I receive phone calls, texts, and emails around this time of year. People ask me what books they should buy for a mother, brother, friend, or aunt.
I love this question because I have strong opinions. I thought I’d share them.
The book to bring with wine
Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan
I’m not a great cook and have mediocre taste in flowers, so I love bringing a book when invited over to a friend’s house.
This is the book I’ve given the most. It takes place in 1985, in a small Irish town, during the weeks leading up to Christmas. I won’t say more other than it’s breath-taking, precise, and perfect. Not a word is out of place. When you finish, I promise you’ll want to give it to someone to read.
Also, it’s short at 128 pages, so as a gift it doesn’t feel like an imposition.
An aside: For those already on the Claire Keegan bandwagon, she has a new book, So Late in the Day. It’s three short stories. Each is interesting in its own way, but it’s how the stories are arranged that makes this book spectacular. If you haven’t read Keegan, start with Small Things Like These and the new one next. I’m not usually bossy about order, but I am in this case.
The book to give your sister
Daughter by Claudia Dey
This book is as sharp as a knife. It’s about Mona Dean and her relationship with her adulterous father, a writer who wrote one great book. I’m biased because I’ve been friends with Claudia since I was 19. And this is also why I loved the sister relationship. In Mona and her sister, Juliet (who is “shaped like a Corvette, her hair in a braid like an extra spine, her tan lines stark and perfect like a ghost bikini”), Claudia captures the magic and heart-ache of sharing a family history. Plus, it’s juicy with great humour.
Also, if you really love your sister: Claudia is co-designer at Horses Atelier. This isn’t my lane, but I do think the Lenu Tie Blouse is just the thing.
A book for the person who also loves movies
Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam
This came out a few years ago, but it is being adapted and will be on Netflix in early December. The book is tense, atmospheric, and perfectly paced. A commentary about how class, money, and race intersect, one of the best touches is what the author leaves off the page. My favourite chapter is a shopping list — what does this family put in their cart and what does it say about them? Everything.
I'm curious/nervous to see how this story will translate to the screen. If you give this book, you’ll get points if the adaption is great. If it is terrible? The book is always better, you knew it.
A book for people who read Dad books
Fire Weather: The Making of a Beast by John Vaillant
I am a huge reader of Dad books. I don’t mean you have to be a dad. I mean those big, beefy non-fiction books about important topics that make for a good discussion at the dinner table. This book focuses on the fire in Fort McMurry, Alberta, that led to an evacuation of 80,000+ people, but it’s about much more. Reading it was revelatory. It answered many of my questions about wildfires, the petroleum industry, and climate change, and then helped me understand the connections between them.
Also? It’s gripping. John knows how to tell a story. I cried twice.
A book for those who want to read a future Booker winner
A History of Burning by Janika Oza
This is an epic. It tells the intergenerational story of a South Asian family who were part of the expulsion from Uganda in 1972. The novel spans 100 years and three continents. What I loved most was the scope of the book. It shows how stories and memories flow with people through generations — and how they are cut off. It’s an ambitious book. I was amazed to learn it was Janika’s debut.
If I had to bet who will win the Booker in a few years? My money is on her.
A book for tree people
The Native Trees of Canada by Leanne Shapton
I’ve given this book to so many people who are either new to Canada, who miss it, or who love our trees. Leanne is an artist. She found a copy of a 1956 reference book with the same title. This book is just what it says: Trees (a sample). The paintings are magical because they capture a level of technical detail that has made me much better at identifying trees.
But, we’ve hit a hitch. It’s out of print. The publisher is Drawn & Quarterly based in Montreal. A few used copies are kicking around, but maybe if we ask nicely? I love this book too much to take it off the list.
If you don’t find what you are looking for in this list, send me a message. I’ll set you up.
For those celebrating in the US, Happy Thanksgiving!
P.S.
I just signed a deal for a new book! More on this soon. As a subscriber, you will be the first to hear.
I’m a poet. My work is appearing monthly in The Globe and Mail. The first was about The Floods of September (that’s a gift link). The next is about fentanyl and will be published this week.
I’ve been enjoying a podcast, Ghost Story. A journalist who doesn’t believe in ghosts investigates the story of a haunting and a murder in his family. It’s full of posh accents, it’s good-natured, and Hugh Dancy is involved. Perfect for dog walks.
This newsletter will remain free. It’s an informal way to talk about books. I like writing it. That’s it.
Thanks for sharing your recommendations. Now I know what to give the book lovers in my life. I appreciate the detailed descriptions you included. They’re so helpful.
This just arrived to my hold shelf at the library yesterday. A very cozy read on an early night to bed in a busy holiday season. Thank you for the recommendation. So far all the gushing by famous writers on the front and back of the book is correct. I'm immediately distracted by thoughts of wanting to read all of her work.