DC Public Library discussion

Gift giving season is upon us, and for me that means deciding which books to give all of my friends and relatives. For some of the people on my list, it will be easy to figure out which book to give, others will be more difficult. But, I'm sure that if we all put out heads together, we can help solve each other's book gifting challenges. So, post below a little bit about what you need, and we'll chime in with suggestions!

I have several kids on my list, ages birth to 10, and I've been wondering if the new fairy tale book by Philip Pullman, Fairy Tales from the Brothers Grimm: A New English Version, would be appropriate for any of them. Has anyone gotten their hands on it? What ages would you suggest?

Okay, here's another one. I need an audiobook for my 93 year old grandmother. She likes Nicholas Sparks, but she's also a political junkie who loves Obama. Any suggestions?

Hi Kate!

I usually get people I'm close to a book and something wearable or technological, but the book is what I like picking out best!

I already know I'm getting my mother A Man in Full since she has lived in Atlanta for nearly 30 years but I don't think she's ever read anything that takes place there. And my husband is getting the kitschy leatherbound Star Wars original trilogy novelization because it will go nicely with his death star :P

But I'd like to get my little brother a book. He hasn't read for fun in years, but he used to love it until high school or so. He is a very intelligent engineer in his mid 20s. He is most interested in finance and music as far as I can tell. I don't think I could get him to read any fiction, though when we were younger he introduced me to two of my favorite series (Harry Potter and His Dark Materials). Ideas?

Also, for your grandmother, does she like mysteries? There are some wonderful cozy series that tie in a little romance, a little intrigue, and some liberal politics as well, like the Amelia Peabody series, which as a bonus has a great narrator.

Oh, a good cozy mystery for my grandmother is a great idea! I'm not sure how she'd feel about Amelia Peabody, but she loves those British comedies on PBS, so maybe Agatha Raisin? Or are there other good ones similar to that?

My brother is also a big non-fiction reader, as well as a musician. I know in recent years he has really enjoyed Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain and Thelonious Monk: The Life and Times of an American Original.

Also, for your brother, Nate Silver's book The Signal and the Noise: Why So Many Predictions Fail - But Some Don't sounds really good and might be of interest to someone into finance.

Kate wrote: "Oh, a good cozy mystery for my grandmother is a great idea! I'm not sure how she'd feel about Amelia Peabody, but she loves those British comedies on PBS, so maybe Agatha Raisin? Or are there other..."

My favorite cozy mystery series is the Daisy Dalrymple one by Carola Dunn (http://www.goodreads.com/series/41574...), so I'll recommend that one. (I have read all the Agatha Raisin ones too, and they are enjoyable, but I enjoy the 1920s England setting of the Daisy Dalrymple ones more.)

Of course, if the person you need a book for happens to be your friend on Goodreads, you could just look at her Want To Read shelf. I'm just saying.

Kate wrote: "Okay, here's another one. I need an audiobook for my 93 year old grandmother. She likes Nicholas Sparks, but she's also a political junkie who loves Obama. Any suggestions?"

How about The Victory Lab: The Secret Science of Winning Campaigns?

Maria wrote: "But I'd like to get my little brother a book. He hasn't read for fun in years, but he used to love it until high school or so. He is a very intelligent engineer in his mid 20s. He is most interested in finance and music as far as I can tell. "

If he's interested in finance, and wants something readable, it's hard to go wrong with something from Michael Lewis like Liar's Poker or The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine. For music, I'd need more info -- what kind of music?

Maria wrote:"But I'd like to get my little brother a book. He hasn't read for fun in years, but he used to love it until high school or so. He is a very intelligent engineer in his mid 20s. He is most interested in finance and music as far as I can tell. "

Sorry for the late addition, but how about Nick Hornby's Songbook? It's just like his Polysyllabic Spree stuff, but about music instead—most enjoyable.

Oh thanks for all those great suggestions! I'm not too musically inclined, so I'm sort of confused about what my brother likes, but a couple years ago he kept talking about dubstep and bought all this expensive DJing equipment which I think he uses on the weekends and actually makes money with...
Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain is probably perfect since it includes science, which is his other interest.

Also, I know this is probably already given and received, but I second-- or third -- Agatha Raisin.

Maria wrote: "a couple years ago he kept talking about dubstep and bought all this expensive DJing equipment which I think he uses on the weekends and actually makes money with... "

Ah, in that case, let me recommend the following (the four people I know who DJ professionally say these are good):

History of DJing: Last Night a DJ Saved My Life: The History of the Disc Jockey

Interviews w/ bigshot DJs: The Record Players: DJ Revolutionaries

Thanks for the great suggestions everyone!

And Kira, being friends with someone on my gift list did prevent me from getting her a book she'd already read, though I didn't think to look at people's Want to Read shelf. A good idea for next year.