We suggest: The Illustrated Book of Bad Arguments: Learn the Lost Art of Making Sense by Ali Almossawi
Why?: While it may not seem immediately evident, this is the perfect book for the holidays. All of those family dinners with relatives you see a few times a year and too many bottles of wine gifted for the host? Controversial topics are bound to arise, and when they do this is the perfect guide for navigating them.
Not only can your relatives learn something about forming a sound, coherent argument, but you can call them on it when they make a totally convoluted one! The Illustrated Book of Bad Arguments explains 19 of the most common logical fallacies, which often sound convincing, but in reality suffer from an abuse of logic. Thus, what better book to have on hand when your uncle accuses your father: “You’re either with us, or with the fanatics” (the false dilemma), or your college roommate argues: “It had to be a spaceship! No one can prove it was anything else!” (the appeal to ignorance). While we can’t do anything about the family attendees, this book may be the key to navigating those heated family debates.
Bonus: As the title suggests, the book is illustrated with adorable furry creatures—a perfect antidote for fuzzy thinking!
On the twelfth day of December, my family gave to me (pause for breath): a book on fuzzy thinking, nuts and lots of butters, albums for new mommies, plants full of power, eight pounds a-shedding, veggies for a-cooking, recipes for playing, knowledge of science, three hundred dinos, a guide to eating vegan, one book on running, and a cookbook that’s all gluten-free!
