The Ritual Master Christmas presents under the tree are the classic idyllic image we all have in our minds. And while we struggle to return to simpler ways ans resist the urge of buying and consuming more and more, I think offering books for Christmas is a wonderful gesture, full of meaning. You are not only offering a story, but you are giving your friends and loved ones the gift of slow and meaningful living. You are suggesting a moment of quiet pause and reflection, and that is one precious gift. So I’ll leave you with a few ideas of books to offer your friends, however diverse their personalities may be…
For the one that takes forever to choose a book…
Anthologies are your best bet. Many books in one volume, you are offering a world of choices. Poetry is often easy to find in anthology form, like my English Victorian Poetry Anthology. It’s always enriching to open a poetry book randomly and have a few minutes on a cloud, far far away. For the more pragmatic reader, classics often come in big anthology volumes. I recently spoke of my Brontë sisters book, I think it would make a wonderful Christmas gift.
For the one that never completes but still buys more…
Help them out, choose a little tiny book, a novel to read in an afternoon. Why not Sepulveda’s The old man that read love stories ? I always liked Sepulveda’s writing, and this little jewel will not disappoint. Strong, universal values, in an exotic scenery of jungle and solitude. Subtle power to be discovered in this short novel that ultimately speaks of love in its most simple form.
For the Book Collector…
Your ideal gift would be a signed copy. So look for contemporary authors and their most recent book tours, you’ll certainly find a bookshop in the itinerary where they left a pile of signed copies. My own little treasure is Elif Shafak’s 10 minutes 38 seconds in this strange world, that I got when she was in Paris, speaking at the Shakespeare&co bookshop. Her novels are mesmerising, and the quality of the writing is always a luxury, so I would highly recommend any signed copy of her books, she is one of my dearest contemporary writers.
If you would like to support The Ritual of Reading, please consider purchasing your books from the Bookshop.org dedicated site by clicking the link below. You get to support local bookstores and I make a small commission with every purchase. Thank you !
