Great gift books for the holidays chosen by our booksellers.
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The Bay of Noon
by Shirley Hazzard
price: $12.00
"Shirley Hazzard won the 2003 National Book Award in Fiction for The Great Fire, but go for this book, first published in 1970 and finally back in print, instead. In telling the story of a young girl's involvement with a decadent older couple in Naples, Hazzard not only evokes the feeling of the city itself, gorgeous, overripe, doomed, but also maintains a mood of aching sadness throughout. All this in absolutely impeccable prose." - Charlotte |  |
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Stitch 'n Bitch: The Knitter's Handbook
by Debbie Stoller
price: $13.95
"Whether you are ready to learn to knit because all your friends do or you've got the basics down and you're looking for some hip-not-dowdy knit projects, this is the book for you. Finally, patterns for the skull sweater and the kitty-ear hat! Easy to follow instructions for simple techniques and easily the best collection of published patterns. Plus, hints on contributing to the hip-knit pop culture with your own stitch 'n bitch. Obviously perfect for the knitter on your list." - Jessanne |  |
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William Blake: The Complete Illuminated Books
by William Blake
price: $39.95
"I have little qualms about calling William Blake mad. Anyone who has read his poetry can at least suppose as much; anyone who has seen his paintings can attest to it. Nevertheless, whether in admiration of his genius (there is surely method to his madness) or from fascination by his violent peculiarities, there is really no reason anyone interested in Blake should seek out another collection. Here we have his paintings in large, clear reproductions, on beautiful creamy paper; all of his text is printed at the end of the book to clarify the less readable calligraphy. Put down the complete works you found in the poetry section. Blake is far more than a mere wordsmith - he is a delicious madman of the mixed media." - Luke |  |
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The Ultimate Baseball Book: The Classic Illustrated History of the World's Greatest Game
by Daniel Okrent
price: $29.95
"You know how in the Harry Potter Books, people in photographs smile and wave and go about their daily lives, observed by the person holding the picture? This book is like that. Embedded in personal and moving essays by some very good writers are more than a thousand brilliantly-captioned photographs. In this setting, pictures find unexpected reaches of excitement, self-conscious delight, sheer physical joy, and real sadness. The result is magical: the book seems inexhaustible and genuinely, complexly alive, delving deeper than mere celebration. Caring about baseball is the first reason to have this book; looking to understand WHY you care is the best reason." - Mark |  |
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Egon Schiele: Drawings and Watercolors
by Egon Schiele
price: $29.95
"This is one of the most comprehensive, most beautiful, most affordable books on Egon Schiele I have seen to date - and the reproductions aren't half bad either. If you are even considering a collection of Schiele or an art book in general, this is the one to get." - Amy |  |
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Strapless: John Singer Sargent and the Fall of Madame X
by Deborah Davis
price: $24.95
"This is the story of the mysterious woman behind Sargent's early masterpiece - a tale of how two American arrivistes in Paris set out to create a sensation and got more notoriety than they'd bargained for. The scandal that resulted from the association of the intensely private Sargent and the flamboyant Mme. Gautreau offers fascinating insights into the culture of fin-de-siecle France and the limits of respectability in both Society and art." - Alan |  |
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Gettysburg
by Stephen Sears
price: $30.00
"Some writers can match exacting detail to narrative flow; Sears is one of them, and can add new insights to boot." - Mark |  |
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The Paris Review Book: Of Heartbreak, Madness, Sex, Love, etc.
by George Plimpton
price: $30.00
"An absolutely fantastic collection by the best of the world's authors, The Paris Review Book is just the thing for the lover of literary essays and fiction, but its friendly presentation makes it plenty enjoyable for the casual reader. It's the perfect book to keep at your bedside." - Meg |  |
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Charlie Wilson's War: The Extraordinary Story of the Largest Covert Operation in History
by George Crile
price: $26.00
"For the historians or political junkies on your list, this astounding tale of a rogue congressman's covert funding and arming of the anti-Soviet forces in 1980's Afghanistan will leave them wondering whether we can possibly be cynical enough to keep up with political reality." - Carole |  |
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A Short History of Nearly Everything
by Bill Bryson
price: $27.50
"If you've enjoyed travelling with Bill Bryson around the Earth, you'll love travelling with him through the world of science. From dinosaurs to botany to quantum physics, Bryson attempts to unravel the mysteries of the universe with his trademark humor and constant sense of awe and amazement." - Mike |  |
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Nine Hills to Nambonkaha: Two Years in the Heart of an African Village
by Sarah Erdman
price: $23.00
"Sarah Erdman, a young woman who spent two years as a Peace Corps volunteer in Africa, has written an unusually thoughtful and moving account of her life in a small village in Cote d'Ivoire. This would be a great gift for
anyone curious about life in a place where modernity hasn't really happened yet." - Chuck |  |
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The Great Wave: Gilded Age Misfits, Japanese Eccentrics, and the Opening of Old Japan
by Christopher Benfey
price: $25.95
"One of the most fascinating and entertaining reads of the season. This account of the post Civil War yearning for Japanese art, culture and ideas has great local interest, featuring as it does connoisseurs Henry Adams, John LaFarge, Isabella Stewart Gardner and Kakuzo Okakura among many others." - Chuck |  |
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A New Way to Cook
by Sally Schneider
price: $24.95
"Writing as someone who loves to cook and already owns a LOT of cookbooks, this is the cookbook I want to receive this year. It includes inventive (but never wacky) recipes, helpful tricks, an easy-to-use index, and just enough pictures to inspire. A great gift for an adept cook looking to expand their repertory." - Amanda |  |
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Elephant House: Photographs of Edward Gorey's House
by Kevin McDermott
price: $35.00
"A photographic journey through the private home of one of America's most eccentric minds. Beautifully bound and exquisite pictures. A great, timeless gift for anyone who enjoys Gorey's work. You can't go wrong." - Liz |  |
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The Path: A One-Mile Walk Through the Universe
by Chet Raymo
price: $21.00
"With his usual erudition and charm, Raymo lets us accompany him on the one-mile walk from his house to the campus where he teaches, explaining the natural history, the physics, astronomy and geology along the way. Naturalists, scientists and lovers of graceful prose will be thrilled." -Carole |  |
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The Tale of Despereaux
by Kate DiCamillo
price: $17.99
"This is a beautifully produced book from the author of Because of Winn Dixie that would make a great gift for all ages, but might be best appreciated by those from the ages of 7 to 12. It's a cute, well-written tale for the whole family." - Kari |  |
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Nutcracker Nation: How an Old World Ballet Became a Christmas Tradition in the New World
by Jennifer Fisher
price: $27.00
"A very engaging history of how the Nutcracker became the American cultural icon it is today. Especially topical now that the Wang Center is evicting our own beloved local production." - Alan |  |
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L'Affaire
by Diane Johnson
price: $24.95
"The third of her books about Americans in Paris, this is the perfect choice for the person who loves modern comedies of manners. Add the paperbacks of Le Mariage and Le Divorce and you have a luxurious gift that will make someone swoon." - Carole |  |
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Infinite Jest
by David Foster Wallace
price: $18.95
"Because it may take them until next Christmas to finish, but they'll love every footnote." - David |  |
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So Many Books, So Little Time: A Year of Passionate Reading
by Sara Nelson
price: $22.95
"For the person you know who loves books and may have a pile of books at home, but you have no idea what to get them or even what KIND of book to get them. A book that deals with loving books and wanting time to read more but there is not enough time in the day." - Megan |  |
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Peter and the Wolf with CD (Audio)
by Sergei Prokofiev and Seezer Ensemble
price: $22.95
"I heard a piece about this on NPR and decided to get it for at least two people. Friday, an Irish musician and composer with roots in punk rock, twists Prokofiev's story until it delights both kids and adults." - Amanda |  |
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Jonah and Sarah: Jewish Stories of Russia and America
by David Shrayer-Petrov
price: $24.95
"I got to meet David Petrov-Shrayer and his son, translator and editor Maxim D. Shrayer, at one of our author events this fall, and I was absolutely charmed by both of them. The story Maxim read aloud was kind of tender and enchanted and, in a word, wonderful. Buy this book!" - Charlotte |  |
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