November is the month that Robert Louis Stevenson was born. Fitting, as our website this month is a Treasure Island of reading and perfect to answer the “what to buy so and so for Christmas” quandaries that we’ll all face over the next month or so. But, even if you’re not already mistling your toes and dipping your stockings in the brandy butter, there’s loads this month for the book lover to, erm, love – So, read on for more.
November’s bookshelf is chock-full of fantastic forays into the imagination. Pick up something to suit your mood and treat yourself to some ‘you’ time. Our faves are:
The Marble Collector by Cecelia Ahern – Sensitive, thought-provoking relationship piece, loved by our Reader Reviewers and beautifully told.
What Remains by Tim Weaver – When all is lost, what is left to find? A hauntingly personal missing person, crime thriller from the bestselling author of the
David Raker Series.
The Crossing by Michael Connelly – The 20
th book in the Harry Bosch series and ‘ace stuff… difficult to put down’ according to our expert reviewer Sarah Broadhurst.
Non-Fiction Book of the Month
Our Non-fiction star this month is:
The Battle of the Atlantic: How the Allies Won the War by Jonathan Dimbleby – A crucial part of recent history, told with passionate attention to detail. A perfect gift for 20
th Century history junkies!
As always we’ve got a dazzling display of debutantes for you to fall in love with. Our top tip this month is:
The Fox and the Star by Coralie Bickford-Smith – A truly charming and gloriously delightful short tale, about friendship, facing your fears and looking beyond the obvious. This visually stunning and emotional story book is a perfect gift for all ages – or just for yourself.
| … an award-winning designer, encourages the story to become a living tangible thing, making this a book for your forever shelf, it is quite simply, a book to love and cherish. |
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… lots of detail, lots of nature observations and lots of early memories make this an interestingly different and poignant read. Stay with it, it will grab you… |
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The most impressive thing about this extraordinary book is its atmosphere … a ghostly feel of menace lies just beneath the surface in a long, complicated and gripping tale. |
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As always, we’ve golden give-aways up for grabs this month. Especially worth a punt is the chance to win a
signed copy of Dawn French’s latest title
According to Yes – a comic, poignant and insightful tale of 21
st Century family life. Or the Scandinavian wooden reindeer Christmas decoration linked to the paperback release of
Wolf Winter by Cecilia Ekback. And many others …
If you love Christmas (silly question around the office) then you can get totally into the season now with some gloriously seasonal reads. See the shelf below …
Also fans of an indulgent romantic read from authors like Patricia Scanlan and Cathy Kelly need look no further than Emma Hannigan’s seasonal The Heart of Winter.
Two new books refresh our category of books inspired by the 2
nd World War this month.
Mapping the Second World War by Peter Chasseaud is a fascinating history, told through an incredible collection of maps from the Imperial War Museum archive. And on that theme, with slightly more of a derring-do angle is:
Great Escapes by Barbara Bond, the story of the extensive work by MI9 to provide escape and evasion maps for operatives. Illuminating, cloak-and-dagger stuff and both fascinating gifts for Christmas!
When a book has the author’s own experiences pouring out of every word, the reader can’t help but feel every bite and bend, hope and fear and twist and turn of it.
Girl Alone is one such title. A strong and sometimes hard to face misery memoir, that reads like fiction, about grief and anger and ultimately hope and the power of foster care.
This has been and continues to be a phenomenal Norwegian bestseller and has now become the quirky and talked about left-of-field title this autumn. It’s part meditation on the human instinct for survival and part guide to the best practice in every aspect of working with this renewable energy source.
Whether you are a seasoned woodcutter, or your passion is yet to be kindled,
Norwegian Wood is the perfect fireside read.
Heads up for some award-winning gems this month: Steve Silberman’s investigation into autism,
Neurotribes, has become the first popular science book to win the Samuel Johnson Prize. Praised by the judges of this prestigious non-fiction award, it is an upfront work that asks the reader to reassess the sharp lines of what we consider to be ‘normal’ and ‘abnormal’.
Another winner is
Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie which recently won the Baileys Women’s Prize for the best fiction of the last decade – chosen by both the public and a 10-strong judging panel.
Finally, armchair sports fans rejoice as the best sports books of the year are announced in the
shortlist for the William Hill Sports Book Awards.
Scroll down to see many more hand-picked selections in the categories you have told us you like to be kept up to date with. To change them just log in to your account.
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