The 12 Days of Bookish: Nothing But the Truth

Finishing up our holiday book buying guides, we land a list of nonfiction titles that are captivating, interesting, and compulsively readable. Even those who profess to dislike nonfiction will find themselves drawn into the stories here, which include such a diverse range that you're bound to find a gift that appeals to that one person you can never figure out what to get for Christmas.

From left to right, top to bottom...

1. Lawrence in Arabia: War, Deceit, Imperial Folly, and the Making of the Modern Middle East by Scott Anderson // Follows the Arab Revolt and all the ensuing plots to control the Middle East toward the modern day make up of the region.

2. Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth by Reza Aslan // A superbly researched biography of Jesus.

3. Run, Brother, Run: A Memoir of Muder in My Family by David Berg // Did you know that Woody Harrelson's father is a murderer? This true-crime murder drama, told by trial lawyer and brother of the murdered man, tells the tale.

4. Manson: The Life and Times of Charles Manson by Jeff Guinn // Through research and interviews, Guinn vividly fills in the background story and mysteries that have long surrounded Charles Manson.

5. After Visiting Friends: A Son's Story by Michael Hainey // A son, now a grown journalist, researches the cause and circumstances of his father's death.

6. The Girls of Atomic City: The Untold Story of the Women Who Helped Win World War II by Denise Kiernan // The town of Oak Ridge, TN, was top secret and did not appear on any maps, but for years, the young women who lived and worked there helped build the atomic bomb. Mind blowing.

7. Pilgrim's Wilderness: A True Story of Faith and Madness on the Alaska Frontier by Tom Kizzia // A homesteading family who aren't as pure as they appear. A man vs. government fight over land. An engrossing look at power on its many scales.

8. Stitches: A Handbook on Meaning, Hope, and Repair by Anne Lamott // An inspirational title about finding balance in life and find ourselves in the face of infinite hardships.

9. Exploding the Phone: The Untold Story of the Teenagers and Outlaws who Hacked Ma Bell by Phil Lapsley // A highly original tale of the phone's rise to power and its huge flaw that allowed it to be exploited by "phone phreaks," mobsters, and more.

10. Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal by Mary Roach // "America's funniest science writer" takes you on a journey that starts in your mouth and ends in your... digestive system.

11. The Drunken Botanist: The Plants That Create the World's Great Drinks by Amy Stewart // The history of the plants that humans have turned into alcohol, complete with perfect cocktail recipes.

12. Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed // When a woman loses everything, she hikes alone for 1,000 miles on the Pacific Crest Trail to find herself again. Powerful.

The 12 Days of Bookish: Honorable MENtion

What qualifications are there for "dude books"? Realistically, any book could be read by any man in the world and be the right book for that dude. But for our purposes, we've selected titles that are in demand when it comes to our male library guests and co-workers. Humor, sports, and some pretty serious nonfiction make this a compelling list with lots of possibility.

From left to right, top to bottom...
1. The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown // The true story of the nine-man rowing crew (including their coxswain, of course) who stunned the world by winning gold at Hitler's 1936 Olympics.
2. Let me Off at the Top!: My Classy Life and Other Musings by Ron Burgundy // "Anchorman" and Will Ferrell fans will kiss you for buying them this, so be prepared.
3. William Shakespeare's Star Wars by Ian Doescher // Every guy ever loves "Star Wars," not as many love Shakespeare, so consider this a culture infusion.
4. League of Denial: The NFL, Concussions, and the Battle for Truth by Mark Fainaru-Wada // An exploration of the shocking injuries that continue to rack the NFL and decommission key players.
5. Thank You for Your Service by David Finkel // Pulitzer Prize winner Finkel takes a hard look at the veteran's experience of what life is like after the grueling intensity of war.
6. Dad is Fat by Jim Gaffigan // Comedian Gaffigan's absolutely hilarious account of fatherhood. Seriously buy one for every dad you know.
7. David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants by Malcolm Gladwell // Another must-read from Gladwell, who explores how to fight the good fight and take down the big guy.
8. I Wear the Black Hat: Grappling with Villains (Real and Imagined) by Chuck Klosterman // Chuck explores the rise of the anti-hero.
9. Beautifully Unique Sparkleponies: On Myths, Morons, Free Speech, Football, and Assorted Absurdities by Chris Kluwe // Kluwe, a longtime NFL punter, speaks freely (and pretty verbosely) on pretty much everything. His open letters are legendary.
10. Paddle Your Own Canoe: One Man's Fundamentals for Delicious Living by Nick Offerman // Manliest man Nick Offerman offers anecdotes and advice on being awesome and manly.
11. The Unwinding: An Inner History of the New American by George Packer // Packer's National Book Award winning nonfiction profile of America shows the strained bonds that hold the country together.
12. Turn Around Bright Eyes: The Rituals of Love and Karaoke by Rob Sheffield // Rolling Stone writer Sheffield explores love and loss to the background music of karaoke.

The 12 Days of Bookish: Ladies' Night

Before we launch into our women vs. men book lists, let us be super clear that gender isn't a very legit predictor of a person's reading preferences. The best way to guess what your friend or loved one will want to read is by knowing what they already like to read and predicting a hit based off that knowledge. Having said that, these are good, well-received books that just might suit your mom or sister or aunt. Give 'em a try!

From left to right, top to botom...
1. Life After Life by Kate Atkinson // The amazing tale of a woman's life from start to end, the twist being she dies and is reborn again and again....and again.
2. Longbourn by Jo Baker // In the "Upstairs, Downstairs" world of Pride and Prejudice, this is a peek into the downstairs.
3. Lookaway, Lookaway by Wilton Barnhardt // When a family starts coming rapidly apart, one headstrong woman tries endlessly to keep it together.
4. Empty Mansions: The Mysterious Life of Huguette Clark and the Spending of a Great American Fortune by Bill Dedman and Paul Clark Newell // The true story of how a Gilded Age daughter hid herself away and spent her family's fortune not on opulence, but on charity.
5. Someone by Alice McDermott // Crowd favorite McDermott's newest follows a woman through her very ordinary life. She didn't win a National Book Award for nothin'.
6. The Woman Upstairs by Claire Messud // A sweet, kind schoolteacher is drawn into a thrilling new family's lives until a shocking betrayal leaves readers wondering who the real monster is.
7. This is the Story of a Happy Marriage by Ann Patchett // Beloved author Patchett shares nonfiction essays about life, love, friendship, and art.
8. Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple // A beautiful, touching novel about a daughter's search for her missing, agoraphobic mother.
9. The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion // A brilliant, socially awkard professor tries to use science to find a wife, meets an intriguing woman who fits none of his criteria, and we all know where this is going but we want to be there when it happens.
10. The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt // Everyone loves Donna Tartt, so this story of fate will not disappoint.
11. The Silver Star by Jeanette Walls // A story about sisterhood, finding oneself, and triumph over adversity, all told in Walls's shining prose.
12. Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter // A story that's a little bit about Hollywood's golden age, a little more about love, and a lot about the crazy coincidences that propel life forward.

The 12 Days of Bookish: Business Time

Not everyone is a fan of fiction. Some readers feel pretty firmly that what they select for their reading material should be actionable and beneficial to their success in life and business. If you know one of these readers, help them further their improvement goals by selecting one of the titles below. They all relate in some way to furthering the career goals of your loved one, a gift that will surely keep on giving.

From left to right, top to bottom...
1. Start: Punch Fear in the Face, Escape Average, and Do Work That Matters by Jon Acuff // Real, usable ideas to work past mediocrity and let nothing get in the way of being awesome.
2. Contagious: Why Things Catch On by Jonah Berger // Berger explains the 6 steps that make ideas or products "contagious."
3. The Map and the Territory: Risk, Human Nature, and the Future of Forecasting by Allan Greenspan // Years of rigorous research lead Greenspan to new economic forecasting conclusions.
4. The 80/20 Manager: The Secret to Working Less and Achieving More by Richard Koch // Get 80% results with 20% effort in business? Sign us up!
5. Playing to Win: How Strategy Really Works by A.G. Lafley and Roger L. Martin // Using a series of guideline questions, Lafley and Martin show how any business can become a winner.
6. Conscious Capitalism: Liberating the Heroic Spirit of Business by John Mackey and Raj Sissodia // Co-founder of Whole Foods explains how four tenets can propel a business to its highest potential.
7. Sometimes You Win -- Sometimes You Learn: Life's Greatest Lessons Are Gained from Our Losses by John C. Maxwell // The title says it all; help others learn from their losses.
8. Compelling People: The Hidden Qualities that Make Us Influential by John Neffinger and Matthew Kohut // This book teaches its readers how to be charismatic, magnetic, and influential.
9. From the Ground Up: A Food-grower's Education in Life, Love, and the Movement That's Changing the Nation by Jeanne Nolan // An inspiring read for anyone considering a future in food growing.
10. Without Their Permission: How the 20th Century Will Be Made, Not Managed by Alexis Ohanian // Reddit co-founder Ohanian shares tips and tricks for harnessing the power of the Internet.
11. Lean in: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead by Sheryl Sandberg // Sandberg encourages women to break the glass ceiling with actionable, practical ideas.
12. The Business Secrets of the Trappist Monks: One CEO's for Meaning and Authenticity by August Turak // An exploration of applying the principles of the Trappist monks to business practices.

The 12 Days of Bookish: Word Nerds

We say "word nerds" in the most endearing sense possible (and with the full knowledge that many of us would qualify as such). These readers have favorite authors you've never heard of and always have a great book recommendation up their sleeve for slipping out at a cocktail party. They've read everything, so what books do you get for them? We humbly offer up the titles below, ones that have won awards, blown away their readers, and gained their authors instant praise and attention in the literary world. But wrap these with a gift receipt; who knows if your word nerd has already devoured them.

From left to right, top to bottom...
1. In the House upon the Dirt between the Lake and the Woods by Matt Bell // A haunting, shockingly beautiful, surreal fairy tale of a novel.
2. We Need New Names by NoViolet Bulawayo // A Man Booker shortlist title that explores an Zimbabwean emigrants quest for identity in America.
3. The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton // A no brainer. It won the Man Booker, for crying out loud!
4. Burial Rites by Hannah Kent // The guardians of a young woman charged with murder find there's more to her story than everyone thinks.
5. The Lowland by Jhumpa Lahiri // Jhumpa Lahiri is just brilliant.
6. A Constellation of Vital Phenomena by Anthony Marra // Beautifully fleshed out characters brought together by the Chechen war discover the coincidences that have brought them together.
7. The Good Lord Bird by James McBride // With the flair of Mark Twain, McBride tells the story of the failed raid on Harper's Ferry. Impressive research makes this an excellent read.
9. The Bleeding Edge by Thomas Pynchon // The darling of the English department, Pynchon, gives creative writing students something to envy and enjoy.
10. Vampires in the Lemon Grove by Karin Russell // A writerly short story collection with brilliant moments.
11. The Tenth of December by George Saunders // National Book Award finalist and refreshingly original short story collection from a master of the medium.
8. Sisterland by Curtis Sittenfeld // A masterfully told story about family ties.
12. Men We Reaped by Jesmyn Ward // Award-winner Ward's heart-wrenching memoir about loss and circumstances.

The 12 Days of Bookish: College Ruled

After college, it's easy to look back and realize just how much free time you had during those first years of your new independence. Think about how many books you could have been reading instead of watching reruns of "The Simpsons" while eating $.10 noodles you made in the microwave! If you're buying for a college student this year, remind them of the importance of being well read with a thoughtful book gift.

From left to right, top to bottom...
1. Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie // A rumination on race and identity that is on pretty much every "best of" list of 2013.
2. Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem and Other Things That Happened by Allie Brosh // READ ALL THE INSIGHTS!
3. The Circle by Dave Eggers // People either love or hate Eggers, but this Facebook-inspired, life-after-college book is getting talked about seriously everywhere.
4. The Panopticon by Jennie Fagan // A delinquent girl with a troubled past gets super paranoid when put into a halfway house. She's a gutsy narrator young people will adore.
5. The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman // A supremely awesome supernatural tale whose unsettling nature really creeps up on you. It's a read-in-one-sitting type of good.
6. Mañana Means Heaven by Tim Z. Hernandez // The perfect book for the burgeoning Kerouac fan, telling the story of On the Road from the perspective of "the Mexican girl."
7. The Flamethrowers by Rachel Kushner // A finalist for the National Book Award, Kushner's novel about a young artist trying to make her mark is bold and memorable.
8. Night Film by Marisha Pessl // Interactive and perfect for young people who love our highly integrated world, it's a strange mystery. Like super strange.
9. The Wes Anderson Collection by Matt Zoller Seitz // Ideal for the college student who can't remember how many times they've watched "Moonrise Kingdom."
10. The Geek's Guide to Dating by Eric Smith // Hey, everyone knows someone who needs a little help out there...
11. The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker // History, mythology, and magic become quite chummy in this interesting read.
12. The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer // A novel about teenagers with enormous potential who grow up and see how much their potential amounts to in the real world.

p.s. The Internet is filled with lists everyone needs to read in their 20s. Consider these all fairly good options as well.