Finding the perfect book can feel like offering someone an entirely new world to step into. The BookTrib team is sharing the titles we’re wrapping up for our own friends and family this year. These are the stories we know will spark joy and great conversations. Our staff picks offer something special for every kind of book lover on your list.
The Accidental Vineyard by Richard Moran
For my grandfather:
Equal parts heartwarming and hilarious, this book is sure to make my grandfather smile. A great pick for anyone who loves family stories, loves a good adventure, and wants laughter from their literature!
—Camryn
The BEST Christmas Pun & Dad Joke Book by L. Newkirk
For anyone with a sense of humor:
This book makes a great stocking stuffer and is fun for both kids and adults! It’s festive, lighthearted and filled with the kind of jokes that get everyone laughing and groaning (in the best way!) throughout the season. A cheerful little gift that spreads big Christmas joy.
—Barbara
Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
For the terminally online friend:
For the friend who loves drama (either witnessing it or being directly involved) and is looking forward to wading through the discourse when Emerald Fennell’s adaptation hits theaters this February. This is the gift that says “I see you, I know you & I can’t wait to hear all your thoughts and opinions.”
—Cammy
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
For my brother:
Sylvia Plath paints a beautiful image of sitting in the fig tree, paralyzed by possibility, watching choices slip away because choosing feels like losing. She captures something human in that moment: the fear of narrowing your path, the pressure to get everything “right” and the grief of indecision.
—Caroline
The Book of Awakening: Having the Life You Want by Being Present to the Life You Have by Mark Nepo
For anyone I would have gifted a calendar to:
I learned about this daybook, originally published in 2010, on the Mel Robbins podcast and was enthralled by the beauty of the writing and Nepo’s goosebump-inducing insights. There’s a short essay for each day of the year along with exercises for reflection. So much more meaningful than a cat memes calendar, it’s a gift that can be opened again and again throughout the new year.
—Cynthia
A Resistance History of the United States by Tad Stroemer
What I wish I could gift my dad:
We’re coming up on our second Chanukah without my father who was a journalist, historian, WWII vet and outspoken champion of democracy. How I wish I could read this book with him, debate the points of history Dad might disagree with, and discuss the challenges that lay ahead.
—JeriAnn
A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
For a friend who’s feeling cynical:
Ove is a bitter, curmudgeon of a man who spends his time avoiding people entirely or otherwise picking fights constantly (because no one is thinking with their brains these days, obviously). We have all been Ove – but what’s important to remember is that these feelings are temporary and often projections. A recent loss, an old heartache, or a nasty interaction with someone we’ll never see again should not define how you move through the world, but gift you the understanding to love as fiercely as possible with whatever time we have left.
—Kendall
Choosing Wholeness Over Goodness by Elise Loehnen & Courtney Smith
For myself:
2025 has been rough on pretty much all of us. Still, life keeps pushing, and we’ve got to find something to hold onto. So this year, I’m giving myself a book that’ll (fingers crossed) help me feel even a sliver like myself again. Because wow … what. a. year.
—Monique
Walden by Henry David Thoreau
For my nature-loving friend:
I think we’re all in need of a woodland retreat from society, and Walden teaches not only that self-sufficiency is possible in a harsh political climate, but that sometimes being alone with oneself amidst nature’s beauty is the answer to all of life’s woes.
—Natalie
Ten Thousand Central Parks by David Morris
For my friend who recently moved to NYC:
A thoughtful gift for any nature lover turned recent New York City resident, Ten Thousand Central Parks offers the exact kind of radical hope that we could all use going into the new year. It’s a reminder that even the city that doesn’t sleep can still make room for green spaces– and that if we think big, we can reject doom in favor of possibility.
—Sara
