In the run-up to Christmas, I’m going no further than my local bookshop. Books make the perfect gift. They promise days of enjoyment and a complete break from our hectic lives.
I think I have it sorted for family members. Now the pleasurable task of putting some suggestions forward for books I’d like to receive myself.
Over the last year, I’ve noted down titles I’d like to read. They come from personal recommendations, reviews and emails from publishers and reviewers. Many are new novels from authors I have enjoyed reading in the past; some are new authors for me. Here is my top ten.
Three Days in June by Anne Tyler
Written by the witty author of The Accidental Tourist from the viewpoint of a mother-of-the-bride about the days surrounding her daughter’s wedding
What We Can Know by Ian McEwan
The story of a literary quest set a hundred years into a dystopian future. McEwan writes with great virtuosity, often about contemporary issues. He is author of Saturday, Atonement, The Children Act and Nutshell, all great novels.
Mother Mary Comes to Me by Arundati Roy
A memoir from the author of The God of Small Things, winner of the 1997 Man Booker Prize, about the influence on her of her powerful mother.
A Great Act of Love by Heather Rose
An historical novel involving the making of champagne in Tasmania from the author of The Museum of Modern Love and Bruny
The Underworld by Sophie Laguna
Laguna’s previous novels, The Eye of the Sheep, The Choke and Infinite Splendours, show such insight into the thoughts and feelings of children and she writes with great lyricism. Her latest novel is about a 14-year-old girl fascinated with ancient tales of the underworld
The Loneliness of Sonia and Sonny by Kiran Desai
This 700-page love story which spans years, continents and cultures is by the author of The Inheritance of Loss which won the 2006 Booker Prize.
Loot and Other Stories by Nadine Gordimer
Nadine Gordimer who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1991, is renowned for her short stories in which she plunges her characters into challenging circumstances. This collection was published in 2003
Green Dot by Madelaine Gray
This is a debut novel for Australian author Madelaine Gray who has just published her second novel, Chosen Family. Green Dot has sold widely, mainly by word of mouth
The Burrow by Melanie Cheng
Reviewers have been raving about The Burrow since its publication in 2024. It is the story of a grieving family and their pet rabbit during the pandemic
I Have Some Questions For You by Rebecca Makkai
Recommended to me as an excellent crime read written by American author Rebecca Makkai
Let’s see what Santa brings. I look forward to having some top novels/collections of short stories to tell you about next year.
In the meantime, my warmest wishes for a happy festive season. I hope you unwrap a good book to read over the holidays. If you don’t think that’s likely, buy or borrow one yourself and support the authors, publishers and booksellers who bring us the perfect gift.