A gift book should either be no surprise or a big surprise: the one you always wanted or the one you never knew you wanted. It should either be expensive and large, or cheap and small. It should be high-minded or totally frivolous.
-- William Grimes, New York Times, December 15, 2006
When the holiday season comes, I exchange gifts with special friends as well as family. Finding the perfect item for them is always a challenge. There’s the voracious reader, who usually picks mysteries; my son, a great fan of Heroes and all things science fiction and fantasy; my young niece, who I don’t see very often; and a new friend, one whose companionship and support has meant a lot to me this year. I want something they will like, something that will perhaps speak to them in a new way and encourage them to look at the world just a little differently. I want that WOW! item.
I also want a a gift that fits with their lives—a book for the person whose children have moved out, a great film for someone who loves the cinema, or a magazine for those who only have quick little pieces of time because their days are busy.
Welcome to the Fifth Annual Season's Readings!
These items, picked by our librarians, include outstanding titles in a variety of formats. These are the ones that you just might not find otherwise. These are the WOW! gifts, unusual and enjoyable.
Have a joyous holiday season and a safe and peaceful 2009, full of many new books and much good reading.
Gail
No comments:
Post a Comment