book bundles for everyone on your list
Have you heard of jólabókaflóð? The word loosely translates as “yule book flood” (umm yes please), and it is a tradition in Iceland that started during WWII due to war rations. It stuck (because it is genius). Basically, the tradition goes that you exchange books on Christmas Eve and then spending that evening reading them. Basically, I should probably move to Iceland based on jólabókaflóð alone.
This year, we decided to do our own version among our little family and only exchange books and stockings. So as I was searching for books for the kids, I decided to make some “bundles” based on the various kinds of people in your life. To me, there isn’t much better than giving or receiving books because a well-matched book gift shows the recipient that you know what they like or are interested in, and books are the start of a conversation that can continue long after the holiday.
My favorite local bookshop, Wild Geese, will happily order any of these for you – just cut and paste the title and author into this form on their website. As an extra bonus, they will ship them directly to your recipient, making things extra easy on you. Let me know if you pick up any of these books for the loved ones on your lists!
Deconstruction-Reconstruction
If you have anyone on your list who is rethinking their faith (deconstructing, as the cool kids say) or just enjoys thinking more deeply about theology, any of these choices would be a great fit – and lead to some really great conversations.
Universal Christ by Richard Rohr. If you’ve been around here for any amount of time, you know of my deep esteem for Father Richie as he is affectionately referred to at our house. Any of his titles would be great choices for this category, but I think Universal Christ best distills his big ideas.
Inspired: Slaying Giants, Walking on Water, and Loving the Bible Again by Rachel Held Evans. I can’t tell you how many times I have wished that RHE was still here in 2020 – I would have loved to hear what she had to say about these times. But at least we still have her words. Inspired is my favorite of hers. I love how she gets the reader to rethink about the Bible in new, more freeing ways.
The Evolution of Faith: How God Is Creating a Better Christianity by Philip Gulley. I plan on re-reading this one in 2021 because I think the Trump era and 2020 alone have pushed people to think about Christianity in drastically different ways. I really like how Gulley writes, and here he addresses the ways in which American Christianity has really missed what its founder came to do and teach.
Sinners in the Hands of a Loving God: The Scandalous Truth of the Very Good News by Brian Zahnd. If your gift recipient is someone who is just dipping their toes into thinking about their faith in new ways, start with this one. Zahnd is still “Jesusy” (yep, that’s a word at our house) enough for most fundamentalists, but also enough of a scholar for people who have studied this stuff for awhile too.
Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time: The Historical Jesus and the Heart of Contemporary Faith by Marcus J. Borg. This was Grant’s contribution to this category. To get an idea of what he thinks about Borg, he only a little bit sarcastically calls himself a “Borg again Christian,” which I think he stole after hearing Queen B say it.
Be Like Greta and Nina
This category is for the treehugger on your list who wants to grow up to be like Greta Thunburg and Nina Gualinga. That is, this list is for the younger me.
Deep Economy: The Wealth of Communities and the Durable Future by Bill McKibben. I don’t really think you can go wrong with any McKibben, at least of the many I’ve read, but this one got me really thinking about the beauty we’re missing out on thanks to the materialistic and consumeristic culture we’re soaked in.
The Overstory by Richard Powers. I actually think, especially for people who don’t naturally worry about the environment, story is a better entry point than the nonfiction scare literature that (rightfully so) permeates much of the environmental category these days. I think I read The Overstory at least two years ago, and I still think about the story and its implications at least a few times a week. This is a gift for any literature lover on your list, treehugger or not.
Strange as This Weather Has Been by Ann Pancake. This is another novel that really makes you think about the long-ranging impacts of climate change and environmental degradation. But its just a great story too.
What Are People For? by Wendell Berry. I obviously can’t have a book list without Wendell. This is one of my favorites and one that I return to again and again.
High School All Over Again
These are books that I think every high school senior should have to read before they graduate because they tackle big, important topics in very approachable ways. I wish I could assign them to everyone.
Know My Name by Chanel Miller. Miller is the woman who Brock Turner raped at Stanford several years ago and whose survivor’s letter went viral. The Washington Post said it “is a gut-punch, and in the end, somehow, also blessedly hopeful,” and I think that is exactly right. I plan on requiring both kids to read it and give me a report on it before they’re allowed to start dating.
Beartown and Us Against You by Fredrik Backman. I love Backman’s writing, and I think these stories, like all of the best stories, reflect truths about us all: our relationships, our struggles, our communities.
Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates. Certainly they are actually assigning this one in high school these days. The flood of anti-racism books over the last few years is a wonderful thing, but moreso than all of the practical how-tos, are people’s individual stories. Coates’ beautifully – and hauntingly – writes about what it means to be Black in America.
Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan. Most of us eat around three times a day at least. Changing the way we eat has the potential to massively help the environment, and it will also help us live longer, healthier lives. Omnivore’s Dilemma gets you thinking about the ramifications of the food you choose to put on your plates – and I think everyone should read it.
These Truths: A History of the United States by Jill Lepore. I read this over several months because it is long and dense – but Lepore’s writing is so good that it was never boring. I honestly think it helped prepare me somewhat for the upheaval and heartbreak of 2020. Every American should put in the time to read it.
Happy Endings
I keep writing about fun and pleasure. What makes a romance novel a romance novel is that the story centers around a relationship and it has to have a happily ever after. I think, now more than ever, it is important that we find ways to spend our time on energy on things that purely bring us joy. It is a surefire way to break out of the prison of productivity and efficiency. One way I do that is by reading romance novels, and here are some of my recent favorites:
The Bridgertons by Julia Quinn. I raced through these a few years ago, but I might re-read them again before the new Shonda Rimes version comes out on Netflix on Christmas Day. Here is the link of the series in the order in which to read them.
The Winston Brothers by Penny Reid. This is another sibling series that I loved. Reid’s writing is hilarious, and I loved all of these characters. As a bonus for you, all of the books in the series are out now so you don’t have to wait impatiently like I did.
The Wallflowers and the Hathaways by Lisa Kleypas. These are both series that have some overlap that I raced through. The characters are likeable, the stories are engrossing, and I enjoyed the escape to Regency era England. Kleypas’ website has a listing of the books in order.
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. So I actually haven’t caught up on these yet. I’m on book six and moving a little more slowly than when I first started reading. But the show rekindled my love for the story, so this set would be a fun gift for anyone who hasn’t read the books yet.
I have a few more book bundles in the works, and I still need some gift ideas for people on my list – so let me know your suggestions what type of readers in comments!
