Holiday Book Gifting Guide 2023
Holiday Book Gifting Guide 2023
Books for inquisitive and discerning readers
Black Friday gets earlier and earlier every year, and the pressure is on to start buying. Below is a book gifting guide for discerning readers of fiction, memoir, horror, writing craft books, cookbooks, non-fiction, and poetry by marginalized and/or emerging authors, (and Stephen King), and published VCFA alumni who deserve recognition. These books are portals to escape and entertainment, while slyly teaching readers about underrepresented cultures and ideology.
What makes my guide different from others is the books listed are not only new releases with heavy pushing from publishers. The books are typically socially focused about timely subjects and tend to be literary. I have sourced Barack Obama’s lists, The New York Times, WaPo, and my local library and indie bookstore recommendations to comprise this guide. I’ve read many of them*, particularly the ice cream cookbooks.
**Check back for updates, including a Children’s Picture Book Section.**
Fiction
The Nursery by Silvia Molnar. A must read psychological thriller for all current and former exhausted moms who aren’t into the mommy blogs.
Revolutions Of All Colors by Dewaine Farris, winner of the 2019 Veteran’s Writing Award from Syracuse University Press.
As a River by Sion Dayson, VCFA alum. 2021 Writer's Center First Novel Prize and the Crook's Corner Book Award for best debut novel set in the American South.
Exit West* by Mohsin Hamid. A fantastical tale of a forbidden love affair during civil war.
A Gentleman In Moscow* by Amor Towles. This novel about an imprisoned Russian monarch during the Bolshevik Revolution is worth the hype.
Washington Black* by Esi Edugyan. This compelling novel follows the unexpected life of an enslaved boy who can fly.
I Know This Much Is True* by Wally Lamb, VCFA alum. The intertwining story of twins, one suffering from schizophrenia and the other who cares for him. The novel form which the TV miniseries was adapted.
Unaccustomed Earth* by Jhumpa Lahiri. A collection of short stories.
Good Women * by Halle Hill. A collection of short stories following the lives of Black women from Appalachia.
The Night of The Living Rez*by Morgan Talty. A collection of stories set in Maine about living and surviving tragedy as Penobscot Native American.
Goodnight Stranger by Miciah Bay Gault, sought after VCFA faculty.
Non-Fiction
It’s Fun To Be A Person I Don’t Know by Chachi Hauser, new to VCFA faculty. She shares the story of her life as the great-granddaughter of Roy Disney, brother and co-founder of Walt Disney.
King: A Life by Jonathan Eig. The first comprehensive biography of Martin Luther King, Jr. in decades that includes new uncovered government documents.
Poverty, By America* by Matthew Desmond. A quick, accessible read that explains not just why poverty is bad, but the shocking way the 1% profits from it.
Evicted by Matthew Desmond. The author follows eight Milwaukee families as they struggle to keep their homes.
The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America* by Richard Rothstein and follow up book, Just Action: How To Challenge Segregation Enacted Under The Color of Law.
Eating Animals* by Jonathan Safran Foer. The cost of eating meat and why we should all eat less of it.
For The Love of Men* by Liz Plank. Why feminism needs to include the needs of men, and how to solve it.
The Way Out: A Revolutionary, Scientifically Proven Approach to Healing Chronic Pain by Alan Gordon.
Personal Narrative (memoir and essay collections)
My Name Is Barbara: A Memoir by Barbra Streisand. Get comfortable for this 992-page memoir of the superstar known as Barbra.
Pageboy by Elliot Page. Read the memoir of the trans actor whose breakout role was Juno.
Tomboyland* by Melissa Faliveno. A beautiful collection of essays discussing gender, identity, and what it means to be home. Melissa is a highly sought after faculty member at VCFA.
Tell Me Everything * by Minka Kelly. The actress best known for her role on Friday Night Lights tells the shocking story of her unstable childhood and how she found her footing.
Lovesick * by Sue William Silverman. The incredible memoir of the author’s experience with sex addiction and recovery in 28-days. A sought after faculty member at VCFA, and Faculty Vice Chair.
Formation: A Memoir of Rage, Rape, and War* by Ryan Leigh Dostie. This author brings us through the terrifying and also empowering world of being a woman in the Army.
Unbecoming: A Memoir of Disobedience* by Anuradha Bhagwati. Also a military memoir, this author was a Marine officer who founded SWAN, Service Women’s Action Network.
Genre (Speculative Fiction and Magical Realism)
Holly by Stephen King*. If you’ve been following Holly Ginny since the Bill Hodges trilogy (box set)* and The Outsider,* you’ll want to catch up with her here. Perfect for your Stephen King fanatic.
Ink Blood Sister Scribe* by Emma. A fantasy story about witchcraft, time travel, family, and the love of books.
Victory City by Salman Rushdie. A crossover historical fantasy novel, his first publication since the attack that left him partially blind.
The Storyteller’s Death* by Ann Dávila Cardinal, VCFA alum ‘07. An exotic and thrilling tale of a young girl’s magical ability to see her relatives’ pasts.
Craft Books For Your Writer Friends
Tell It Slant* by Brenda Miller.
The Situation And The Story: The Art of Personal Narrative* by Vivian Gornick explains how to discern meaning in every day circumstances.
Fearless Confessions: A Writer’s Guide To Memoir* by Sue William Silverman. A craft book that defines the most important elements of memoir and examples on how to use them.
Poetry
Thrift Store Metamorphosis by Tony Robles (VCFA alum). This collection of poetry asks that readers reflect on the range of human emotions and interaction.
The Many Beds of Martha Washington by Nance Van Winkel, sought after VCFA faculty.
Cookbooks
Artisan Ice Cream by Laura O’Neill, et. al, the founders of Van Leeuwen ice cream.
Salt & Straw Ice Cream Cookbook* by Tyler Malek. Another fabulous ice cream cookbook from the west coast chain of the same name.
Vedge: 100 Plates Large and Small That Redefine Vegetable Cooking* by Rich Landau, Kate Jacoby et. al. A beautifully curated collection to make you love vegan food.
More of my favorite titles can be found here.
If you purchase from any of my links, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.