Over the years I have often listed the books I gave as Christmas gifts, though last year I shared the books I gave throughout the year – as Christmas, birthday and other gifts. I’m doing the same this year. Most, though not all, are Australian books. They are not necessarily my favourite reads – indeed, I haven’t read many of them – because they were chosen to suit the recipients’ likes. Those I have read I did enjoy, otherwise I wouldn’t have given them to someone else, and some of those I haven’t read are on my TBR.
- Isabel Allende, My name is Emilia del Valle (historical fiction, Chilean American)
- Maxine Beneba Clarke, Beautiful changelings (poetry collection, Australian) (on my TBR)
- Peter Carnavas, Blue whale blues (children’s picture book, Australian)
- Gregory Day, Southsightedness (poetry collection, Australian) (on my TBR)
- Garry Disher, Mischance Creek (crime fiction, Australian)
- Abbas El-Zein, Bullet, paper, rock: A memoir of war and words (memoir, Lebanese-Australian) (on my TBR)
- Richard Flanagan, Question 7 (nonfiction, Australian) (my review)
- Lily King, Heart the lover (novel, American)
- Angus Gaunt, Anna (novel, Australian, given to a few people)(my review)
- Saskia Gwinn, Scientists are saving the world (children’s nonfiction picture book, English)
- Joanne Harris, Vianne (novel, British)
- Gail Jones, The name of the sister (novel, Australian) (on my TBR)
- Kim Kelly, Touched (memoir, Australian) (my review)
- Tania McCartney, Wildlife compendium of the world: Awe-inspiring animals from every continent (children’s nonfiction picture book, Australian)
- Dinuka McKenzie, The torrent (crime fiction, Australian)
- Jen Marlin, Wind riders: Rescue on Turtle Beach (children’s chapter book, American)
- Seichō Matsumoto, Suspicion (crime fiction, Japanese)
- Meanjin: Essays that changed Australia, 1940 to today (essays, Australian)
- Robert Skinner, I’d rather not (memoir, Australian)
- Jessica White, Habits of silence (ecobiographical essays, Australian) (on my TBR)
It’s quite a variety as you can see, but that’s because – of course – my family and friends range in age and interests. You will see a few more children’s books here than usual. You can guess why.
As for books I received this Christmas? They included two for reading group next year (so were on my Santa list), Maxine Beneba Clarke’s Beautiful changelings and Niall Williams’ This is happiness, plus Debra Dank’s new book Ankami: Stolen children, shattered families, silenced histories, and Zitkála-Šá’s American Indian stories. All wonderful choices for me, and all authors I’ve read before except for Niall Williams whom I’ve wanted to read for some time.
How about you? Care to share your Christmas book-giving and/or receiving?
Whispering Gums 
Books make the best gifts! No one gives me books though because I think they know I read so much they don’t know where to start. A friend did lend me a book, insisting I would love it and I did! Once Upon a Tome by Oliver Darkshire. He’s an antiquarian bookseller in London and it is funny and delightful and filled with odd people.
I gave a friend, who had both her hips replaced this year, a number of science fiction and fantasy books, the only sort she really reads. I also gave her a bird identification guide because she kept telling me she likes to watch the birds outside her apartment window and has no idea what they are. She has not yet commented on any of these gifts, but hopefully she has been enjoying them.
Thanks Stefanie … yes that’s pretty much the same either way me. My American friend does she has a good idea of what I like and what I am unlikely to get here. And my kids ask me for some ideas. My brother does too … he will often give me Tasmanian books that I am unlikely to have got. All these usually work well and I love seeing what they’ve got me.
I’m sure your friend enjoyed your gifts to her – they sound well chosen just for her.
I done know that Darkshire but it sounds perfect.
Last year we agreed we were no longer doing gifts for adults, who can certainly buy whatever they want throughout the year. Instead, we just shopped for my brother’s four kids. I got them all books including Trumpet of the Swan by EB White, a spooky YA book, a graphic novel, and a book about ADHD. I don’t remember the titles of the last three books.
That’s sensible Melanie and I know others who do this but somehow I still love doing it. I try to make it useful things or we’ll do experiences. Mr Gums loves my buying him clothes as he hates clothes shopping. My kids asked me for a list of books so I gave them the first six reading group books for Neve year.
Just a question… when do kids stop being kids? I guess you haven’t confronted that.
Well, my brother’s kids are 16, 15, 9, and 8, so definitely kids! We’ll burn that bridge when we get to it.
And I’m sure you’ll burn them beautifully!
What a lovely idea! I gave mostly book tokens and local bookshop tokens, as well as an Amazon voucher to one friend who finds it hard to hold paper books for health reasons so reads a lot on Kindle. I’ll be sharing what I received in my State of the TBR post on 1 January as I haven’t gathered the piles together quite yet!
I love buying books for people Liz, but it’s also stressful so I can understand the voucher approach (particular if you need to give ebooks). I did receive a book voucher which I should have mentioned, shouldn’t I?
I look forward to your 1 January post!
I should mention that all my friends I buy for are bookish folk so it’s impossible to know what they already have. I bought Ali two Persephone books but we’d agreed which two in advance as her sister also buys her books. And my best friend and I buy for each other from our Reading Together potential books list though she usually goes off list for at least one and this year did that with one her sister told her would be a good candidate. Also anyone local enough I go to the Bookshop with them to help spend their voucher!
Most of mine are too … but some don’t have much time to read so that makes it easier for choosing very recent books. For my brother this year, both were books from a small publisher that I felt he didn’t really know. For my American friend, a small Aussie publisher is usually a good bet. Of course I know what Mr Gums has read … All this means that in the end I think it works out ok. I like the different ways you go about it … particularly buying off a shared list!
Looks like your gifting was very well thought out. Lovely🌻
I hope it was Pam … thanks.
I found Dinuka McKenzie here, thank-you VERY MUCH, ST !! – the whole series is bloody excellent !!
Hi Sue, I didn’t give anyone books. My grandsons are into fantasy and science fiction. They like “series” novels. I did receive Gravity Let Me Go by Trent Dalton and a Dymocks gift voucher. Which books will I buy, they are my next difficulty in life! I hope you had a lovely Christmas and all the best for the New Year.
Thanks Meg … my daughter likes series novels too, though does read other books too. I received a book voucher also, and have the same difficult. Like a kid in a candy shop, eh?
No-one is game enough to buy me a book these days! I’d call it a disadvantage of working in a bookshop, except that the advantages of working in a bookshop are the reason why the issue exists (too easy access to ARC’s plus generous staff discounts means that I simply buy the books I want).
I haven’t bought the Dank bought yet, but I suspect I will since I got so much out of her first book.
I understand that completely of course Brona … as for the Dank, now I just have to find time to read it.
What a fun idea, to share your list. Well, MOST people don’t dare to buy me books either because they either don’t know what I might like or don’t know what I might have, but every now and then SOME people figure their way around that and surprise me. Last year, Mr BIP came upon my “saved” list for our Canadian chain shop (we don’t have an indie where we are right now, although we do try to shop from them when we have a rented vehicle) and surprised me with that “in”.
Oh I love that story Marcie. Mr Gums almost never buys me books. My main book givers are my kids (who ask for a list mostly), and my brother and my American friend who choose from book pools that they know I’m unlikely to have dipped into. I am so glad they do.