Impossible to shop for? These 5 books got you covered for gifts this holiday season

The holidays are coming, which means you will be confronted by many different kinds of stresses, including travel, complicated family gatherings and, yes, buying gifts. Because we all know, there is no more difficult feat than that of delivering the perfect gift. Or at least that is what we think. 

My family unfairly uses words like finicky or inscrutable to describe me. And in response, I toss the phrase ultracrepidarian at them because they don't know what they're talking about. The fact that I don't eat pork, because why should I, won't drink orange juice from concentrate because I have been fortunate enough to have freshly squeezed, and will only step foot inside of a McDonald's if it was the last option on planet earth and I was a morsel away from starvation because nothing positive ever happened to me after eating a McDonald's meal. That's not picky; these are basic preferences. 

Does hating loungewear make me inscrutable? Why would my family gift me lounge pants covered in God-awful flaming hot chili peppers, accompanied by a matching shirt that says something like "Flaming Hot Dad"? First of all, I work 3,000-plus hours a week, so I never lounge, and second, if I were to lounge, then why would I want to do it in the shirt that calls me a flaming hot dad or any shirt that has a message at all? I have no need to send a message. And finally, this is the big one – why give me the same kind lounge wear every single year? Do you they think I'm wearing it out, by lounging too much? Can we mix it up – maybe take a year off and bless me with something else I don't need, like some flaming hot socks or a pair of finger-restricting mittens?

Or maybe, just maybe, my beautiful loved ones, can you take a look at my career, listen to my conversations or glance around at the thousands of books in my house? Surprise, I like books and a $1.00 gift card from my favorite local bookstore will do you way more for me than the 25 bucks they waste on Walmart loungewear.

Here's five books, that I highly recommend for the inscrutable in your and your family:

(These are by far the best books I've read this year, and I'm going to attempt to do this without spoilers. You're welcome.)

01

"Mad Honey: A Novel" by Jennifer Finney Boylan & Jodi Picoult (October 2022)

Mad Honey by Jennifer Finney Boylan and Jodi Picoult (Courtesy of Ballantine Books/Random House)

Give this gift to both the young person in your family who may have concerns about coming out and to the hard-headed uncle who refuses to learn about gender – as this book will have a magic way of engaging them both. "Mad Honey" is one of the most thoughtful, perfectly paced and addictive books I have ever read.

 

In the novel, Olivia returns to her sleepy New Hampshire hometown with her teenage son Asher after her husband's dark side is revealed. Also getting a fresh start is high schooler Lily, who quickly falls for Ash. One of them ends up dead, and what follows is suspenseful murder mystery that will blow your mind, over and over again. I am pretty sure this is going to be made into a TV show one day, so you may also want to give the book to the gritty crime drama lover in your family, you know, the one who can't stop talking about "The Sopranos," "The Wire" or "Dateline" because this honey will have them equally stuck (pun intended).

02

"Let Us Descend: A Novel" by Jesmyn Ward (October 2023)

Let Us Descend: A Novel by Jesmyn Ward (Courtesy of Scribner/Simon and Schuster)

There is a collection of family members that deserve "Let Us Descend." For starters, if we're talking literature, I've long considered Ward one of the world's best living writers and storytellers. I'll even put her up against all-time greats like Toni Morrison, James Baldwin and Fyodor Dostoyevsky.

 

"Let Us Descend" reimagines slavery by telling the story of  a young enslaved woman, who was sold south by the enslaver who fathered her. Anyone who loves literature needs this book. You can also give this book to the family history buff, who could learn a great deal about the inner workings of chattel slavery, complex relationships during the antebellum era, and what love looks like behind all of the facts, dates and perspectives they so often cling to. It also has one of the most beautiful book covers I've ever seen, so be prepared to wow the room as that problematic family member unwraps your glorious gift.

03

"Hello Beautiful: A Novel" by Ann Napolitano (March 2023)

Hello Beautiful: A Novel by Ann Napolitano (Courtesy of The Dial Press/Random House)

You can buy "Hello Beautiful" for that hopeless romantic in your family. You know, the family member willing to risk everything for love – I mean wreck relationships, dismantle family structures and go against societal norms. The family member will always put love above all and pursue the person of their dreams, even if the love of their life is or was once married to their sibling. Yeah, that kind of drama.

 

In this homage to "Little Women," "Hello Beautiful" tells the story of four sisters who are brave, daring and ultimately strong enough to make the difficult life decisions that suit them best. 

04

"Worthy" by Jada Pinkett Smith (October 2023)

Worthy by Jada Pinkett Smith (Courtesy of Dey Street Books/Harper Collins)

Gift this book to the dynamic person who may be hiding in the shadows of their significant others' humongous personality. "Worthy" is about Pinkett Smith's roller coaster journey from the streets of Baltimore to the Hollywood Hills and all of the craziness in-between. "Worthy" has to be the subject of one of the most effective marketing campaigns ever. Pinkett Smith did everything she could to wrap all of us up in the coils of her personal life, family drama and personal truth. In my opinion, this book is the perfect memoir because the actor bares all, remains brutally honest throughout and teaches us that healing isn't a unique destination but a constant part of the journey.

05

"Fly: The Big Book of Basketball Fashion" by Mitchell S. Jackson (August 2023)

Fly: The Big Book of Basketball Fashion by Mitchell S. Jackson (Courtesy of Artisan/Hachette Book Group)

Gift this book to me, well, not me, because I have three copies already, and two of them are signed. This book combines everything us '70s, '80s, '90s and even 2000s babies love – the explosion of the NBA, merged with the evolution of fashion, and where those worlds collided, sparking a movement that reshaped how we look at and talk about fashion globally. Jackson's words and brilliant interviews with industry leaders in combination with the beautiful images, make for a truly one-of-a-kind gift. You can kick back and read it, stroll down memory lane with photos or sit it out and let it look gorgeous on your coffee table. No matter what, you'll win because it isn't just a book; it's visual art.