BY KATIE WAGNER JACOBS
It is officially gifting season! Books make the best gifts—they are personal, offer a break from our technology addictions, and is there really such thing as too many books in a collection?
I’ve put together a list of books perfect for gifting to all of the women on your list this year. Coffee table books for the ladies who love design and style, a cookbook for the culinary girls, a handful of novels for those of us who can’t resist a good story (me!), and a few children’s books for the small ones.
Don’t forget to write a sweet personal note in the front of the book you are gifting with the holiday and year to make the gift even more memorable and special!
1
The Finer Things
By Christiane Lemieux
This coffee table book is so chic. The stylish gold cover is just the beginning though! The Finer Things is full of gorgeous images of interiors, textile, and design that are absolutely stunning. This is the perfect pick for those who love beautiful things.
2
Luisa Spagnoli: 90 Years of Style
By Sofia Gnoli
This illustrated book is much more than a book, it is a masterpiece. The fashion designs of the fabulous Luisa Spagnoli are illustrated so beautifully that this book will be the crowning object on your most stylish friend’s coffee table.
3
Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking
By Samin Nosrat
You may have seen the Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat documentary series on Netflix. If you haven’t, your culinary-minded friends definitely have. Samin Nosrat’s cookbook makes cooking a pleasure by presenting recipes that are practical yet impressive and very easy to follow. Trust me: you want a copy of this one for yourself!
4
A Well-Behaved Woman: A Novel of the Vanderbilts
By Therese Anne Fowler
This novel historical fiction novel has it all: history, drama, an irresistible setting (NYC during the Gilded Age!), and fantastic characters. The cover is pretty and the story is compelling, making this book great for gifting.
5
The Dinner List
By Rebecca Serle
This novel is a dream come true—a thirtieth birthday party that turns into a real life “if you could have dinner with five people, who would they be?”-like situation. I don’t want to give up too much, but know this: Audrey Hepburn shows up. Enough said.
6
French Exit
By Patrick deWitt
This novel is a daydream come to life. Frances Price’s life is falling apart in so many ways, and when her husband dies, she decides it is time to do something drastic in order to escape from all of the hardship she and her son have endured. So, she does what we all want to do when life gets tough—she moves to France and starts over. The characters are incredibly likable and the story is a pleasure. The recipient of this book will eat it up.
7
The Color Teil
By Teil Henley
This one is personal to me because I had the honor of authoring this book! Teil is a Charleston, SC artist famous for her dreamy beach scenes, figure studies, and master color technique. This coffee table book boasts over 300 pages of gorgeous art. Right now, you can pre-order the book in time for Christmas with several gifting options!
8
Wordy Birdy
by Tammi Sauer, Illustrated by David Mottram
This picture book is adorably hilarious. Wordy Birdy has a problem: she talks too much. Poor Wordy Birdy has to learn the lesson that sometimes listening is better than speaking in this book that teaches a lesson that truthfully, many adults could take a page from! This one is sure to be a bedtime favorite.
9
Hungry Bunny
By Claudia Rueda
This book is for the very little ones (ages 2-6) and is a beautifully illustrated interactive book. Bunny asks for a lot of help throughout the book (think shaking down trees for apples) making it fun for children. Bunny’s red scarf (an attached ribbon) is used to wrangle the apples as well. It’s clever, cute, and engaging.
Gift Guide by Katie Wagner Jacobs the Barefoot Blonde Contributor Program Film & Book Reviewer. Do you have a book or film you want Katie to review? Leave your recommendations in the comments.
Katie Wagner Jacobs specializes in copywriting and editorial work. She reviews books, movies, and other media for several publications in addition to running her writing business, K. Jacobs Writes. Her past clients include popular bloggers, artists, influencers, and businesses. She believes that in our content saturated world, it is now more important than ever to present high quality, on-brand writing. Katie works to first to gain a deep understanding of a brand, and then to cultivate a voice in a way that comes across powerfully to its audience.
Visit our contributor section for more posts on health, family and more.
LOL Book Roundup : 3 Books That Will Make You Laugh
Can you remember the last time you read a book that really made you laugh? It seems like many of the books written recently are so heavy and serious. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy reading all kinds of books—but lately, I’ve been in the mood for something a little bit lighter.
Did you even read French Exit? It’s an absurdist, nihilist tragedy of manners centred on a suicide plan – not a fresh start. I can’t fathom how anyone could possibly describe it as a ‘daydream come to life’. What a misleading review.
Thank you for the recommendations! I always love to see what books you recommend to add to my personal reading list and to share with those I love!
I can’t decide between The Finer Things and the French Exit! Might just have to get both 🙂 Most must-read lists these days seem to have similar titles and consist mostly books I have already read. So exciting to find a list of fresh ideas just in time for the holiday break!
Love this! I had so much fun look through this list and thinking through who in my life would be excited to open and enjoy each book. The quick summaries were super helpful! It’s so refreshing to see ideas for gifts that are meaningful and beautiful.
I’m going to have to check some of these out!! I’d heard of a few but there’s a lot of new ones too that you introduced me to! Thanks for this list!! Could definitely use another one like it in the summer too!
I love this! This year my fam decided to give books, and I’ve been struggling to decide which ones to go with. I especially love the Teil Duncan paintings book! Reminds me of Gray Malin. I’m a sucker for any kind of pretty coffee table book. Thanks so much for the list!
This is so helpful and such a great list!!!
LOVE LOVE LOVE