Books are a reliable option when it comes to gift-giving, but figuring out what book is right for which reader can be tough! That’s why we’re here to help: we’ve got you covered for great book gift recommendations. Our blog, podcast, and book list archives are PACKED with a mix of crowd-pleasing, perennially popular, and under-the-radar books to help you find the right gifts for your friends and family.
Today’s list focuses exclusively on nonfiction titles, and my best tip for choosing a book your recipient will love is to follow their interests. If they enjoy stories, take a look at the memoirs and essay collections on this list. If they yearn to spend time outside, dwell on those titles that focus on the natural world. Are they one of those types who love to learn because they’re perpetually curious? We have books for them as well! Plus oodles of archives with even more suggestions covering a vast array of literary genres, categories, and interests.
We can’t promise you won’t come away with a longer holiday wishlist for yourself but we hope this mix of interesting nonfiction, travelogues, and coffee table books for gifting will help you finish your holiday shopping all the same.
Interested in fiction recommendations? Check out our gift-focused Episode 406 of What Should I Read Next: Holiday gift picks from our team, which includes nonfiction, fiction, and books for kids and teens.
12 giftable books for every reader
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Why We Love Baseball: A History in 50 Moments
The baseball lover in your life needs this look back at the 50 most memorable moments in baseball history. There are the expected standout hits, like Babe Ruth’s called shot, Bo Jackson running up a wall, and how Shoeless Joe Jackson got his name. Posnanski also covers the Negro League, minor leagues, and unsung heroes and lesser known players. Even if you think you know what happened, the author often approaches it from a different perspective through the eyes of fans in the crowd or the opposing team. A fun, entertaining read. More info →
The Wide World of Graffiti
Understandably often written off as vandalism, graffiti nonetheless is an art form. With photographs from the 1970s to today and interviews with taggers, we see how graffiti has evolved over the years and what the art movement means. You’ll never see it the same way again. More info →
Dolls of Our Lives: Why We Can’t Quit American Girl
Did you have or want an American Girl doll when you were growing up? Are you in need of 1990s nostalgia? Historians Horrocks and Mahoney have parlayed their hit podcast into book form with this history/travelogue/memoir. They cover the beloved catalogue, of course, Pleasant Rowland’s inspiration for creating the dolls, and the impact American Girls had on our culture for better and worse. With reflections about what the books got right and wrong and an exploration of the fandom, this is one insightful, entertaining deep dive. More info →
The Blue Machine: How the Ocean Works
As someone who lives in a land-locked state, I haven’t devoted much time to considering the ocean when I’m not on a beach vacation. Physicist Czerski changed that. She makes a compelling argument that the ocean is a vital cog in our global system and so much more than an absence of land. Her writing is approachable for the lay reader as she covers the history, culture, and connections forged by water, as well as the impact of climate change. More info →
Eyeliner: A Cultural History
I didn’t know I wanted to read a history account of eyeliner but this proved to be a fascinating read. Hankir traces the role of this cosmetic in our ideas about beauty and power from Nefertiti to Amy Winehouse. Its uses even go beyond make-up, like shielding eyes from the sun or warding off the evil eye. She profiles geishas, drag queens, and nomads, illustrating what eyeliner means to different cultures and the commonality between us all. Don’t be surprised if you feel inspired to up your eyeliner game after reading! More info →
BLK ART: The Audacious Legacy of Black Artists and Models in Western Art
Whether or not museums or patrons recognized their work, Black people have played a part in the Western art world from the beginning. From unknown models to acclaimed artists and sculptors, BLK ART is a fun, informative exploration centering those who deserve recognition. Team member Shannan brought this art history coffee table book to my attention. It’s the book she wished she would have read growing up. (You can hear her talk about it in this Patreon One Great Book bonus episode.) More info →
The Singers Talk
Clocking in at 528 pages, this hefty book will appeal to musicians and music fans alike, as well as anyone interested in the creative process. Acclaimed artists, including Emmylou Harris, Mavis Staples, Stevie Nicks, Chuck D, Willie Nelson, and so many more, share how they take care of their voices whether they’re on the road or in the studio. This came across my radar when I developed issues with my voice earlier this year and I found the tips and strategies to be enormously helpful. Plus, I enjoyed learning more about singers I love. More info →
The Joy of Costco: A Treasure Hunt from A to Z
Long-time Costco shoppers won’t need to think twice about snapping up this travelogue. Over the course of seven years, the authors visited over 200 of Costco's 850 warehouses in the US and around the world and accumulated so many interesting facts. Sure, you might know about the rotisserie chicken but what about their top sellers or what the color of employee’s badges means? From the origin story to regional fare, this is one fun ride. More info →
Congratulations, The Best Is Over!: Essays
If I wasn’t already an R. Eric Thomas fan for life, this collection would have clinched it: I’m not sure I have words for what it meant to me. In his sophomore book of essays, the Here for It author tells hilarious, moving, and deeply insightful tales of love, adult friendship, family, and marriage, and also therapy, Zoom funerals, working alone, COVID isolation, middle age, and his home city of Baltimore. There’s no weak link in this collection: every story feels immediate, intimate, and real. I’ve thought of “Break Room Cake Communion” and “Jericho” nearly every day since reading them. I can’t stop talking about this book, and have already gifted it to MANY friends celebrating birthdays, job changes, and other milestones. (It was a joy to talk with Eric in WSIRN Episode 392: Insightful and entertaining memoirs.) More info →
Seeing Things: The Small Wonders of the World According to Writers, Artists and Others
What does an Instagram account say about its creator? Rothenstein collected every day images from writers and artists’ pages, instead of the art they’re known for. The result is intimate, moving, and surprising. This is a great coffee table book for artists, writers, and anyone drawn to the idea that the best things in life might be right under your nose. More info →
The Book of (More) Delights: Essays
Award-winning poet Gay returns with another collection of essayettes, compiling a year’s worth of eloquent gratitude for ordinary things—that is, if you consider the satisfaction of being weirdly early for a coffee shop meeting or a cluster of sweet potatoes that looks like snuggled bunnies to be “ordinary.” This is like reading the gratitude journal I wish I could write: there’s no false cheer here, just deep joy and copious appreciation for the wonder and frailty of our everyday lives. Be sure not to miss—and maybe even begin with—the Appendix of Brief Delights and reading list tucked in the back. You or your giftee could certainly gulp down the whole book at once, but I can’t think of a more delightful fall routine than starting the day with a nice cup of something delicious and one of Gay’s essayettes. Maybe accompany your book gift with a nice cup of tea or packet of coffee? More info →
Flight Paths: How a Passionate and Quirky Group of Pioneering Scientists Solved the Mystery of Bird Migration
I had no idea I was interested in ornithology until I read this book about bird migration and the science behind it. Heisman brought the subject alive, from how birds cover thousands of miles every fall and spring to the technology scientists use to chart their path. This would be great for anyone with an inner budding scientist or simply looking for interesting nonfiction. More info →
Do you have a suggestion for a crowd-pleasing, giftable book? Let’s help each other build our holiday book shopping lists in the comments.
P.S. 15 giftable books for every reader, 16 giftable books for every reader, and 20 giftable books for every reader.
10 comments
This is such a good list! I found great options for a couple of special people. Thank you!
I would add the newest Margaret Renkl essay book- “The Comfort of Crows: A Backyard Year”. . It’s perfectly paced to read one a week or read straight through with beautiful artwork that enhances the narrative.
I love that recommendation—thank you!
Loved the audio so much I had to get the book.
My husband is obsessed with Costco. The book will be a great gift for him. Thanks for all the recommendations!
I’m totally intrigued by “Dolls of Our Lives.” I grew up with American Girl, and I was a magazine and book editor there for 10 years. I have an embarrassingly large archive of boxed up AG dolls my toddler will “inherit” someday (including my 1990s Kirsten)…unless she ends up not liking dolls!
I purchased a ton of American Girl dolls for my daughter and boxed them up for her future children when she outgrew them. We even went to Williamburg, VA when Felicity was released. She had twin girls who are now 12 and never liked dolls. Hoping my latest granddaughter will want them…
I would love to receive a copy of Pockets: An Intimate History of How We Keep Things Close by Hannah Carlson because who doesn’t love a good pocket (especially in a dress!)
I am giving Eve by Cat Bohannon to several people. Last year I gave Claire Keegan’s books so I am considering gifting her new book as well.
I love love love these ideas! I loathe costco but my in laws love it. We have good humored ‘fights’ about it so I will enjoy giving them that book.