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Searching for the best nonfiction to give as gifts? We’ve got you. Nonfiction encompasses so much—anything that is rooted in truth can be considered nonfiction. Personal essays, cookbooks, DIY manuals, odd and unknown histories, even coloring books fall into this broad category. Here, we’ve got the best gifts for trendsetters, DIYers, and foodies, fascinating looks at our planet and its creatures: these books are the best nonfiction of 2020 to give as gifts. Looking for even more new nonfiction books that are timely and smart? Check out our list of The Best Nonfiction of 2020.
Featured Image: Chelsea Fone
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A Promised Land
Barack Obama
In the highly anticipated first volume of his presidential memoirs, Barack Obama takes readers on a compelling journey from his earliest political aspirations to the pivotal Iowa caucus victory to the watershed night of November 4, 2008, when he was elected 44th president of the United States, becoming the first African American to hold the nation’s highest office. This beautifully written and powerful book captures Barack Obama’s conviction that democracy is not a gift from on high but something founded on empathy and common understanding and built together, day by day.
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Untamed
Glennon Doyle
Glennon Doyle has oft written about how we can dig deeper and discover the various ways societal training has primed us for the ways we end up hurting one another. And that work is important. But things changed for Doyle when she fell in love with a woman—she wasn’t expecting it—and the following process that encouraged her to live fearlessly, unbounded, and untamed. In her newest book, Doyle moves away from the hard work she and her unfaithful husband did together to heal, and instead digs into herself to discover what she wants and deserves on her own.
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The Zealot and the Emancipator
H. W. Brands
The Zealot and the Emancipator is acclaimed historian H. W. Brands’s thrilling and page-turning account of the epic struggle over slavery as embodied by John Brown and Abraham Lincoln—two men moved to radically different acts to confront our nation’s gravest sin. John Brown heard God speaking to him, telling him to destroy slavery by any means, so he and his band of men elected violence, hacking pro-Slavery men to death with broadswords and attacking the federal arsenal at Harpers Ferry, Virginia, hoping to arm slaves with weapons for a race war that would cleanse the nation of slavery. Abraham Lincoln chose politics, shrewdly threading the needle between the opposing voices of the fractured nation and winning election as president. But the time for moderation had passed, and Lincoln’s fervent belief that democracy could resolve its moral crises peacefully faced its ultimate test.
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The Book of Joy
Dalai Lama
We could all use a little more joy in our lives. Here, we learn from Nobel Peace Prize Laureates His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who have survived more than fifty years of exile and the soul-crushing violence of oppression. Despite their hardships—or, as they would say, because of them—they are two of the most joyful people on the planet. In April 2015, Archbishop Tutu traveled to the Dalai Lama’s home in India to celebrate His Holiness’s eightieth birthday. They looked back on their long lives to answer a single burning question: How do we find joy in the face of life’s inevitable suffering? The result is an exploration of the Nature of True Joy and the Obstacles of Joy—including fear, stress, anger, grief, illness, and death. They then offer us the Eight Pillars of Joy, which provide the foundation for lasting happiness. Throughout, they include stories, wisdom, and science. Finally, they share their daily Joy Practices that anchor their own emotional and spiritual lives.
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Greenlights
Matthew McConaughey
Alright, Alright, Alright! Academy Award-winning actor Matthew McConaughey kept journals for most of his life. Recently, he spent 52 days poring over them in an electricity-less dwelling in a desert and realized he had the makings of a book on his hands. The journals were filled with, as he says, “notes about successes and failures, joys and sorrows, things that made me marvel, and things that made me laugh out loud. How to be fair. How to have less stress. How to have fun. How to hurt people less. How to get hurt less. How to be a good man. How to have meaning in life. How to be more me.” His candid memoir is a guidebook too for catching the green lights on life’s road—for getting relative with the inevitable.
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Say Nothing
Patrick Radden Keefe
The Troubles are what Northern Ireland calls the many-years conflict in the late 20th century, when those who wanted to leave the UK and unite with Ireland bitterly fought against those who wished to remain. Patrick Radden Keefe explores the breadth of these complicated times through a single cold case: the 1972 murder of Jean McConville. The 38-year-old widowed mother of ten children was dragged from her home, never to be seen again—but everyone knew it was the IRA, the paramilitary organization that’s since been categorized as a terrorist organization. Years later, Jean’s bones were identified on a secluded beach, bringing an answer, if not closure, to her children. Using her story as a starting point, Keefe exposes both the complexities of the time and the painful aftermath for those on all sides of the conflict.
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The Look of the Book
Peter Mendelsund
Why do some book covers instantly grab your attention, while others never get a second glance? As the outward face of the text, the book cover makes an all-important first impression. The Look of the Book examines art at the edges of literature through notable covers and the stories behind them, galleries of the many different jackets of bestselling books, an overview of book cover trends throughout history, and insights from dozens of literary and design luminaries. Co-authored by celebrated designer and creative director Peter Mendelsund and scholar David Alworth, this fascinating collaboration, featuring hundreds of covers, challenges our notions of what a book cover can and should be.
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Furious Hours
Casey Cep
When Casey Cep traveled to Alabama to report on the controversial announcement about a posthumous new book by Harper Lee, she was eager to learn more about the beloved, fiercely private author. But what Cep wasn’t ready for was the discovery she made: Nelle Harper Lee had another book she’d started and abandoned, one that would fit right into our contemporary love of true crime. Here, Cep traces the crime that Lee found herself enthralled with—a serial killer reverend and the vigilante who shot him when the police wouldn’t—and what happened to the author’s project.
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Me and Sister Bobbie
Willie Nelson
It’s nearly impossible that you haven’t heard of Willie Nelson, legendary country and blues singer. It’s likely that if you’re a fan of Willie’s, you know that he calls his backup band “the Family.” What you might not know was that he gave the band that name only when his older sister, Bobbie, joined. The siblings have always been close, but this is the first time Bobbie tells her story as well, alongside Willie’s. A talented musician herself, Bobbie had obstacles in her career path: abusive relationships, loss of custody of her children. But music, love, and family ultimately prevail.
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The French Art of Not Trying Too Hard
Ollivier Pourriol
Seduction is the art of succeeding without trying, and that’s a lesson the French have mastered. We can see it in their laissez-faire parenting, chic style, haute cuisine, and enviable home cooking: They barely seem to be trying, yet the results are world-famous–thanks to a certain je ne sais quoi that is the key to a more creative, fulfilling, and productive life. For fans of both Mark Manson’s The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck and Alain de Botton’s How Proust Can Change Your Life, and those who are just plain tired of hustle culture, philosopher Ollivier Pourriol draws on the examples of such French legends as Descartes, Stendhal, Rodin, Cyrano de Bergerac, and Françoise Sagan to show how to be efficient à la française, and how to effortlessly reap the rewards.
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Andrew Jackson and the Miracle of New Orleans
Brian Kilmeade
Before his oft-debated years in the White House, Andrew Jackson was known for his military exploits—specifically the Battle of New Orleans, which played a massive role in ending the War of 1812. Andrew Jackson and the Miracle of New Orleans tells the story of this battle, and the unlikely combination of forces Jackson used en route to victory. —Tobias Carroll
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The Mystery of the Exploding Teeth
Thomas Morris
Medical historian Thomas Morris examines some bizarre and cringe-inducing cases from the past, including the title mystery, which was exactly what it sounds like: people’s teeth were exploding. Other cases include a woman who peed through her nose and a soldier who operated on his own bladder stone. These stranger-than-fiction tales offer more than oddball anecdotes, but teach us a lot about the progression of medicine and the blunders that have gotten us to where we are today. —Jonathan Russell Clark
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21 Lessons for the 21st Century
Yuval Noah Harari
Yuval Noah Harari’s past books were nothing short of histories of mankind. Turning his erudite attention to the overwhelming present, Harari gives us blistering insights into some of our most pressing conundrums, such as the relevancy of nation states and religions. This is a book not only for our own learning, but for the education of our children as well. —Jonathan Russell Clark
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Brief Answers to the Big Questions
Stephen Hawking
When Stephen Hawking died last March, the world lost its greatest scientific mind. But fortunately for us, Hawking left behind one final contribution to our collective understanding. Brief Answers to the Big Questions has the super-genius cosmologist tackling important subjects—ranging from the future of humanity to the existence of God—and answering them with his trademark wit, humor, and, of course, intelligence. —Jonathan Russell Clark
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Palaces for the People
Eric Klinenberg
NYU professor of sociology Eric Klinenberg posits that rather than shared ideologies, it’s our shared spaces—like libraries, churches, bookstores, and parks—that are America’s keys to coming together. The current climate of extreme division must be amended, and Klinenberg believes we should step out of our heads and into the real world, to the physical places we communally utilize, to find our literal common ground. —Jonathan Russell Clark
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The Personality Brokers
Merve Emre
Whether you’re an INFP, an ESFJ, or if you just DGAF, Merve Emre’s The Personality Brokers will offer an important look into our obsession with reductive identity labels and the concept of self-definition. In a culture hoping to break away from simplistic categories of who a person can be, Emre’s book is an essential step forward. —Jonathan Russell Clark
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The Poison Squad
Deborah Blum
Did you know that milk used to kill thousands of children every year because it contained formaldehyde? Before the Food and Drug Act was passed in 1906, food manufacturers had no oversight and could basically peddle whatever they wanted. That is, until Dr. Harvey Washington Wiley became chief chemist of the agriculture department and began testing food on a group of men known as “the Poison Squad.” Wiley, along with others like Upton Sinclair, waged a war against unsafe food and saved generations of Americans. —Jonathan Russell Clark
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Shaping the Future of the Fourth Industrial Revolution
Klaus Schwab
Last year, World Economic Forum founder Klaus Schwab published The Fourth Industrial Revolution, which argued that advances in technology were creating an industrial revolution unlike any witnessed in history. His new work, Shaping the Future of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, offers a practical guide to the oncoming shift in human economies and culture. For anyone who hopes to be alive for the near future, this is a must-read. —Jonathan Russell Clark
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Everything All at Once
Bill Nye
Bill Nye explains how his personal history—from being an engineer at Boeing to a stand-up comedian to the beloved Science Guy—taught him to look at problems through a nerd’s lens, i.e., with rapacious curiosity, optimism, and a willingness to act, and how this has helped him solve numerous issues he’s personally faced and some that confront the world at large. If you’re going to listen to anyone about tackling problem-solving, who better than the man whose middle name is Science? —Jonathan Russell Clark
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The Feather Thief
Kirk Wallace Johnson
In 2009, an American flautist stole hundreds of bird skins from the British Museum of Natural History and then vanished. But why? That’s the question journalist Kirk Wallace Johnson tries to answer in his riveting book, which delves into the niche world of salmon fly-tying (a fascinating topic in and of itself) and uncovers a years-long investigation in the hunt for the criminal behind this strange robbery. —Jonathan Russell Clark
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Living with the Gods
Neil MacGregor
Art historian Neil MacGregor, author of the bestseller A History of the World in 100 Objects, takes on religion’s influence on cultures. By examining national narratives and sacred places, he discovers the relationship between beliefs and the society of those who subscribe to them. A rich and educational tour through contemporary religion, Living with the Gods helps us understand how the inarticulable shapes the way we live. —Jonathan Russell Clark
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The Indispensable Composers
Anthony Tommasini
As the chief classical music critic for the New York Times, Anthony Tommasini loves to invite participation in his treatment of the greats: he once crowd-sourced a list of the all-time top ten composers (and then horrified some readers by omitting Gustav Mahler—the nerve!). As a concert pianist, he also has a very personal relationship with them. This unabashedly subjective essay collection offers his scholarly and intimate impressions of 17 artists—and invites both neophytes and aficionados to roll up their sleeves and engage with these legacies. —Lauren Oster
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The Bullet Journal Method
Ryder Carroll
The Brooklyn designer-inventor-TED-talker Ryder Carroll is to the messy modern schedule what Marie Kondo is to a cluttered home. His old-school Bullet Journal method encourages devotees to plan their 21st-century lives with pen and paper, and since its eruption on social media a few years ago, #bujo has become a very, very big deal. Curious newbies and intentional-living all-stars can bask in Carroll’s analog wisdom with his first book, which promises to help everyone “track the past, order the present, and design the future.” —Lauren Oster
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Queer Eye
Antoni Porowski
Netflix’s Fab Five joined forces for a coffee-table-worthy version of the game-changing guidance they offer TV audiences, and it’s much, much more than a how-to manual (though there are plenty of Hip Tips to round out its pages). Each expert helms his own section with input from his co-stars: Antoni Porowski’s food writing, for instance, shares space with favorite food and drink recipes from all five Queer Eye personalities. It’s also a peek behind-the-scenes and a collective celebration of individuality: these guys want everyone to live their best lives. —Lauren Oster
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Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls
Elena Favilli
Featuring an all-star, all-female cast of narrators—including Alicia Keys, Ashley Judd, Janeane Garofalo, and Esperanza Spalding—Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls reinvents fairy tales by telling the true stories of hundreds of extraordinary women, including Serena Williams, Beyoncé, Cleopatra, and Elizabeth I. —Jonathan Russell Clark
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Accessory to War
Neil deGrasse Tyson
“The universe,” writes famed astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson and writer Avis Lang, “is a laboratory for one and a battlefield for the other.” Exploring the often unexamined relationship between science and the military, Accessory to War—narrated by veteran actor Courtney D. Vance—is a fascinating exploration into the ways our greatest discoveries have aided in some of our greatest wars. —Jonathan Russell Clark
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True Crime from Texas Monthly
Various
Texas Monthly publishes some of the best and most horrifying true crime stories. This collection of pieces from the magazine features a mother willing to murder to ensure her daughter gets on the cheerleading squad, a high school girl who tries to get her ex-boyfriend to murder her, and a bank robber who tricked police for years by disguising herself as a man. —Jonathan Russell Clark
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Well-Read Black Girl
Glory Edim
From the founder of the eponymous book club and online community comes this collection of essays by black women authors. Literary stars like Jacqueline Woodson, Rebecca Walker, and Barbara Smith offer inspiring words for self-discovery—whether to fire up a feminist side, or deepen an appreciation for diversity. —Romy Weinberg
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My Reading Journal
Potter Gift
For the literary Luddite, this journal is an attractive tag-along to book club meetings and the perfect bedside table accessory—for those middle-of-the-night musings, or a place to record completed titles. Suggested readings are listed in the back, where they can keep track of loves, hates, and everything in between. —Romy Weinberg
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A Drinkable Feast
Philip Greene
Francophiles and mixologists can unite over this tongue-in-cheek history of 1920s Paris. Greene documents cocktails and the ex-pats who loved them—a little like an alcohol-infused survey of the Lost Generation—and even provides authentic recipes. Photos throughout the book transport you to those cafés and bars loved by Hemingway and Fitzgerald. —Romy Weinberg
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Liberated Spirits
Hugh Ambrose
A window on the time when two Constitutional Amendments were passed—the 18th, which banned the sale of alcohol, and the 19th, which gave women the right to vote—Liberated Spirits will ignite a conversation around women and politics in the roaring ’20s. Prohibition and voting rights were entwined in a complicated relationship, and readers will love dissecting it. —Romy Weinberg
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Geomorphia
Kerby Rosanes
The ebb of the coloring book frenzy has happily separated the wheat from the chaff, and only the best remain. At the top of the list is this wondrous, new single-sided book featuring the polymorphous, intricately detailed, and always stunning images from the creator of three previous transporting books: Fantomorphia, Mythomorphia, and Animorphia. —Elizabeth Anne Hartman
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The Ultimate Brush Lettering Guide
Peggy Dean
Indulge in the playful art of a modern, more forgiving style of calligraphy that enables you to letter outside the traditional box with creative flourishes and neat imprecision. The artist behind the Pigeon Letters website shares all her expertise, from choosing pens and paper to templates for labels and cards, all designed to unlock the unbridled calligrapher. —Elizabeth Anne Hartman
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Make and Mend
Jessica Marquez
This exquisite guide to sashiko, a simple Japanese stitching technique, shows how—with just a needle and thread—you can save your favorite sweater, add pizzazz to your home, and save the planet. According to Marquez, Americans throw away about 70 pounds of clothing and other textiles every year, but with her inspiration, we can make more, buy less, and hold on to things we cherish. —Elizabeth Anne Hartman
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The Gift of Calligraphy
Maybelle Imasa-Stukuls
Another master calligrapher invites you to bask in the allure of lettering with 25 gorgeously photographed projects from invitations to wall art to tote bags. Imasa-Stukuls begins with the ABCs—literally demonstrating how to create a simple alphabet—and then guides the reader step-by-step through the delightful projects. —Elizabeth Anne Hartman
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Woodworking
Andrea Brugi
A stunning collection of woodworking projects by a husband-and-wife team melds rustic Italian style with Scandinavian design. This is the perfect gift for a couple, for your Rosie-the-Riveter friend, or for the man who really doesn’t need another tie. Striking photography and step-by-step instructions make it nice and easy. —Elizabeth Anne Hartman
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Creative Thread
Jo Dixey
Royal School of Needlework-trained professional embroiderer Jo Dixey offers a project-by-project guide that will rev up the reader’s creativity quotient. Each one introduces new embroidery stitches and techniques to make one-off pieces of art, embellish clothing, and craft beautiful gifts. —Elizabeth Anne Hartman
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Crepe Paper Flowers
Lia Griffith
The doyenne of DIY crafts focuses on flowers in this collection of 30 projects that showcase the magic of crafting with paper. Griffith focuses on crepe paper because it’s malleable and forgiving, making it the perfect material for beginners. For the fully supplied crafter who owns a Cricut Maker, downloadable templates are available for free on Griffith’s website. —Elizabeth Anne Hartman
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Almost Everything
Anne Lamott
Leave it to Anne Lamott to make us laugh when the chips are down. Her sunny optimism and witty encouragement tumble off the pages and into your consciousness. She’s the voice that reestablishes your sense of hope and belief in the future. You cry on her shoulder, cand then feel eons lighter. —Romy Weinberg
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Cook Like a Pro
Ina Garten
It’s a little-known fact that Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa, is a self-taught chef. For all her prowess in the kitchen, she learned by studying others. In Cook Like a Pro, she shares her secrets and tips to gain her kind of confidence when cooking for friends and family. —Romy Weinberg
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Red Truck Bakery Cookbook
Brian Noyes
Virginia’s Red Truck Rural Bakery—beloved by everyone from Mary Chapin Carpenter and Barack Obama to the Lee Brothers—extends its Southern hospitality to your kitchen with this collection of recipes, gorgeous photographs, and charming anecdotes. —Romy Weinberg
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The Independent Woman
Simone de Beauvoir
This collection contains excerpts from The Second Sex, a groundbreaking modern classic first published in 1949 that confronted the inequality between men and women, and the ways women are othered in society. Now, The Independent Woman takes three chapters from The Second Sex that look at practical steps to cultivate a more equal society. —Swapna Krishna
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The Future Is History
Masha Gessen
Winner of the 2017 National Book Award for Nonfiction and named Best Book of 2017 by numerous publications, The Future Is History—penned by Masha Gessen, the bestselling biographer of Vladimir Putin—reveals how Russia surrendered to a new strain of autocracy in a single generation. —Ben Kassoy
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Playing with Fire
Lawrence O’Donnell
Political upheaval. Two assassinations. Riots. A country on the brink. “Playing with Fire is Lawrence O’Donnell at his best,” raves Rachel Maddow. “This is a thriller-like, propulsive tour through 1968, told by a man who is in love with American politics, and who knows how all the dots connect.” —Ben Kassoy
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The Point of It All
Charles Krauthammer
Created and compiled by Charles Krauthammer before his death, The Point of It All brings together the most important works from the celebrated columnist, political commentator, and physician. A collection of writings personal, political, and philosophical, The Point of it All also includes never-before-published speeches and a profound new essay about populism and the future of global democracy. —Ben Kassoy
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Impeachment
Jon Meacham
What are the motives behind impeachment? What factors contribute to it? What clues does history offer as to how impeachment may be used in the future? In Impeachment, four experts revisit the three presidencies during which impeachment was invoked (Johnson, Nixon, Clinton) and explain what they may teach us today. —Ben Kassoy
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We Were Eight Years in Power
Ta-Nehisi Coates
A New York Times bestseller and a work that topped many of the Best Books of 2017 lists, We Were Eight Years in Power features Coates’s iconic essays first published in The Atlantic, along with eight new essays that revisit each year of Obama’s presidency. In a starred review, Kirkus calls it “emotionally charged, deftly crafted, and urgently relevant.” —Ben Kassoy
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A Savage Order
Rachel Kleinfeld
Gangs, organized crime, state brutality. Why are some democracies—including our own—plagued by violence? How can they—we—regain security? Rachel Kleinfeld offers answers in this powerful, urgent book that Kirkus Reviews applauds as highly researched yet accessible, “a solid, convincing argument based on experience, research, travel, and intelligence.” —Ben Kassoy
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What the Eyes Don’t See
Mona Hanna-Attisha
Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, named one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World, is the Iraqi American pediatrician who helped expose the Flint water crisis. “In What the Eyes Don’t See, she lays bare the bureaucratic bunk and flat-out injustice at the heart of the environmental disgrace,” says O, The Oprah Magazine. It’s a gripping, heartbreaking story of our time. —Ben Kassoy
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In the Hurricane’s Eye
Nathaniel Philbrick
Nathaniel Philbrick has written numerous gripping books dealing with history—especially nautical history—over the years. His latest, In the Hurricane’s Eye, explores the final year of the Revolutionary War and the seismic role that the French Navy played in turning the tide for the U.S. —Tobias Carroll
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American Dialogue
Joseph J. Ellis
Pulitzer Prize- and National Book Award-winning historian Joseph J. Ellis asks one simple question in his latest book: what would the founding fathers think of America today? The result is American Dialogue, a fascinating tour through the minds of America’s authors that sheds light on the divisive conflicts of the present day. —Jonathan Russell Clark
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The Joy of Syntax
June Casagrande
You may not have believed it in sixth grade, but grammar can be fun! OK, even if you still don’t believe it, June Casagrande’s handy guide will diminish the pain you felt back in middle school, when you were just never sure where that comma should go or whether—once and for all—it’s “who” or “whom.” This one belongs on the shelf next to Eats, Shoots and Leaves. —Romy Weinberg
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How to Cook Without a Book, Completely Updated and Revised
Pam Anderson
It’s been 17 years since Anderson’s blockbuster made “cooking by heart” a thing. Here, she builds on her principle that most recipes are simply variations on a theme, with new ingredients that reflect today’s tastes: chicken thighs instead of boneless breast, kale and Swiss chard instead of romaine, and more. —Elizabeth Anne Hartman
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The Staub Cookbook
Staub
Francis Staub, the grandson of a cookware merchant, created Staub cookware in 1974, and his eponymous pots and pans have become the favorites of chefs and home cooks alike. This gorgeously illustrated book brings together 100 modern recipes from top chefs and foodie bloggers from around the country, featuring everything from chocolate babka to chicken meatballs. —Elizabeth Anne Hartman
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Martha Stewart’s Pressure Cooker
Editors of Martha Stewart Living
Quick cooking is having a big moment, and this essential guide is perfect for both beginners who want in on the fabulousness and pros who want more recipes. It’s neatly divided into three chapters that go from building blocks and simple recipes to hearty main courses, and a final chapter on desserts—yes, desserts!—done entirely in one easy appliance. —Elizabeth Anne Hartman
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Cravings: Hungry for More
Chrissy Teigen
OK, Chrissy: you had me at Pad Thai Carbonara. For those who loved Teigen’s first cookbook, Cravings—which is more or less everybody—this follow-up will bring provide even more culinary joy. Her Mom’s Thai cooking influences many of the recipes in this edible diary that brings us even closer into her kitchen and her life. —Elizabeth Anne Hartman
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Bong Appétit
Editors of MUNCHIES
Admit it: you would buy this book for its title, which finds its roots in the very popular Munchies and Viceland TV series. Keeping in mind that “pot brownies” have been around for at least half a century, it’s clear that the 65 sophisticated recipes here—for both sweet and savory dishes—will satisfy the munchies for millennial hipsters and old hippies alike. —Elizabeth Anne Hartman
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The MeatEater Fish and Game Cookbook
Steven Rinella
Fans of Rinella, the renowned hunter and host of the MeatEater show and podcast, will be over the moon for his collection of mouthwatering recipes that Publishers Weekly called a “must read cookbook for those seeking a taste of the wild.” From a bird (or fish) to sauces and rubs, he covers it all. —Elizabeth Anne Hartman
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Cooking from Scratch
PCC Community Markets
The folks at Seattle’s popular grocer have put together 120 recipes for seasonal delights, along with nutritional information and expert advice about preparing food from scratch. The perfect gift for the farmer’s market phobic—or even the regulars who’ve been cooking the same locally sourced dish on repeat—this lushly illustrated book offers meals for every time of the day. —Elizabeth Anne Hartman
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Mississippi Vegan
Timothy Pakron
No, Mississippi Vegan is not an oxymoron. Setting the fried chicken and pulled pork aside, Pakron shares 125-plant based recipes inspired by the Cajun, Creole, and Southern classics of his youth. Evocative stories and exquisite photographs accompany recipes that range from My Father’s Hash Browns to Gumbo Z’fungi. —Elizabeth Anne Hartman
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Sister Pie
Lisa Ludwinski
Here’s a plucky and personality-infused cookbook from the two-time James Beard Award-finalist who’s transforming the Motor City into the Sweet City, via her pie shop in a former beauty salon on Detroit’s east side. She shares 75 drool-worthy recipes such as Toasted Marshmallow-Butterscotch Pie and Sour Cherry-Bourbon Pie, all accompanied by her charming illustrations and mouth-watering photographs. —Elizabeth Anne Hartman
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The Women’s Atlas
Joni Seager
The completely updated and revised fifth edition of this groundbreaking work couldn’t be more timely—and it’s a safer gift than a pink pussy hat. Seager, who’s consulted on several global gender and environmental policies with the UN, provides a wealth of up-to-date information on how women are living today across continents and cultures. —Elizabeth Anne Hartman
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Winter Drinks
Editors of PUNCH
As long as your giftee isn’t a snow-bird, this beautifully illustrated collection of cocktails—built to fortify against the winter chill—will bring peace between the Capulets and Montagues. It features essential classics, updated riffs on traditional toddies, punches, nogs, spiked coffee, and many other thoroughly modern drinks. —Elizabeth Anne Hartman
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The Fox and the Star: A Keepsake Journal
Coralie Bickford-Smith
Now in clothbound notebook form is the beloved story of friendship between a lonely Fox and the Star who guides him through the frightfully dark forest. Created by the award-winning designer of Penguin’s Hardcover Classics, the lined pages are adorned by five-color illustrations from the original book. —Elizabeth Anne Hartman
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Martha’s Flowers, Deluxe Edition
Martha Stewart
This essential resource boasts beauty and brains. Stunning photographs accompany the wisdom gained from of a lifetime of gardening in this book of expert advice. From how and when to plant to advice on building stunning arrangements, this book has it all. —Elizabeth Anne Hartman
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Ottolenghi Simple
Yotam Ottolenghi
For those who like to cook but are over all the fuss, they’ll adore these streamlined recipes that can be made in 30 minutes or less, use ten or fewer ingredients, and can be made ahead in a single pot. Powerhouse author and chef Ottolenghi infuses his signature Middle Eastern-inspired flavors in these simply made delectable delights, such as Lamb and Feta Meatballs, and Braised Eggs with Leeks and Za’atar. —Elizabeth Anne Hartman
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The Power of Love
Michael Curry
Michael Curry, the presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church, enthralled two billion people with his sermon at the 2018 royal wedding of Harry and Meghan. Included in this elegant and spiritual book is that sermon, as well as four others touching on themes of love, commitment, and social justice. —Elizabeth Anne Hartman
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Americana
Bhu Srinivasan
The right books can help turn complex systems and ideas into thrilling reading. Bhu Srinivasan’s Americana: A 400-Year History of American Capitalism explores the ways that the United States and capitalism have been interwoven across the nation’s history, and how this has shaped the evolution of the nation in ways both expected and unexpected. —Tobias Carroll
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The War Before the War
Andrew Delbanco
Prior to the start of the Civil War, the North and South were already engaged in a heated struggle over slavery. Andrew Delbanco’s The War Before the War explores how fugitive slaves seeking their freedom played a role in this conflict, and how their cause persuaded many of the evils of slavery. —Tobias Carroll
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Dear Los Angeles
David Kipen
Covering nearly 500 years of history, the anthology Dear Los Angeles provides readers with an assortment of documents telling the story of a certain California city. Represented in the book are the likes of F. Scott Fitzgerald, Susan Sontag, and Cesar Chavez, providing an array of perspectives on the City of Angels. —Tobias Carroll
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How to Invent Everything
Ryan North
In recent years, Ryan North has earned plenty of acclaim for his unique takes on Romeo and Juliet and To Be Or Not To Be. In How to Invent Everything, he explores the nature of technology and civilization via the notion of, as the book’s subtitle puts it, “the stranded time traveler.” —Tobias Carroll
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Cocktail Codex
Alex Day
It’s amazing what you can do with a home bar and the right knowledge. Cocktail Codex reunites the authors of Death & Co. for an organized look at cocktails: specifically, showcasing the links between the techniques used to craft different drinks. The results are both educational and tasty. —Tobias Carroll
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American Sanctuary
A. Roger Ekirch
In American Sanctuary, A. Roger Ekirch hearkens back to a time more than 200 years ago, when the fate of a British sailor seeking refuge in the United States has a seismic effect on the nation’s political landscape, and influenced the way we think about political asylum today. —Tobias Carroll
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The Fresh and Healthy Instant Pot Cookbook
Megan Gilmore
The Instant Pot is the multifunction device that’s taking kitchens by storm, so chances are, your giftee already own one. If so, this cookbook of lighter, healthier meals for the appliance is a perfect gift. The author is a certified nutritionist, and each of the recipes has a gorgeous photograph to show off just how delicious they are. —Swapna Krishna
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Presidents of War
Michael Beschloss
The relationship between the American presidency and war is a complicated one, which is exactly what author Michael Beschloss traces in this important new book. Beschloss examines American presidents from James Madison to the present day to look at how these men coped with the challenges and demands of leadership during war—or how they didn’t. —Swapna Krishna
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Life Is Long!
Karen Salmansohn
Is your gift recipient intent on living a healthy lifestyle? Then they’ll love the book Life is Long, a guide to living a healthier, longer life. The book includes tips such as spices that improve cardiovascular health and how often we should stand up and move around during the day. It takes information from the latest studies to offer the best advice on how to live a longer (and happier!) life. —Swapna Krishna
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Speeches of Note
Shaun Usher
We all need some inspiration in our lives every now and then, and this book of speeches is just the tool to provide it. By the author of Letters of Note, this book gathers 75 of the most interesting speeches, some of which were delivered by well-known figures such as Albert Einstein and Frederick Douglass. If your loved one enjoys thumbing through history, you can’t go wrong with this gift. —Swapna Krishna
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Spineless
Juli Berwald
After earning a PhD in ocean science and spending years building algorithms to interpret satellite images of the briny deep, Juli Berwald followed her husband to landlocked Texas. The tide of her first love proved to be an irresistible pull, and her return to the world of marine studies is a splashy one: Spineless dives deep into the world of jellyfish, the most ancient and least-understood creatures on earth. Berwald’s passion is infectious, and you just might find the behemoths she glimpsed from Japanese fishing boats and the delicate creatures she raised in her own dining room floating through your dreams. —Lauren Oster
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American Wolf
Nate Blakeslee
Twenty-two years ago, the elk population in Yellowstone was threatening other species’ abilities to survive and thrive, and biologists relocated eight gray wolves from Canada’s Jasper National Park to reset the region’s ecological balance. What became known as the Yellowstone Wolf Project triggered an avalanche of change, one that Nate Blakeslee explores through O-Six, a female descendant of the Canadian wolves who became a mother, pack leader, and household name for nature-lovers. His intimate look at her community is a powerful reminder of what we owe our non-human neighbors. —Lauren Oster
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City of Dogs
Ken Foster
When Traer Scott agreed to follow Ken Foster around New York City and photograph local canines and their companions, he didn’t expect to appreciate the humans he’d meet: “I am much more comfortable around dogs than people. Always.” To his great surprise, the stories they shared—recounted by Foster in the text that accompanies his photographs—forged a new connection between him and his own species. Like Scott, dog lovers will fall hard for the two-and-four-legged families that call the Big Apple home: “Loving and needing dogs in our lives is something that brings us together, no matter how different we are in other ways.” —Lauren Oster
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Animals of a Bygone Era
Maja Säfström
This beautiful compendium of creatures that no longer walk the earth is not for the T. rex fan in your life: as the Stockholm-based illustrator explains in her table of contents beside a puzzled Stegosaurus, “Dinosaurs have been intentionally left out of this book to give some attention to other fascinating—but less famous—creatures that once lived on this planet.” Her gorgeous images and cheeky commentary introduce quirky, long-extinct characters like walking whales, horned gophers, dawn horses, and terror birds (!). Natural history has never come roaring to life quite like this. —Lauren Oster
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Distillery Cats
Brad Thomas Parsons
The next time you find yourself raising a glass and in need of a speech, might we suggest a toast to the tireless felines that make so many tipples possible? Once charged with providing “organic pest control” at distilleries and breweries, working pusses are now brand ambassadors and social media darlings to boot. Brad Thomas Parsons, a James Beard Award-winning writer, offers 30 illustrated “profiles in courage of the world’s most spirited mousers”—as well as 15 cocktail recipes, should readers find themselves inspired to wet their whistles. —Lauren Oster
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The Genius of Birds
Jennifer Ackerman
“Bird brain” entered the English language as an insult a century ago, science writer Jennifer Ackerman notes, “because people thought of birds as mere flying automatons, with brains so small they had no capacity for thought at all.” As scientific breakthroughs in the past few decades have demonstrated, it’s high time to consider it a compliment: we now know that birds are capable of mental feats comparable to ours. After traveling the world to gather the latest intelligence on avian cognition, Ackerman presents her findings in thrilling language that mimics the brilliance she describes. —Lauren Oster
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Storm Lake
Art Cullen
Art Cullen is 25% of the news staff of The Storm Lake Times, a family-owned Iowa twice-weekly that won the Pulitzer Prize last year for taking corporate polluters to task for poisoning the local lake and rivers. In his first book, Cullen introduces the world to the remarkable people who call his small town home. The prairie is changing, as is its human population: unlike agricultural communities that have vanished elsewhere in America, Storm Lake is growing, thanks to immigrants from nations like Laos and Mexico who have built new lives there (more than 30 languages are now spoken in town). Cullen has seen more than his share of crises, but his message is stubbornly optimistic and timely. —Lauren Oster
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The Wondrous Workings of Planet Earth
Rachel Ignotofsky
Rachel Ignotofsky puts the world in the palms of her adolescent readers’ hands, both literally and figuratively: her illustrated guide to the Earth’s ecosystems explains how they work and how each of us can work to protect them. Through stunning art, maps, and infographics, she offers clear and compelling breakdowns of everything from the carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and water cycles to how every human impacts nature. It’s a fascinating and empowering look at our shared home: “The big world we live in,” she writes, “is smaller than you think.” —Lauren Oster
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The Songs of Trees
David George Haskell
Pulitzer Prize finalist David George Haskell calls trees “nature’s great connectors,” and he offers meticulous portraits of a dozen of them. From the concrete jungle of Manhattan to the verdant jungles of the Amazon, he makes a lyrical case for their positions at the hearts of biological networks: microbes, fungi, other plants, animals, and even humans all depend on trees for their well-being. The Songs of Trees is a kind of ecological poetry, and it will change the way you think about your relationship with (and responsibility to) the life around you. —Lauren Oster
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Unladylike
Cristen Conger
If your giftee’s hobbies include smashing the patriarchy, this is a book you should absolutely check out. Rather than being a humorous take on identifying as female or nonbinary in today’s world, Unladylike is a practical guide to pushing the conversation about intersectional feminism forward. —Swapna Krishna
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Food52 Cook in the Blank
Amanda Hesser
Following a recipe can be a great way to learn to cook, but what about the next step? That’s where Food 52 Cook in the Blank comes in. This fill-in-the-blank book of recipe templates will help you become more creative in your cooking, offering a guided way to improvise and think about how you cook in whole new ways. —Swapna Krishna
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The Mini Bar
Editors of PUNCH
If your holiday hostess loves mixing cocktails and making the perfect drink for guests, The Mini Bar is an absolute must-buy. It consists of eight small notebooks in adorable packaging, and the recipes are organized by the base ingredient, ensuring that the giftee can become an expert in making all kinds of drinks, and even create their own. —Swapna Krishna
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Call Me Ishmael Postcards
Pop Chart Lab
This fun set of postcards from Pop Chart Lab is a sure conversation-starter. Twenty-four postcards in 12 unique designs diagram the first sentence from popular works of literature. They can serve as a charming gift, or you can send them to friends and family. (Who doesn’t love a love note?) —Swapna Krishna
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The New Rules of Coffee
Jordan Michelman
For those who love their morning cup of joe, this guide will show them how to prepare, store, and even drink the world’s favorite morning beverage. This isn’t so much about etiquette and protocol as it is about how to best enjoy coffee at home or in the café. It also answers popular questions about the beverage and busts myths (who knew darker coffee isn’t always stronger?). —Swapna Krishna
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This Is Mexico City
Abby Clawson Low
For the friend who loves to visit foreign countries or thoroughly enjoys armchair traveling, this incredible guide to Mexico City will make a perfect gift. It’s not your typical travel guide: as a resident herself, Abby Clawson Low focuses on lifestyle, using gorgeous pictures and design to show off the best of the city. —Swapna Krishna
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All About Cake
Christina Tosi
Who doesn’t like cake? It’s an almost universal love, which is why All About Cake makes the ideal gift. This collection of lip-smacking recipes covers everything to do with cake, including microwavable mug cakes to the fanciful creations that Christina Tosi makes at Milkbar. —Swapna Krishna
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The Sommelier’s Atlas of Taste
Rajat Parr
This field guide is the perfect book for wine-lovers, especially those who enjoy terroir and the art of European wines. Parr describes how wines from different regions of Europe should taste—a tour of taste buds, if you will. Whether your giftee considers herself a vino expert or someone just getting into grapes, this book will have something for her. —Swapna Krishna
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Made Out of Stars
Meera Lee Patel
Meera Lee Patel’s guided journals, including Start Where You Are, have helped an abundance of readers better understand themselves and make connections with others. Made Out of Stars focuses on finding a better sense of self and discovering our unique qualities: a useful and inspiring journey. —Tobias Carroll
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That Doesn’t Mean What You Think It Means
Ross Petras
When presented in the right light, there’s something deeply entertaining about the way language can be misused and misunderstood. In That Doesn’t Mean What You Think It Means, Ross Petras and Kathryn Petras explore 150 of the words people most often misuse, and delve into their complex histories for clues as to why. —Tobias Carroll
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Wall of Orchids
The New York Botanical Garden
The exhibits and plants that can be found at The New York Botanical Garden have a rich history and regularly dazzle visitors and locals alike. Wall of Orchids collects 20 prints of orchid paintings—immersing readers in the natural world while venturing into art history as well. Perfect for sprucing up someone’s empty home or cubicle. —Tobias Carroll
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The Job
Ellen Ruppel Shell
The nature of work has changed dramatically over the past few decades, inspiring a sense of instability and concerns about how subsequent changes will affect, well, everyone. In Ellen Ruppel Shell’s book The Job, she focuses on notable workplaces and explores the larger factors affecting our relationships to the work we do. —Tobias Carroll
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Bestia
Ori Menashe
There’s something deeply compelling about a great cookbook—both the lovingly designed interiors and the prospect of being able to make great food from the recipes within. Bestia takes its cues from the acclaimed Los Angeles restaurant of the same name, offering up the way to make a host of Italian-influenced dishes and desserts. —Tobias Carroll
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Dare to Lead
Brené Brown
In her earlier books, Brené Brown explored questions around subjects like courage and vulnerability, delving into both their emotional and scientific sides. In Dare to Lead, she applies the same approach to the questions surrounding leadership, probing how leaders can act in a more daring and courageous manner, and what we can all learn from them. —Tobias Carroll
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The Comic Book Story of Professional Wrestling
Aubrey Sitterson
If your favorite sports fan is drawn to larger-than-life figures, bizarre physical feats, and unexpected twists of fate, it’s very likely that professional wrestling holds more than a little appeal for them. In this illustrated book, Aubrey Sitterson and Chris Moreno delve into wrestling’s history, explore some of its most infamous figures, and trace its popularity across the globe. —Tobias Carroll
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Quarterback
John Feinstein
John Feinstein has written extensively about the world of sports, providing both a ground-level view of the athlete’s perspective and a broader context of how sports are played and perceived. In his new book, he focuses on five NFL quarterbacks, exploring what their experiences can teach the reader about the nature of the sport and its effect on those who play it. —Tobias Carroll
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How Cycling Can Save the World
Peter Walker
The appeal of cycling spans geography: for some, it’s an ideal way to get around a city, while for others, it’s perfect for exploring rural trails and woodlands. In Peter Walker’s How Cycling Saves the World, he explores the positive impacts of spending time on one’s bicycle, from bringing cities together to improving personal health. —Tobias Carroll
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Astroball
Ben Reiter
In 2014, Ben Reiter correctly predicted in Sports Illustrated that the Houston Astros would win the World Series three years later—a claim that baffled many at the time. Astroball is Reiter’s exploration of just how the Astros pulled this off, and the different factors that contributed to a shift in thinking that dramatically paid off. —Tobias Carroll
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Tigerland
Wil Haygood
In 1968 and 1969, two teams from the same segregated Ohio high school won statewide championships in baseball and basketball—an unexpected feat during a period of massive social change. Wil Haygood’s Tigerland provides a dramatic and compelling window into the people who made this possible, along with a sense of how those victories echoed larger shifts in the nation. —Tobias Carroll
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Boom Town
Sam Anderson
In Sam Anderson’s Boom Town, the author explores the history and unlikely rise of Oklahoma City since its founding in 1889. A major part of this story comes through the tumultuous history of the Oklahoma City Thunder, a gripping tale of one team’s ups and downs, and how they came to reflect the pulse of a city. —Tobias Carroll
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Joe Beef: Surviving the Apocalypse
Frederic Morin
We leave it to the late, great Anthony Bourdain on this one: “…the rogue princes of Canadian cuisine and hospitality show us the way out of the numbing, post-apocalyptic restaurant Hell of pretentiousness and mediocrity that threatens to engulf us all. It makes us believe that the future is shiny, bright, beautiful, delicious—and probably Québécois. This book will change your life.” —Ben Kassoy
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In Paris
Jeanne Damas
When you think of fashion, one city probably comes to mind: Paris. In this book, Jeanne Damas and Lauren Bastide take a look at 20 women in the city, showcasing their different occupations, ages, lifestyles, and hopes. It’s a gorgeous book filled with color photographs that will feed readers’ dreams of living in the City of Light. —Swapna Krishna
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In Intimate Detail
Cora Harrington
Lingerie isn’t something that should be intimidating, and yet many find it so. In this book, lingerie expert Cora Harrington wants to help us understand lingerie and how it should fit—both physically and mentally. From bras and panties to corsets, shapewear, and more, Harrington’s accessible and inclusive tones make this a must-read for any fashionista. —Swapna Krishna
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The Accessory Handbook
Alison Freer
Alison Freer fully believes our fashion choices should be based on whatever increases our happiness. That means even if you worry you can’t pull off that hat or scarf, Freer thinks you can. And in this book, she includes tips, tricks, and advice to help you figure out how to wear it, care for it, and shop for it. —Swapna Krishna
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Tokyo Street Style
Zoe de las Cases
It’s fascinating to look at fashion trends around the world, and that’s just what this new coloring book does for the city of Tokyo. Tokyo is home to all kinds of fashion trends, from genderless fashion to the looks of everyday work attire, and Tokyo Street Style aims to chronicle all of them in a unique and provocative biography of a city. —Swapna Krishna
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The Authentics: A Lush Dive into the Substance of Style
Melanie Acevedo
It’s always interesting to analyze the publicly displayed creative choices of fashion trailblazers, but what do the choices they make for their private retreats say about them? That’s what The Authentics seeks to answer. This book takes readers into the private homes of style icons who have defined the culture around us, showing us that being iconic starts at home. —Swapna Krishna
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Contemporary Muslim Fashions
Jill d’Allesandro
Muslim fashion is book-worthy, yet often overlooked in modern media. This collection seeks to rectify that by taking a look at everything from high-fashion couture to streetwear in Muslim cultures. It also takes a look at different regions and the varying fashion influences therein. If your gift recipient loves international fashion, this is a must-buy. —Swapna Krishna
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The Curated Closet Workbook
Anuschka Rees
What do you really need in your closet? What do you not need? This guide seeks to help you curate the perfect closet for your personal style, based on your work, interests, and more. It’ll help you find your favorite color palettes to create a wardrobe that’s effortlessly cohesive and make agonizing about what you’re going to wear a thing of the past. —Swapna Krishna
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You Are a Badass Every Day
Jen Sincero
There’s no better time—or greater need—to keep your motivation strong, your vibe high, and your quest for transformation unstoppable. Thus, there’s no better time—or greater need—to pick up You Are a Badass Everyday, the pocket-size compendium of guidance and inspiration from bestselling author Jen Sincero that will keep your head held high. —Ben Kassoy
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Apéritif
Rebekah Peppler
“Being French, some of my warmest memories and most interesting conversations have taken place at apéro time, that magical moment of the day when friends unwind and connect,” says Clotilde Dusoulier, author of Tasting Paris. “Now, Rebekah’s gorgeous book gives you everything you need to create your own.” Apéritif is your definitive (and effortless!) guide to cocktail hour the French way. —Ben Kassoy
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A Common Table
Cynthia Chen McTernan
Cynthia Chen McTernan is a lawyer and the self-taught home cook and photographer behind Two Red Bowls, winner of the 2015 Saveur Blog Award for Most Delicious Food. Now she’s back with A Common Table, which shares more than 80 Asian-inspired recipes that marry the author’s Chinese ancestry, Southern rearing, and in-laws’ Korean cuisine. —Ben Kassoy
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