There’s been a lot of ink spilled on the commercialisation of Christmas and the consumerism that comes with it. I can see that. But if you’re like me, someone who loves giving gifts, it can be nice to have an occasion to treat the people you love. I don’t make nearly enough money to support my gift-giving habit so I’m sharing some of my ideas with you. These will all be reading-related gifts, duh!
This might come as a surprise but I rarely gift fiction. I do if I know the person’s book taste very well but it’s not often. Most good fiction is at least a little bit upsetting and I don’t think that a book with a perverse sex scene necessarily makes the best gift. I prefer to reach for non-fiction and my pick of the year is The Dawn of Everything: A New History of Humanity by David Graeber and David Wengrow.
Every few years, a book that attempts to tell a sweeping story of human history comes along. Sapiens and Guns, Germs and Steel are perennial bestsellers in commercial bookstores. The Dawn of Everything is a left-field pick for the history buff/rational bro in your life. I haven’t had the chance to read it yet but David Graeber is one of my intellectual idols so I’m really looking forward to it. His book The Utopia of Rules literally changed the way I view the world. There’s a great piece by Molly Fischer in New York Magazine about Graeber’s radical politics that probably will convince you to pick this book up.
Gifting is also a great trick to get someone a book they wouldn’t let themselves buy. Both Taschen and Assouline publish hefty art and architecture books and carry titles across a wide range of interests. If you’re in Singapore, you can visit Basheer Graphic Books for some of these titles and a whole host of other niche books.
The Cookbook Section
Everybody needs to eat so everybody should learn how to cook. No exceptions. Cookbooks are fantastic because they’re useful but they’re usually also gorgeous so they double as great display pieces if your recipient doesn’t end up trying the recipes within.
Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat by Samin Nosrat is my forever recommendation. A lot of cookbooks tell you what to cook but they don’t always teach you how. This book came out in 2018 and it’s already a classic. I lent my copy to a friend (always a mistake to loan books you can’t part with) and I don’t expect to get it back. Might buy myself a new copy.
If you’re shopping for someone who’s more lowkey (or more intimidated by the kitchen), I recommend Ruby Tandoh’s new book Cook As You Are. I have two of Tandoh’s other books (Flavour and Eat Up!) and I love them for how unpretentious they are. This is the sell for her latest one: “This cookbook isn’t for the fantasising, when-I-have-a-stand-mixer-and-a-kitchen-island you. It is for you, right now, just as you are – in a too-small kitchen and with washing-up still to do.”
If you’re shopping for a pro in the kitchen, go ahead and get them a book that speaks to their specific taste. Some of the most interesting cookbooks I’ve come across recently are East by Meera Sodha (vegan and vegetarian food from Asia), Wet Market to Table by Pamelia Chia (contemporary recipes using wet market ingredients from Singapore) and The Whole Fish Cookbook by Josh Niland (fish!). Nigella Lawson has a great cookbook corner on her website with many more options.
A tip: Go a step further and include a hard-to-find ingredient from the book with your gift. Some authors, like Yotam Ottolenghi, are notorious for writing recipes with niche ingredients. Helping your giftee with some of the grocery shopping will be a lovely touch.
For the Avid Reader
Consider subscriptions! Many small presses publish throughout the year and offer fans subscription plans to their catalogue for a discount. I currently subscribe to And Other Stories (international, often translated, fiction) and Fitzcarraldo Editions (contemporary fiction and longform essays). Other options include Haymarket and Verso (both radical publishing houses) and Tilted Axis (translated Asian fiction).
The reader who likes to keep abreast of the literary world would probably appreciate a subscription to a good journal or magazine. My subscriptions include The New Yorker, Kill Your Darlings, and London Review of Books. I’m out of subscription money but I’d add Meanjin, n+1 and the Los Angeles Review of Books to that list if I had a larger budget.
Finally, I think an e-reader is a really useful present. I’m not a purist about reading things in hardcopy. My e-reader is a great option when I’m travelling or looking for a book that’s difficult to find in print. I use a Kobo because it isn’t made by Amazon and because it links directly to the Singapore National Library Board system.
Engage the Other Senses
Some readers are really into the aesthetic experience of reading. They like settling in a specific armchair or going to a cafe to really get into things. If you know somebody like that, enable them!
My new favourite candle brand is By Carrom. They produce scents that are inspired by South Asian cultural memories. I’m on my fourth candle already. (I am friends with one of the brand owners but I buy the candles because I like them!) By Carrom mostly ships to Singapore. If you’re buying a gift for someone elsewhere in the world, I like Cordialis Candles and Blackbird Incense.
If you’d like to send someone stuff to snack on, consider supporting a bakery near you. Gift cards are always a good option. Lots of bakeries, especially the ones on Instagram, also do curated boxes now. I like Le Matin Patisserie in Singapore but I’m sure there are options in other cities too. Pair the pastries with some tea? My go-to is The Chai Baba’s vegan chai but it doesn’t keep well so it might not be the most practical gift. Send fancy tea bags instead! Mariage Freres is a classic and classy pick. The Kinto Tumbler keeps beverages at temperature for ages.
This last one is out there but stay with me. A nice rug is a cosy addition to any reading nook. There are lots of tufting studios popping up in cities with young and bored people. Buy your friend a rug-making session! Or two if they’re slow.
If All Else Fails…
…get them a gift card for their favourite bookstore. A universal crowd-pleaser.
I’m on holiday in Melbourne for the next couple of weeks. I might write if I find the time. If not, I’ll be back in your inbox at the end of the year. Happy shopping!