Top ten books for Christmas
Recommendations from Natasha Church, Bookstop, Tavistock
Recommended for adults
Lincoln in the Bardo, by George Saunders. This is a fictional depiction, grown from a seed of truth, about Abraham Lincoln and the death of his beloved eleven-year-old son, Willie, against the backdrop of the American Civil War. Hardback £18.99.
Uncommon Type, by Tom Hanks. 17 very lively short stories indeed, written by the actor! Hardback £16.99.
Ask an Astronaut, by Tim Peake. Tim’s very accessible, personal guide to life in space, based on his historic Principia mission, and the thousands of questions he has been asked since his return to earth. Hardback £20.
A Gentleman in Moscow, by Amor Towles. It is June, 1922 and Count Alexander Rostov has been put under house arrest by the Bolshevik Tribunal, for being an 'unrepentant aristocrat'. Away from the boundaries of his usual roles in life, the count questions who we really are as humans and redefines his own understanding of pleasure and purpose. Paperback £8.99
Blue Dog, by Louis de Bernieres. This is a prequel to Red Dog. The protagonist, Mick, is sent to live with his 'Granpa' in the outback, after a family tragedy. His touching, entertaining relationship with a lost puppy he rescues, is a heartfelt read. Paperback £7.99
Life in the Garden, by Penelope Lively. Part memoir, this is a beautiful, inspiring exploration of the author’s own gardens, past and present, including ones in Cairo, Somerset, Oxfordshire and London, as well as gardens in literature, from Virginia Woolf to Philip Larkin. Hardback £14.99
Earthly Remains, by Donna Leon. Comissario Guido Brunetti takes a well-earned break in the Venetian Lagoon, but a missing person compels the detective to set aside his holiday. Paperback £8.99
The Lost Words, by Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris. A stunningly illustrated, magically worded book in watercolour and gold leaf, by this well-known author and artist. Nature is colourfully revitalised for children and adults alike. Hardback £20.
Recommended for Children
A Skinful of Shadows, by Frances Hardinge. From the author of The Lie Tree, this is a story of Makepeace, a courageous girl with a mysterious past and a challenging present. It is chilling, intense and compelling. Hardback £12.99
A Book of Dust, Volume 1: La Belle Sauvage, by Philip Pullman. It has been a 17-year wait for this novel. It is a stand-alone book, yet also depicts the very beginning of Lyra's story, set in Oxford and introducing us to eleven-year-old Malcolm and his demon. Hardback £20
Recommendations from Natasha Church, Bookstop, Tavistock