As November draws to a close and the holiday season approaches, it’s time to start buying gifts (or, for those last-minute shoppers, to start thinking about buying gifts for our friends and family), and what better to give than the gift of a great read? Whether you’re looking for adorable stocking stuffers, feel-good reads, or something to transport you to another galaxy, we’re confident that there exists the perfect book for everyone on your list!
Over the course of the next month, we’ll be posting installments of our gift guide to cover everyone you need to shop for—from your uncle who won’t stop talking about politics to your best friend who needs a pick-me-up to get through the holiday burnout. This week, we’re covering the books that will perfectly suit all the wacky and wonderful people in your life. Read on for part one of The Experiment’s 2019 Holiday Gift Guide.
❆❆❆
For the Friend Who Needs a Break
The More or Less Definitive Guide to Self-Care
by Anna Borges
The holidays are a stressful time, and for your friend who is on the verge of burning out from holiday travel, The More or Less Definitive Guide to Self-Care is here to help them get through. Filled with over 200 tips, activities and stories from experts and everyday people alike, this book is the perfect resource to taking better care of yourself—from how to ask for help, to finding a therapist, to catching some Zzz’s. As HelloGiggles puts it, this book is “[a] life-changing and essential new A-to-Z guide.”
For the Politics Junkie Gearing Up for Primaries
An Illustrated Book of Bad Arguments
by Ali Almossawi
For the person in your life who loves following the latest political news, An Illustrated Book of Bad Arguments is the perfect gift. This handy guide is here to bring the internet age a much-needed dose of old-school logic—from the straw man fallacy to the slippery slope argument, and everything in between. This is a must for anyone in the habit of holding opinions.
For the Trivia Lover in Your Life
Brilliant Maps for Curious Minds
by Ian Wright
Brilliant Maps for Curious Minds contains 100 fascinating maps that will change the way anyone sees the world—especially your friend who loves stashing away good bits of knowledge for your next trivia night get-together. Which countries don’t have rivers, or McDonald’s? Where can you still find lions in the wild? And who drives on the “wrong” side of the road? You’ll learn the answers to these questions and so much more. Gift this to your friend and watch their eyes light up!
For the Person Who’s Committed to #NewYearNewYou
Vegan Everything
by Nadine Horn and Jörg Mayer
It’s still 2019, but the #NewYearNewYou craze is fast approaching. But what if you—and the health nuts on your holiday gift list—could eat whatever you were craving for dinner, whether its pizza, burgers, quesadillas, dumplings, or waffles? You can with Vegan Everything: a guide to vegan versions of all your favorite comfort foods. Your friend doesn’t have to choose between being healthy and being satisfied—just get them this cookbook, and hope you get invited over for dinner! As Foreword Reviews puts it, this is “the perfect cookbook.”
For the Kid Who’s a Natural Storyteller
My Big Wimmelbooks: Fire Trucks! and A Day at the Zoo
The New York Times said it best: “You know the kid who can conjure an entire imaginary world by animating, say, the sugar packets she finds at the restaurant table? That one will thank you when you put any volume of My Big Wimmelbook in front of her.” Toddlers will have a blast seeking out objects and scenes familiar, while older children will begin to identify characters in each new scene, and eventually craft their own stories about them! With the My Big Wimmelbooks series, the creative kid in your life is sure to be satisfied.
For the Voracious Reader Who Loves a Great Story
The Blink of an Eye
by Rikke Schmidt Kjaergaard
For the daring bookworm in your life, why not give them a story filled to the brim with near-death experiences, medical mysteries, and recovery against all odds? You’ll find all that and more in The Blink of an Eye, the true story of scientist and mother Rikke Schmidt Kjaergaard, who suffered a sudden fever on New Year’s Day—and was pronounced clinically dead within hours. Given a 5 percent chance for survival, this memoir shares Rikke’s gripping account of coming back from the brink to learn how to truly live again.
❆❆❆
We hope you enjoyed our first installment of The Experiment’s 2019 Holiday Gift Guide. All the books listed here are available for purchase—check your favorite online retailer or bookstore to find them. Be sure to tune in next week for the next installment, where we offer up our favorite staff picks!
