in previous years, with no sign of getting stale or unoriginal. It's another highly recommended for all the family.
+
[[Alex's Adventures In Numberland by Alex Bellos]] is a perfect look at all the cool, amazing and fascinating things going on in the world of maths. Part history of maths, part general trivia, it works perfectly for anyone with even a vague interest in maths. Highly recommended.
  
−
Look beyonf the quirky title because [[We Need To Talk About Kelvin by Marcus Chown]] is a brilliantly written popular science book, showing what everyday things can tell us about the universe. Geeky people will find it fascinating and a particularly enjoyable read. Heartily recommended.
+
[[Free Radicals by Michael Brooks]] might sound very geeky, but it's a history of those scientists who have broken the rules, played things their own way, and challenged the perception of scientists and quiet, methodical and logical. Michael Brooks' writing is as clear and engaging as ever.  
  
 
Need some further suggestions?  have a look at our [[Top Ten Books For Slightly Geeky People]].   
 
Need some further suggestions?  have a look at our [[Top Ten Books For Slightly Geeky People]].   
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|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0747597162</amazonuk>
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|isbn=0747597162
 
}}
 
}}
 
<br><br>
 
<br><br>
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'''Teens'''
 
'''Teens'''
  
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{{toptennolink
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{{Frontpage
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|author=Jenny Downham
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|author=Jonathan Maberry
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|title=You Against Me
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|title=Rot & Ruin
 
|rating=5
 
|rating=5
 
|genre=Teens
 
|genre=Teens
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|summary=A book about love, loyalty and choices. Beautifully written and tremendously moving, it's a worthy follow up to the phenomenally successful [[Before I Die by Jenny Downham|Before I Die]]. Both books would make a generous present for the teen that likes real life stories. They'll also love [[Luke and Jon by Robert Williams]], a gorgeous tale of grief, friendship and moving on. Moments of great clarity add true depth to this funny, sad, wise and truthful book. It has something for everyone. We can also recommend [[Losing It by Keith Gray]]: short stories about virginity by some of our leading writers for teens. Disparate, thoughtful, sweet and funny - they add a great deal to the conversation about teen sex that we all have, most importantly the teens themselves.
+
|summary=It's a super-duper post-apocalyptic zombie novel in the style of a revenge Western. It's tense and exciting, full of action, and has a great cast of characters. It ticked all Bookbag's boxes and we loved it.
 +
 
 +
[[Mister Creecher by Chris Priestley]] isn't a retelling, a sequel or a prequel in Mary Shelley's story of Frankenstein but an interlude. It's truly classy horror for the teen market - a genre which is flooded with some truly mediocre offerings.
 +
 
 +
[[When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead]] is easy to read and about time travel, friendship, and redemption - age old themes, but we never tire of their retelling.  
  
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The teen that likes fantasy and sci-fi will enjoy [[Dark Life by Kat Falls]] and [[Dark Life by Kat Falls]].  Ou reviewers have also found much to recommend [[Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl]]. It's long, deep, and totally enthralling - a Southern Gothic romantic fantasy to be savoured.  If yu're lookng to give two books then you could link it with [[Beautiful Creatures: Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl|the sequel]] which has just been published.
+
For an engrossing and intense look at London during the punk explosion in the 1970s have a look at [[Naked by Kevin Brooks]]. We say our obsession with image is something new, but is it? As ever with Brooks, this one comes recommended.  
  
−
You'll find some of these books in our [[Top Ten Teen Books of 2010]] along with a few other suggestions.
+
For fans of paranormal romance the best ongoing series is probably the [[Beautiful Chaos by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl|Beautiful Creatures]] series by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl.  The third book was published this year but all three books would make a great present.
  
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If you'd like to look at some teen books yourself then have a look at our [[Top Ten Teen Books That Adults Should Read]].  
+
If you'd like to look at some teen books yourself then have a look at our [[Top Ten Teen Books That Adults Should Read]].
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|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0385613504</amazonuk>
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|isbn=0857070959
 
}}
 
}}
 
<br><br>
 
<br><br>
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'''Confident Readers'''
 
'''Confident Readers'''
  
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{{toptennolink
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{{Frontpage
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|author=David Almond
+
|author=Elliott Skell
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|title=The Boy Who Climbed Into The Moon
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|title=Neversuch House
 
|rating=5
 
|rating=5
 
|genre=Confident Readers
 
|genre=Confident Readers
−
|summary=It's the new David Almond for young readers. Do you really need to know any more? With daftness and heart by the bucketload, it's a must read.
+
|summary=Omnia Halibut, aged twelve and a quarter, has lived her whole life on a vast estate which has been separated from the outside for generations by a huge wall with only one gate. She believes she knows every corner of her world, until a chance event sets her on a dangerous, enthralling adventure which uncovers a web of corruption and menace at the heart of Neversuch House.  
  
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[[Iggy and Me and the Happy Birthday by Jenny Valentine]] is the second outing for Iggy and Flo and if you're looking to give two books you could pair this book with [[Iggy and Me by Jenny Valentine|the first]].  They're simple tales of family life and brimming with humour and interest.  They're also wonderfully readable.
+
[[Spindlewood: Pip and the Wood Witch Curse by Chris Mould]] is the tale of an orphan who escapes a terrible fate as a cabin boy. Young readers will gallop through this book, loving the excitement and the menace, and will soon be begging for the next book in the series.  
  
−
For anyone who loves the old stories [[The Orchard Book of Swords, Sorcerers and Superheroes by Tony Bradman and Tony Ross]] is a must have. There's Jason and the Argonauts, King Arthur, Aladdin, William Tell, Hercules, Sinbad, St George, Ali Baba, Theseus and Robin Hood. What more can we say?
+
Slightly Jones is a Victorian detective-in-training and in [[Slightly Jones Mystery: The Case of the Glasgow Ghoul by Joan Lennon]] she travels to Glasgow to investigate thefts from a museum. It's a great book for the history buff and the crime fan.
  
−
[[Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren]] is a true classic of children's literature, made all the more wonderful by Lauren Child's sublime illustrations. If the children in your life don't already have a copy of Pippi Longstocking, there's something very very wrong. Highly recommended.
+
For more detective stories we can recommend [[Laura Marlin Mysteries: Kidnap in the Caribbean by Lauren St John]] - it's a thoroughly good read from a highly-respected athor.
  
 
A classic makes a thoughtful Christmas gift so you might like to have a look at [[Top Ten Classics of Children's Literature]].  
 
A classic makes a thoughtful Christmas gift so you might like to have a look at [[Top Ten Classics of Children's Literature]].  
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|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1406314579</amazonuk>
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|isbn=1847387438
 
}}
 
}}
 
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<br>
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'''For Sharing'''
 
'''For Sharing'''
  
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{{toptennolink
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{{Frontpage
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|author= Emily Gravett
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|author= Alex T Smith
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|title=Blue Chameleon
+
|title=Claude in the City
 
|rating=5
 
|rating=5
 
|genre=For Sharing
 
|genre=For Sharing
−
|summary=Simple, sparse and minimalist it may be, but it's superb, laced with humour and wonderful illustrations. Emily Gravett does it again with an excellent book for the very youngest children.  It's gorgeous, as is [[Apple Pie ABC by Alison Murray]] - the classic alphabet tale of an apple pie, rejigged, and with a wonderfully lively dog trying to get some of that tasty goodness. Put issues of originality right out of your mind - as alphabet books go, this is up there with the very best.
+
|summary=It's a fun story and a little bit whacky and we think that it's one that parents will love as much as children. It's simple enough for older pre-schoolers to enjoy as a shared book and silly enough for older children to enjoy reading for themselves.  It's a book with ''shelf life''.
  
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[[Me and You by Anthony Browne]] is the Goldilocks tale from a fresh perspective, but the more you dig, the more Me and You will reveal. It's an utterly gorgeous picture book that works on so so so many levels.
+
Educators are concerned about the number of children starting school who don't know any of the traditional fairy tales. We loved [[Best-loved Classics: Rapunzel by Sarah Gibb|Rapunzel by Sarah Gibb]]. Absolutely gorgeous artwork makes this story a joy to read. Perfect for princess-loving little girls!
  
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If you're looking for something amusing then have a look at [[Tortoise vs. Hare - The Rematch! by Preston Rutt and Ben Redlich]] - a hilarious, thrilling and wonderful look at the rematch between the tortoise and the hare. It's got all the energy of a Bugs Bunny cartoon, transferred perfectly to a picture book.
+
In [[Susan Laughs by Jeanne Willis and Tony Ross]] we watch as Susan does a lot of things that normal children do.  She laughs, rides a pony, paints a picture, plays on a roundabout and scares her granny with a jack-in-a-box.  She is just a normal child, but Susan needs a wheelchair. It's a lovely, non-preachy message that we can all appreciate.
  
−
If you're looking for something seasonal we can recommend [[The Christmas Eve Ghost by Shirley Hughes]] and [[The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg]]  
+
Who would believe that [[Kipper by Mick Inkpen|Kipper]] is twenty one?  This is a lovely anniversary edition of the classic book but with a ten-episode DVD as a bonus.
  
−
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0230704247</amazonuk>
+
|isbn=0340998997
 
}}
 
}}
 
<br>
 
<br>
 +
We have advice if you're looking for [[The Best Gift for a Gamer]].
  
 
{{commentfeature}}
 
{{commentfeature}}
  
 
[[Category:Lists]]
 
[[Category:Lists]]

Latest revision as of 12:48, 30 January 2024


Fiction

Crime

0330507664.jpg

Review of

The Track of Sand by Andrea Camilleri

4.5star.jpg Crime

It's the twelfth of Camilleri's Inspector Montalbano novels but reads well as a standalone and you might be introducing someone to an author with a great back catalogue to explore.

We keep saying that Ian Rankin doesn't need our help to sell books but that could well be because he's hard to beat. His latest is the second in a new series (no need to have read the first but that's good too) and promises well for the future.

Domestic Violence and obsession feature in Into The Darkest Corner by Elizabeth Haynes. It's a book with a rather dull cover - but what's inside is superb.

When we mention 'Swedish Crime Novel' and the name 'Larsson' you might well jump to conclusions about who we mean, but we've been impressed by Asa Larsson and we think you will be too. Full Review



Fantasy, Horror and Science Fiction

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Review of

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

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You think people have had enough of paranormal romances? We thought so too, but make room for one more as this is the first part of a very promising trilogy.

Sci-Fi fans will love Surface Detail by Iain M Banks the latest in his Culture series. No previous knowledge of the series is required: this is Sci-Fi at its best. Zero History by William Gibson is on the literary side of Science Fiction but it's a fast-moving and entertaining thriller.

Horror fans, whether adult or young adult, will love Mister Creecher by Chris Priestley, an interlude in the story of Frankenstein's monster. Chris Priestley just gets better and better! Full Review

General Fiction

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Review of

Fated by S G Browne

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Clever, funny and astute, this satire of humanity in all its shapes is a real winner. We loved it. It's a book which will set bells of recognition clanging in your head - and, as a present, it's just that little but different, isn't it?

We've yet to meet anyone - male or female - who hasn't enjoyed The Help by Kathryn Stockett. The lives of three women - two coloured maids and a white woman collide in nineteen-sixties Mississippi. Brilliant characters, excellent plot and highly recommended - we think it will become a modern classic. It's also a big film in 2011.

And now for something completely different: The Family Fang by Kevin Wilson. It's for everyone who ever thought their parents were embarrassing.. or pretentious... or inconsiderate... or able to break your heart. In fact, anyone who ever had a parent is likely to love this book.

If you'd like a couple of other suggestions then you might like to look at The Secrets of Pain by Phil Rickman and The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. Full Review



Literary Fiction

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Review of

The Barbarian Nurseries by Hector Tobar

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It's been the year with a very contentious shortlist for the Booker Prize. Any of the books on the longlist would make a good present, but you might want something a little different.

In The Barbarian Nurseries Hector Tobar looks at a middle-class American family who have struggled hard to live the American dream. Their two young sons go missing with their surly Mexican maid and the situation soon turns into a nightmarish media circus.

For a big book (in all senses of the word) have a look at A Man in Full by Tom Wolfe or for a slim volume which packs in half a dozen literary prizes we recommend Accabadora by Michela Murgia and Silvester Mazzarella (Translator).

It's 50 years (how did that happen?) since Catch 22 by Joseph Heller was first published and there's an anniversary edition which will delight first-time readers or bring back memories for those who were there at the time. Another timely reissue is The Silent Cry by Kenzaburo Oe. Full Review



Historical Fiction

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Review of

The Taker by Alma Katsu

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A dark and fantastic story spanning two hundred years, a story that is captivating, intriguing and downright brilliant and just that little bit different!

We loved Ben Kane's Forgotten Legion trilogy and had great hopes for Hannibal: Enemy of Rome: we weren't disappointed!

Our reviewer loved The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman - an exquisite blend of history and fiction set in the last desperate days before the Roman siege on Masada in 70CE. It's an unforgettable journey through the human spirit.

When you mention the name 'John Buchan' most people think of The Thirty-nine Steps but we'd like to suggest A Lost Lady of Old Years set in the Jacobite Rising of 1745-6. It's a book to work at but it's tremendously rewarding. Full Review


Women's Fiction

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Review of

The Red Thread by Ann Hood

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An exceptional book, well written and beautifully crafted, that looks at how adopting from China can tug the heartstrings of parents on both sides. The prose is lyrical and it's a fresh, realistic story.

The trials and tribulations of teen love and friendships told through the eyes of a watchful mother in Night Road by Kristin Hannah. It's an extremely emotional read and one you won't forget in a hurry.

Love and Freedom by Sue Moorcroft won the Romance Reader Awards: Best Romantic Read 2011 and we can see why. It's thought-provoking as well as being a relaxing and entertaining read.

If you'd like some more suggestions have a look at our Top Ten Books For Your Auntie and Top Ten Books For Your Girlfriend. Full Review



Non Fiction

Biography

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Review of

How to Survive the Titanic or the Sinking of J. Bruce Ismay by Frances Wilson

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Within a matter of months it will be the centenary of the sinking of the Titanic. There will be a slew of books to commemorate the event, but this one looks at what happened from a slightly different perspective and we found it readable and informative.

For fans of political biographies we can recommend Supermac: The Life of Harold Macmillan by D R Thorpe. It's the fruit of over thirty years research and gives a balanced look at the man with an aristocratic background who was also the great-grandson of a crofter.

For another impartial biography, this time of a pop legend, we can recommend John Lennon: The Life by Philip Norman. It will tell you everything you want to know about the man who had premonitions that he would come to a bad end.

If we haven't suggested something that you fancy then have a look at at Top Ten Biographies and Autobiographies. Full Review



Cookery

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Review of

Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi

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Not necessarily a book for the purist vegetarian, but for those who enjoy vibrant food where the individual flavours sing out this book is a gold mine. It was the Best Cookbook in the Observer Food Monthly Awards 2011.

Still on the vegetarian theme High Fearnley- Whittingstall had a brief spell as a vegetarian in 2011 and he shares his recipes with you in River Cottage Veg Every Day!. We can tell you that it was a mackerel which tempted him back to the sins of the flesh!

It's not strictly a cookery book, more a history, but if you're interested in food then we think that you'll enjoy A History of English Food by Clarissa Dickson Wright. She always knew that she would write this book - and we always knew that we would read it!

If there's nothing here which appeals to you then have a look at our Top Ten Cookery Books. Full Review



History

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Review of

Tower by Nigel Jones

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If you had to choose a building which encapsulates English history then it would pobably be the Tower Of London and here we have a vivid account of the Tower, from its Norman beginnings as a prestigious fortress and palace, to its years of service as prison and torture chamber, and eventually premier tourist attraction.

For more of English history you might like to consider A History of England in 100 Places: From Stonehenge to the Gherkin by John Julius Norwich

For some American history we can recommend American Caesars: Lives of the US Presidents, from Franklin D Roosevelt to George W Bush by Nigel Hamilton. We've read it through from cover to cover and we've dipped into it to illustrate a point. It's one of those books you'd hate to be without. Full Review


Politics and Society

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Review of

A Walk-on Part: Diaries 1994 - 1999 by Chris Mullin

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Another irreverent look at the life of an MP. This volume - the last to be published, but the first chronologically - covers the election of the first Labour government for nearly two decades. Highly recommended.

Nothing but the Truth: Selected Dispatches by Anna Politkovskaya is a selection from the later writings of the campaigning Russian journalist who was murdered in 2006. It's a tribute to someone who should not be forgotten.

In Join the Club: How Peer Pressure Can Transform the World Tnia Rosenberg illustrates how peer pressure can be used for good. It's a sprawling book but it's very readable. Full Review

Popular Science

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Review of

The Story Of English In 100 Words by David Crystal

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David Crystal is a god when it comes to language and with 100 carefully selected words he tells us an awful lot about the English we speak today. It's a fun and fascinating book that would make a great gift.

Alex's Adventures In Numberland by Alex Bellos is a perfect look at all the cool, amazing and fascinating things going on in the world of maths. Part history of maths, part general trivia, it works perfectly for anyone with even a vague interest in maths. Highly recommended.

Free Radicals by Michael Brooks might sound very geeky, but it's a history of those scientists who have broken the rules, played things their own way, and challenged the perception of scientists and quiet, methodical and logical. Michael Brooks' writing is as clear and engaging as ever.

Need some further suggestions? have a look at our Top Ten Books For Slightly Geeky People. Full Review



Children's Books

Teens

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Review of

Rot & Ruin by Jonathan Maberry

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It's a super-duper post-apocalyptic zombie novel in the style of a revenge Western. It's tense and exciting, full of action, and has a great cast of characters. It ticked all Bookbag's boxes and we loved it.

Mister Creecher by Chris Priestley isn't a retelling, a sequel or a prequel in Mary Shelley's story of Frankenstein but an interlude. It's truly classy horror for the teen market - a genre which is flooded with some truly mediocre offerings.

When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead is easy to read and about time travel, friendship, and redemption - age old themes, but we never tire of their retelling.

For an engrossing and intense look at London during the punk explosion in the 1970s have a look at Naked by Kevin Brooks. We say our obsession with image is something new, but is it? As ever with Brooks, this one comes recommended.

For fans of paranormal romance the best ongoing series is probably the Beautiful Creatures series by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl. The third book was published this year but all three books would make a great present.

If you'd like to look at some teen books yourself then have a look at our Top Ten Teen Books That Adults Should Read. Full Review



Confident Readers

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Review of

Neversuch House by Elliott Skell

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Omnia Halibut, aged twelve and a quarter, has lived her whole life on a vast estate which has been separated from the outside for generations by a huge wall with only one gate. She believes she knows every corner of her world, until a chance event sets her on a dangerous, enthralling adventure which uncovers a web of corruption and menace at the heart of Neversuch House.

Spindlewood: Pip and the Wood Witch Curse by Chris Mould is the tale of an orphan who escapes a terrible fate as a cabin boy. Young readers will gallop through this book, loving the excitement and the menace, and will soon be begging for the next book in the series.

Slightly Jones is a Victorian detective-in-training and in Slightly Jones Mystery: The Case of the Glasgow Ghoul by Joan Lennon she travels to Glasgow to investigate thefts from a museum. It's a great book for the history buff and the crime fan.

For more detective stories we can recommend Laura Marlin Mysteries: Kidnap in the Caribbean by Lauren St John - it's a thoroughly good read from a highly-respected athor.

A classic makes a thoughtful Christmas gift so you might like to have a look at Top Ten Classics of Children's Literature. Full Review


For Sharing

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Review of

Claude in the City by Alex T Smith

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It's a fun story and a little bit whacky and we think that it's one that parents will love as much as children. It's simple enough for older pre-schoolers to enjoy as a shared book and silly enough for older children to enjoy reading for themselves. It's a book with shelf life.

Educators are concerned about the number of children starting school who don't know any of the traditional fairy tales. We loved Rapunzel by Sarah Gibb. Absolutely gorgeous artwork makes this story a joy to read. Perfect for princess-loving little girls!

In Susan Laughs by Jeanne Willis and Tony Ross we watch as Susan does a lot of things that normal children do. She laughs, rides a pony, paints a picture, plays on a roundabout and scares her granny with a jack-in-a-box. She is just a normal child, but Susan needs a wheelchair. It's a lovely, non-preachy message that we can all appreciate.

Who would believe that Kipper is twenty one? This is a lovely anniversary edition of the classic book but with a ten-episode DVD as a bonus. Full Review


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