Books for Christmas
This is the season for making lists and, as a man, I'm very fond of making lists. There is a great sense of accomplishment in making a list and then ticking things off.
So forget the Trinny & Susannah, forget the latest solipsistic self-help manual, forget the must-have cookbook or the footballer's ghost-written 'autobiography' of 25 years; forget the latest ignorant political screed and please forget The Da Vinci Code: this is the Badger's list of ten can't-miss books for Christmas.
1. The Meaning of Liff, Douglas Adams & John Lloyd
With the brilliant premise that (a) there are lots of situations for which no words exist and (b) there are lots of words doing nothing but loafing on signposts, Adams & Lloyd wrote this dictionary. Example: Nutbourne (n): in a choice of two or more possible puddings, the one nobody plumps for. This has entered the Badger family's lexicon.
2. Captain Corelli's Mandolin, Louis de Bernieres
Gracious, I hear you say, that's very 90s. True, but it's had enough of a rest period to dust it off and bring it out to those few people who didn't read it first time round. It's a lovely, rich, wallowy sort of novel, and do keep going through the first quarter.
3. Anything by Bill Bryson
Every home should have at least one Bill Bryson, an author who never fails to elicit embarrassing snorts of laughter from me. The choice depends upon the recipient, but it's usually a good idea to choose a book dealing with a place they know. For most Brits, Notes from a Small Island will be best.
4. Manalive by GK Chesterton
I can't not have something by my hero, ignored by modern academics for being unforgivably right (as opposed to more canonical authors). But what? I'm reluctant to recommend the apologetic works, brilliant though they are, so here's one of his barking mad novels, which might just achieve its objective of making you look at the world differently. And actually look at the world differently, unlike the fortune-cookie philosophies of Jonathan Livingstone Seagull or The Alchemist.
5. Anything by Agatha Christie
I was slightly surprised to learn that my friend Little Brock, despite being 26, has never read an Agatha Christie. Everybody should be given the chance; if they already know the twists of Murder of Roger Ackroyd or Murder on the Orient Express, go for The Body in the Library, Death on the Nile, The Labours of Hercules, The Mysterious Mr Quin or Endless Night.
6. A Good Walk Spoiled by John Feinstein
This will only appeal to the golfer in your life, admittedly, but when there are so few real golf books, this stands out like a beacon. Its subtitle 'Days and Nights on the US Tour' tells you all you need to know. If they've already got it, buy Feinstein's The Majors. If they've got that, buy Michael Green's The Art of Coarse Golf, about 40 years old and still hilarious (and true).
7. Making History by Stephen Fry
Fry is beginning to teeter on the edge of self-parody, imho, and it's remarkable how vicious a man can be when he's built a career on being lovable and convivial. But stay away from his non-fiction and enjoy this splendid novel, a counter-factual concerning the consequences of preventing Hitler's birth.
8. The Christmas Mystery by Jostein Gaarder.
Gaarder became rich and famous with Sophie's World, a pleasant novel that did succeed in drawing me into philosophy, but his other works demonstrate a humanity, imagination and intelligence worth exploring. It's not especially profound but it's deep enough to be satisfying, and The Christmas Mystery - in which a small girl travels backwards through Europe to the Nativity - goes some way toward encapsulating the 'spirit of Christmas.'
9. The Cold War: a New History by John Gaddis
I wouldn't ever usually recommend history books, mainly because they're usually dull, but this skips through the Cold War in 250 pages, is written by someone who knows what he's talking about and - vitally in these trying times - reminds us that the right side won.
10. The Penguin History of New Zealand by Michael King
Yes, all right, I know. But if we assume that it's my self-appointed task to raise the profile of New Zealand, this is a fine if slightly left-field selection. There are Kiwi histories I prefer, but this this is as up-to-date a single volume as you'll find. If so inclined, you could also go for Manning Clark's History of Australia (abridged in one volume, unless you're rich and / or bedridden) and / or Clark, Denoon and Mein Smith's extremely recent History of Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific.
Which only takes us up to K and includes no children's books. Depending on how early this headcold puts me to sleep, I may rectify that later today.
So forget the Trinny & Susannah, forget the latest solipsistic self-help manual, forget the must-have cookbook or the footballer's ghost-written 'autobiography' of 25 years; forget the latest ignorant political screed and please forget The Da Vinci Code: this is the Badger's list of ten can't-miss books for Christmas.
1. The Meaning of Liff, Douglas Adams & John Lloyd
With the brilliant premise that (a) there are lots of situations for which no words exist and (b) there are lots of words doing nothing but loafing on signposts, Adams & Lloyd wrote this dictionary. Example: Nutbourne (n): in a choice of two or more possible puddings, the one nobody plumps for. This has entered the Badger family's lexicon.
2. Captain Corelli's Mandolin, Louis de Bernieres
Gracious, I hear you say, that's very 90s. True, but it's had enough of a rest period to dust it off and bring it out to those few people who didn't read it first time round. It's a lovely, rich, wallowy sort of novel, and do keep going through the first quarter.
3. Anything by Bill Bryson
Every home should have at least one Bill Bryson, an author who never fails to elicit embarrassing snorts of laughter from me. The choice depends upon the recipient, but it's usually a good idea to choose a book dealing with a place they know. For most Brits, Notes from a Small Island will be best.
4. Manalive by GK Chesterton
I can't not have something by my hero, ignored by modern academics for being unforgivably right (as opposed to more canonical authors). But what? I'm reluctant to recommend the apologetic works, brilliant though they are, so here's one of his barking mad novels, which might just achieve its objective of making you look at the world differently. And actually look at the world differently, unlike the fortune-cookie philosophies of Jonathan Livingstone Seagull or The Alchemist.
5. Anything by Agatha Christie
I was slightly surprised to learn that my friend Little Brock, despite being 26, has never read an Agatha Christie. Everybody should be given the chance; if they already know the twists of Murder of Roger Ackroyd or Murder on the Orient Express, go for The Body in the Library, Death on the Nile, The Labours of Hercules, The Mysterious Mr Quin or Endless Night.
6. A Good Walk Spoiled by John Feinstein
This will only appeal to the golfer in your life, admittedly, but when there are so few real golf books, this stands out like a beacon. Its subtitle 'Days and Nights on the US Tour' tells you all you need to know. If they've already got it, buy Feinstein's The Majors. If they've got that, buy Michael Green's The Art of Coarse Golf, about 40 years old and still hilarious (and true).
7. Making History by Stephen Fry
Fry is beginning to teeter on the edge of self-parody, imho, and it's remarkable how vicious a man can be when he's built a career on being lovable and convivial. But stay away from his non-fiction and enjoy this splendid novel, a counter-factual concerning the consequences of preventing Hitler's birth.
8. The Christmas Mystery by Jostein Gaarder.
Gaarder became rich and famous with Sophie's World, a pleasant novel that did succeed in drawing me into philosophy, but his other works demonstrate a humanity, imagination and intelligence worth exploring. It's not especially profound but it's deep enough to be satisfying, and The Christmas Mystery - in which a small girl travels backwards through Europe to the Nativity - goes some way toward encapsulating the 'spirit of Christmas.'
9. The Cold War: a New History by John Gaddis
I wouldn't ever usually recommend history books, mainly because they're usually dull, but this skips through the Cold War in 250 pages, is written by someone who knows what he's talking about and - vitally in these trying times - reminds us that the right side won.
10. The Penguin History of New Zealand by Michael King
Yes, all right, I know. But if we assume that it's my self-appointed task to raise the profile of New Zealand, this is a fine if slightly left-field selection. There are Kiwi histories I prefer, but this this is as up-to-date a single volume as you'll find. If so inclined, you could also go for Manning Clark's History of Australia (abridged in one volume, unless you're rich and / or bedridden) and / or Clark, Denoon and Mein Smith's extremely recent History of Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific.
Which only takes us up to K and includes no children's books. Depending on how early this headcold puts me to sleep, I may rectify that later today.
posted by BoB at 9:42 AM
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