In light of the holiday season, here below I have curated a list of books that would be perfect gifts for the person described. I personally love gifting books so I hope this list can aid you in your search for a book for your loved one.
A book for the poet/poetry lover (that isn't a poetry collection)
For this category of person I would recommend "The book of tea" by Kazuko Okakura.
Written in 1906, it is an exploration of the Japanese tea ceremony and the art of simplicity. The main reason I would recommend it to a poetry lover or a poet is because of the immensely beautiful language utilized by Okakura. It is stunning, filled with empirical quotes about life, nature and of course, tea.
"The afternoon glow is brightening the bamboos, the fountains are bubbling with delight, the soughing of the pines is heard in our kettle. Let us dream of evanescence and linger in the beautiful foolishness of things.”
A book for the cat lover
For this person, that I very much relate to, I would recommend The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa. Nana, the cat, and his owner Satoru go on a road trip, although Nana is not quite sure why. Revealing too much or the reason behind the roadtrip would spoil the book, so I will leave you here with this quote.
“At that moment, we were without doubt the greatest travellers in the world. And I was the world’s greatest travelling cat.”
The cottage-core lover (who wants to live a cabin in the woods)
I would recommend a very recent read of mine, "The
Wind in the Willows" by Kenneth Graham. Here we follow four animals: Mole, Rat, Badger and Toad. Amidst the interesting happenings of their life we get soft and slow descriptions of nature, their homes, the changing seasons and friendship.
“Spring was moving in the air above and in the earth below and around him, penetrating even his dark and lowly little house with its spirit of divine discontent and longing.”
The coffee lover
For this person I would recommend the popular cozy fantasy "Legends and Lattes" by Travis Baldree, nominated for the Goodreads Choice Award for Best Fantasy (2022). Vivi, an orch, aims to open the first coffee shop in the city of Thune after abandoning her previous life of battle and bloodshed.
“The combined aromas of hot cinnamon, ground coffee, and sweet cardamom intoxicated her, and as she brewed and smiled and served and chatted, a deep contentment welled up. It was a glowing warmth she’d never experienced before, and she liked it.”
Alternatively, if they have already read this book, there are two prequels "Bookshops & Bonedust" and a short story "Pages to Fill".
A holiday appropriate book
For a winter themed book (with a beautiful hardcover), I would point you to "The Penguin Book of Christmas Stories" edited by Jessica Harrison. It contains 32 classic stories ranging from Hans Christian Andersen, Chekhov, Italo Calvino, Dostoyevsky to Angela Carter. It is a perfect Christmas and winter book.
"Bring out the tall tales that we told by the fire as the gaslight bubbled"
"I haven't read a book since I was twelve"
For this person I would suggest "The little prince" by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. This book holds a special place in my heart since it is one of the books that got me into reading. It has a simple, accesibile language and a film adaption (The Little Prince, 2015), so it is a good book for someone who doesn't usually read. It narrates the story of a pilot who is stranded in the desert and meets a young prince who asks him to draw a sheep.
“The most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or touched, they are felt with the heart.”
I hope this list of books has helped you in any way and inspired you, feel free to leave a comment if you need other recommendations.
well done, i loved all the book recs!