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PowellsBooks.Blog
Authors, readers, critics, media − and booksellers.

Lists

What I'm Giving

by Powell's Staff, November 29, 2017 9:25 AM
What I'm Giving


Even holiday-hardened booksellers know the feeling: Standing in the center of a room, miles of bookshelves stretching in every direction, a long list of people to buy gifts for, each colorful display demanding our attention... The endless possibilities are what endear us to bookshops, but around the holidays even pleasurable shopping can feel overwhelming. Luckily, Powell's is full of avid readers, all of whom are happy to help us find that perfect book. This year, before you find yourself staring down the aisle with shopping anxiety, take a look at the suggestions below. We've compiled a list of what Powell's staffers are giving this year to the readers in their lives — and recommending for the readers in yours. Because when it comes to choosing the right book, everyone needs a bookseller.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer 20 Years of Slaying
by Christopher Golden

To: My friend with an encyclopedic knowledge of every episode.
From: Ashleigh

Dark Matter and the Dinosaurs
by Lisa Randall

To: Science lovers or anyone astonished by the elegance of the universe.
From: Abby

Code Girls
by Liza Mundy

To: My daughter, a firefighter and pioneering woman too.
From: Mom

Mrs. Fletcher
by Tom Perrotta

To: My novel-loving friend, who enjoys a wry take on changing social mores.
From: Jake

The Dark Net
by Benjamin Percy

To: Thriller readers and conspiracy theorists who love good writing — and want to read an action scene set in our Rare Book Room!
From: Nova

The Dark Dark
by Samantha Hunt

To: Your sister who loves fantastic, slightly under the radar lit.
From: Jill

High-Proof PDX
by Karen Locke

To: Anyone who wants an inside guide to Portland's amazing, thriving distilling scene.
From: Bash

Chuck Klosterman X
by Chuck Klosterman

To: Internet-obsessed pop culture lovers.
From: Ashleigh

Into the Water
by Paula Hawkins

To: My best friend, who always wants to read the most popular books and loved The Girl on the Train.
From: Kim

In the Midst of Winter
by Isabel Allende

To: My sister, who’s deeply interested in Hispanic culture, human rights, and profound human stories — and loves a good romance to boot.
From: Naomi

From Here to Eternity
by Caitlin Doughty

To: Your smart, funny aunt who has a touch of the morbid about her.
From: Tessa

The Golden House
by Salman Rushdie

To: My fiction-loving friend, who lives abroad and is always grateful for a peek into modern American life.
From: Joseph

A Good Cry
by Nikki Giovanni

To: My grandma, who loves reading about people from different backgrounds (and appreciates a good cry!).
From: Frances

Magpie Murders
by Anthony Horowitz

To: My mom, who loves a twisted, witty, and intelligent mystery.
From: Leah

The Myrtlewood Cookbook
by Andrew Barton

To: Dedicated home cooks who want to level up their meals.
From: Ashleigh

No Is Not Enough
by Naomi Klein

To: My friends who are constantly checking their iPhone newsfeeds.
From: Rhianna

The Planets
by Nirmala Nataraj

To: My dad the astronomy buff. But also my artist friend, whose colorful pottery reminds me of celestial bodies.
From: Charlotte

Narrow River, Wide Sky
by Jenny Forrester

To: My good friend, who appreciates gorgeous writing and moving portraits of fascinating women.
From: Gigi

The Refugees
by Viet Thanh Nguyen

To: My sister-in-law, who wants to read more diverse fiction and appreciates subtlety in writing.
From: Rae

She Persisted
by Chelsea Clinton and Alexandra Boiger

To: All of the feisty and spirited kids in my life, both girls and boys.
From: Molly

Strange Weather
by Joe Hill

To: The dad who needs to branch out a bit from Stephen King.
From: Tessa

Spineless
by Juli Berwald

To: Anyone who loved The Soul of an Octopus or is otherwise obsessed with aquatic invertebrates.
From: Jill

The Stranger in the Woods
by Michael Finkel

To: Anyone who wants to know what it’s like to live as a modern forest-dwelling hermit.
From: Jaime

Uncommon Type
by Tom Hanks

To: My cousins who love playful, modern short stories.
From: Dana

What Happened
by Hillary Rodham Clinton

To: Anyone who was left scratching their head after the 2016 election.
From: Jake

Twin Peaks: The Final Dossier
by Mark Frost

To: The friend I binge-watched every episode with during college.
From: Ashleigh

Waiting for the Punch
by Marc Maron and Brendan McDonald

To: My friend, who knows the weirdest facts about famous people but is always hungry for more.
From: Xander

Ungrateful Mammals
by Dave Eggers

To: My graphic artist friend, who takes himself too seriously but still thinks poop jokes are funny.
From: Kate




Books mentioned in this post

Dark Matter and the Dinosaurs: The Astounding Interconnectedness of the Universe

Lisa Randall

The Refugees

Viet Thanh Nguyen

The Stranger in the Woods: The Extraordinary Story of the Last True Hermit

Michael Finkel

Narrow River, Wide Sky: A Memoir

Jenny Forrester

Ungrateful Mammals

Dave Eggers

Dark Dark Stories

Samantha Hunt

Magpie Murders

Anthony Horowitz

The Dark Net

Benjamin Percy

Into the Water

Paula Hawkins

Chuck Klosterman X: A Highly Specific Defiantly Incomplete History of the Early 21st Century

Chuck Klosterman

Mrs Fletcher

Tom Perrotta

Waiting for the Punch Words to Live by from the WTF Podcast

Marc Maron

The Myrtlewood Cookbook: Pacific Northwest Home Cooking

Andrew Barton, Peter Schweitzer

A Good Cry: What We Learn from Tears and Laughter

Nikki Giovanni

Uncommon Type Some Stories

Tom Hanks

Code Girls: The Untold Story of the American Women Code Breakers of World War II

Liza Mundy

What Happened

Hillary Rodham Clinton

From Here to Eternity

Caitlin Doughty

She Persisted: 13 American Women Who Changed the World

Chelsea Clinton, Alexandra Boiger

Buffy the Vampire Slayer 20 Years of Slaying: The Watchers Guide Authorized

Christopher Golden

High-Proof PDX: A Spirited Guide to Portland's Craft Distilling Scene

Karen Locke

In the Midst of Winter

Isabel Allende

Spineless: The Science of Jellyfish and the Art of Growing a Backbone

Juli Berwald

No Is Not Enough: Resisting Trumps Shock Politics and Winning the World We Need

Naomi Klein

Twin Peaks The Final Dossier

Mark Frost

The Golden House

Salman Rushdie

Strange Weather Four Short Novels

Joe Hill

The Planets: Photographs from the Archives of NASA

Nirmala Nataraj, NASA
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