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I NEED A GIFT
FOR...
POETRY
A FRIEND WHO THINKS POETRY IS ALL
HOITY-TOITY AND INACCESSIBLE.
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BALLISTICS
By BILLY COLLINS
Random House
I
don't read much poetry myself, but I've always enjoyed
the poems I've read by Billy Collins. Instead of working
within the realm of high-falutin, esoteric verse that
turns so many away from poetry, Collins has a tendency
to write about the commonplace with a bit of charm,
wit, and self-deprecating humor. Droll as this may sound
in the realm of poetry, Collins—a former U.S. poet
laureate—never sacrifices quality. His lyrical
narratives have always been both extremely humorous
and incredibly accessible. (Yennie Cheung)
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A
GOOD FRIEND WHO HAS READ ALL OF ROBERTO BOLAÑO'S NOVELS.
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THE
ROMANTIC DOGS
By ROBERTO BOLAÑO
(Translated by Laura Healy)
New Directions
Sounds
like your friend is ready to delve into Roberto Bolaño's
first calling: poetry. The Romantic Dogs collects
44 of Bolaño's poems into nearly 130 pages. If your
friend's not into poetry, this may seem like a lot,
but Bolaño's style is remarkable and beautiful, even
for those who claim that they "don't get" poetry. (Yennie
Cheung)
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A LOVE INTEREST WHO HAS LOST INTEREST.
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LOVE
POEMS
By PABLO NERUDA
New Directions
You're
probably thinking that this is way too forward a gift
to give this love interest of yours. Truthfully, you're
probably right; it may come off a bit creepy. But just
think about how hot it would be if your love interest
regained interest after reading these sexually charged
love poems that Pablo Neruda wrote on Capri about his
beloved Matilde Urrutia. Maybe you could sit down with
this love interest and watch Il Postino first,
since it is about love and Pablo Neruda. If he or she
enjoys the movie, perhaps gifting Love Poems
wouldn't be so awkward. (Yennie Cheung)
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A
POET WHO HAS LOST A LOVED ONE THIS YEAR.
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THE
TRUE KEEPS CALM BIDING ITS STORY
By RUSTY MORRISON
Ahsahta Press
"My
father's dying offered an indelicate washing of my perception,"
says the narrator in Rusty Morrison's book of poems,
The True Keeps Calm Biding Its Story. To compensate
for that "indelicate" shake-up, Morrison imposes a rigid
rhythm on the grieving process through the very structure
of her poems. She also speaks with clear, concise obtuseness.
If none of that make sense…well, neither does death.
The best anyone can do is just try to work through it,
and Morrison's combination of contradictions proves
to be a compelling attempt. If each poem feels like
the brittle piece of something broken, Morrison's overall
structure pulls all the pieces together into something
strong and new and beautiful—and true. (Chris Mackowski)
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LITERARY CRITICISM
MY
FRIEND WHO ALWAYS TALKS ABOUT THEORY, READER RESPONSE, AND
SEMIOTICS.
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COMEUPPANCE:
COSTLY SIGNALING, ALTRUISTIC PUNISHMENT, AND OTHER BIOLOGICAL
COMPONENTS OF FICTION
By WILLIAM FLESCH
Harvard University Press
The
most enduring, vivid characters are usually psychologically
recognizable readers. Flesch applies evolutionary psychology
to provide insights into characters as disparate as
the governess from The Turning of the Screw to
The Bride in Kill Bill. Evolutionary psychology
is the process of applying principles from biological
evolution to the understanding of the mind, making Comeuppance
more than a fun, insightful book, but an interdisciplinary
bonanza. (Marie Mundaca)
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|
THE
MAGICIAN'S BOOK: A SKEPTIC'S ADVENTURES IN NARNIA
By LAURA MILLER
Little, Brown and Company
Salon's
literary critic Laura Miller weaves her personal reading
history into this perceptive and interesting analysis
of C.S. Lewis's Narnia series. Miller eruditely
conveys her joy as a child reading these books, as well
as her disappointment with her subsequent discovery
of the religious message. The book is occasionally about
Miller and sometimes about Lewis, but mostly it's about
the differences between the ways we read literature
as children and as adults. (Marie Mundaca)
[See
the HBC review]
|
|
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it from
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|
HOW
FICTION WORKS
By JAMES WOOD
Farrar, Strauss and Giroux
How
Fiction Works could easily be subtitled James
Explains It All. Wood delves into literature, explaining
for the layperson and intellectual alike what works
and doesn't work in fiction and why. The ever-opinionated
Wood has a gentle conversational tone that will appeal
to all. Although his examples are from the classics
of the Western canon, it's not necessary to be particularly
familiar with any of the books. (Marie Mundaca)
[See
the HBC review]
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INSPIRATIONAL,
MOTIVATIONAL
A
NEW-AGEY GRANDMOTHER THAT WILL NOT ALARM ME AS MUCH AS HER
LAST REQUEST (THE PURPOSE-DRIVEN LIFE).
|
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it from
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|
THE
SHACK
By WILLIAM P. YOUNG
Windblown Media
Face
it, she's probably going to ask you for this one anyway,
and she'll be so happy you gave it to her. Has anyone
NOT heard about this self-published parable about a
desperate young man's encounter with some dude who lives
in a shack? Even I'm curious about it, and God and I
are not on good terms. (Marie Mundaca)
|
|
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it from
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|
THE
BEST AMERICAN SPIRITUAL WRITING 2008
By PHILIP ZALESKI, Editor
Houghton Mifflin
I
mean...look at the title. If your grandma is new-agey
and wanted to read The Purpose Driven Life, this
book is the gift of more spiritual writing—and
not just any spiritual writing: The BEST! In all seriousness,
this collection will have a lot of work that touches
the spiritual, yearning side from many different directions
(aka the "soul reach-around"). Stories on Einstein's
faith, making moral sense of the confusing world in
which we live, and finding a higher power in quantum
theory will hopefully inspire. (Kyle Olson)
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A
MARATHON RUNNER WHO IS LOOKING FOR INSPIRATIONAL STORIES, PARTICULARLY
ABOUT WOMEN RUNNERS.
|
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it from
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|
PERSONAL
RECORD: A LOVE AFFAIR WITH RUNNING
By RACHEL TOOR
University of Nebraska Press
I
wouldn't necessarily call Personal Record an
inspirational story in a traditional sense, but Rachel
Toor, a senior writer for Running Times, might
be a good choice if your runner friend needs the inspiration
to keep going. In Personal Record, Toor chronicles
her relationship with running, from her couch potato
days on, explaining how she became a die-hard marathon
runner. However, Toor herself is not the only focus,
and she writes a sort of homage to the sport and how
it becomes a way of life for many. (Yennie Cheung)
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MY SISTER, WHO NEEDS
SOME CHEER AND INSPIRATION IN HER LIFE RIGHT NOW.
|
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it from
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or
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Buy
it from
Amazon
or
Powell's
|
I
WAS TOLD THERE'D BE CAKE
By SLOANE CROSLEY
Riverhead
THE
IDIOT GIRL AND THE FLAMING TANTRUM OF DEATH: REFLECTIONS
ON REVENGE, GERMOPHOBIA, AND LASER HAIR REMOVAL
By LAURIE NOTARO
Villard
Cheer up your sister with humorous essays from self-deprecating
funny ladies Sloan Crosley and Laurie Notaro. It's hard
to feel blue when you're laughing at someone else's
expense, and these collections are literary blooper
reels of life. Quirky Crosley connects with the 20-something
crowd in her debut release as she relays tales of fumbling
through that odd post-college and pseudo-adulthood period
of life where it's hard to get one's bearings. Humor
comes naturally to veteran essayist Notaro, who tends
to humiliate herself in any seemingly mundane situation.
She is the everywoman, who struggles with body image,
fends off dysfunctional family members, always puts
her foot in her mouth, and eats too much chocolate.
The inspiring message here: Everyone messes up from
time to time and it's perfectly acceptable to laugh
at yourself. (Jessica Sycz)
[See
the HBC review of I Was Told There'd Be Cake]
[See
the HBC interview of I Was Told There'd Be Cake]
|
|
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it from
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|
THE
DAILY COYOTE: A STORY OF LOVE, SURVIVAL, AND THE TRUST
IN THE WILDS OF WYOMING
By SHREVE STOCKTON
Simon and Schuster
Writer
Shreve Stockton falls in love with a small town in Wyoming,
and then falls in love with a cowboy and an orphaned
coyote in this memoir that shows almost anything is
possible, even friendship between a coyote pup and a
cat. (Marie Mundaca)
[See
the HBC review]
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MY
GIRLFRIEND, WHO IS DISTRESSED OVER THE PASSAGE OF PROP 8 IN
CALIFORNIA ALONG WITH OTHER ANTI-GAY MEASURES AROUND THE COUNTRY.
|
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it from
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|
BREAKFAST
WITH SCOT
By MICHAEL DOWNING
Counterpoint Press
This
story about a gay couple who adopt an emotionally neglected,
sissified orphan is bound to bring a measure of healing
to anyone feeling the hurt over the post-election, anti-gay
backlash. Heart-warming, sad, and often laugh-out-loud
funny, this book reminds us that families can be created
wherever love lives, no matter how douche-y the rest
of the world can sometimes be toward queer folks. (Julia
Watson)
[See
the HBC review]
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MY MOM, WHO TAKES CARE OF MY ELDERLY
GRANDMA ALL DAY.
|
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it from
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|
LETTER
TO MY DAUGHTER
By MAYA ANGELOU
Random House
Maya
Angelou has given birth to only one child—a son.
But the daughter of the title is not a biological kid;
she means the daughter she sees around her every day:
black, white, Asian, gay, straight. In Letter to
My Daughter, Angelou pens a book that is memoir,
poetry book, and inspirational text all in one. The
collection of essays does more than reflect on her own
life; she explains how to live a life rich with meaning.
Some of the stories may already be familiar to those
well versed in Angelou's work, but the book is a quick
read and a nice, subtle way to acknowledge that your
mother is being a good daughter. (Yennie Cheung)
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MY AUNT, WHO HAS FORGOTTEN THAT SHE'S
AN ARTIST.
|
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it from
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|
WHAT
IT IS
By LYNDA BARRY
Drawn and Quarterly
Comic
luminary Lynda Barry (Ernie Pook's Comeek) manages
to cram memoir, self-help, and how-to into this lushly
illustrated full-color book. Exponentially funnier and
than The Artist's Way, Barry will inspire every
reader to tap into her long-suppressed creativity. (Marie
Mundaca)
[See
the HBC review]
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DR. LIVINGSTON, I PRESUME.
|
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|
HOW
TO BE AN EXPLORER OF THE WORLD: PORTABLE ART
LIFE MUSEUM
By KERI SMITH
Perigree
Grab
a walking stick, sling on a backpack, grab a notebook,
and don your pith helmet. Keri Smith and her inventive
new book want you to go exploring in an effort to free
your creativity. Smith challenges readers to look at
the world around them with fresh eyes, and her book
reads like a primer on how to capture everyday wonder.
(Chris Mackowski)
[See
the HBC review]
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MY TEENAGE NEIGHBOR WHO WANTS TO
MAKE A DIFFERENCE RIGHT NOW, EVEN THOUGH HER PARENTS THINK
SHE'S TOO YOUNG AND IMMATURE.
|
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it from
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|
DO
HARD THINGS: A TEENAGE REBELLION AGAINST LOW EXPECTATIONS
By ALEX and BRETT HARRIS
Multnomah Books
Alex
and Brett Harris are 19-year-old twins who founded TheRebelution.com,
a website that encourages teenagers to rebel against
the low expectations that society places on them because
young people are seen as being too young and apathetic
about the world around them. According to the twins,
the youth of today need to "rebel against rebellion"
and break down the low expectations society has placed
upon them by doing "hard things" that nobody thinks
possible because of their age. If your neighbor needs
some encouragement, this might be a step in the right
direction. Bear in mind, though, that if this particular
teen is an atheist or agnostic, this book might not
go over well with her; the twins prominently work their
Christian faith into their writing. Still, Christian
or not, the concept of getting off one's butt
and doing something is what counts. (Yennie Cheung)
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NOVELTY, HUMOR
MY
HILARIOUSLY IRREVERENT UNCLE TO TAKE HIS MIND OFF HIS SERIOUS
HEALTH PROBLEMS.
|
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it from
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|
GARFIELD
MINUS GARFIELD
By JIM DAVIS
Ballantine
The
premise of the comic is simple: Take a Garfield comic
strip, and remove the character of Garfield. What's
left is the character of Jon having rambling, self-deprecatory,
dada-istic, weirdly compelling, and occasionally oddly
touching conversations with himself. While it may be
a quick read, this collection of the internet comic
sensation will be a perfect little irreverent stocking
stuffer. (Kyle Olson)
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MY SNARKY COUSIN IN ECHO PARK (OR
PORTLAND, WILLIAMSBURG, SEATTLE, ETC.).
|
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it from
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|
STUFF
WHITE PEOPLE LIKE: A DEFINITIVE GUIDE TO THE UNIQUE
TASTE OF MILLIONS
By CHRISTIAN LANDER
Random House
A
collection of entries from the blog of the same name,
Stuff White People Like will make any left-leaning
"individualist" realize just how many of their unique
tastes are shared by millions. As a taste, entries from
the website include religions their parents don't belong
to, Barack Obama, Wes Anderson movies, New Balance shoes,
and "knowing what's best for poor people." This book
is an insightful and hilarious social commentary on
anyone who loves public radio (and probably this website).
(Kyle Olson)
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MOBY
(I DON'T REALLY NEED A GIFT FOR MOBY; I JUST THOUGHT IT WOULD
BE FUNNY).
|
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it from
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|
DEWEY:
THE SMALL-TOWN LIBRARY CAT WHO TOUCHED THE WORLD
By VICKI MYRON
Grand Central Publishing
Haha,
Moby! It's a book about a CAT! It's HEART-WARMING! The
cat lives in a LIBRARY! He probably peed on a copy of
Moby-Dick just because he didn't like the hyphen!
Did you know there are millions of people, like the
good people of Iowa where Dewey lived, who have no idea
who you are? They don't read New York magazine
like my mom, who is always GOSSIPING with me about YOU.
"Oh, Dot, did you know Moby moved to the Upper West
Side?" "Oh, did you know he moved back downtown?" "What
do you think of Moby packaging Teany beverages in plastic?"
WHY DOES MY MOTHER KNOW EVERYTHING YOU DO, MOBY? (Dorothy
Parka)
|
MY GRANDMA WITH THE NIPPY SCHNOODLE.
|
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|
HOW
TO RAISE A JEWISH DOG
By THE RABBIS OF BOCA RATON THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY AS
TOLD TO BARBARA DAVILMAN AND ELLIS WEINER
Little, Brown and Company
Full
of great dog training tips, your Bubby will especially
love the advanced commands, which include useful dogs
instructions like, "If she starts talking about her
son I'm going have to kill myself and you're going to
have to find your own way home" and "Don't stare at
Cousin Edith's hair when she comes over." There is no
mention of anything like "calm, assertive energy" or
being the pack leader, but there are a ton of funny
"tips." If your gramma doesn't have a dog, perhaps she
can teach you the commands. They may come in handy.
(Marie Mundaca)
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MY BROTHER, WHO HAS A PENCHANT FOR
FUDGE, TACO PARTIES, AND MARKER-RELATED PENIS ALTERATION.
|
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it from
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|
MY
CUSTOM VAN
By MICHAEL IAN BLACK
Simon Spotlight Entertainment
That's...eerie.
You really have a brother into those things? I mean...what
are the odds? Those are three of the exact topics covered
by Stella member/VH1 culture-whore Michael Ian Black
in My Custom Van. I almost don't want to suggest
this book because its perfection in suiting your brother's
tastes will spoil him for every other book for the rest
of his life—at least until MIB writes another collection
of ridiculously irreverent essays to tickle the funny
bone. (Kyle Olson)
[See
the HBC review]
[See
the HBC interview]
|
|
