To give
If you know anyone interested in history, religion, art, or travel, or who simply has an interest in superb writing, alert him to Patrick Leigh Fermor, arguably the finest English-language travel writer of the last century. His trilogy records his teenaged odyssey from England to Constantinople in the mid-1930s. An excellent way to get into his writings is through Artemis Cooper’s recent biography, Patrick Leigh Fermor: An Adventure.
To give
Lev Grossman has written The Magician’s Land, the conclusion to his Magicians trilogy. Grossman’s take on fantasy and schools of magic is dark, smart, and atheistic in a heartbreaking way. Give the trilogy to someone who wants to hope but has lost that Narnia magic.
In Conversion, Katherine Howe has rewritten The Crucible for young adult readers, and the book has crossover appeal for adult readers. It’s about persuasion and pressure and mean girls, and it’s a fast, fun read.
To give
In On Immunity, Eula Biss writes about our fear of immunization in the manner of early Annie Dillard: boldly, philosophically, with a startlingly ambitious scope that in lesser hands would fast go off the rails. Biss’s prose exudes curiosity and wisdom, plus it’s a delight to read. Top of my gift list for anyone who loves big ideas, great writing, and not having to choose between the two.
To give
I found Gilead such a complete experience that I didn’t feel a need to know more about Lila, a secondary character in the book. But in Marilynne Robinson’s new book, Lila, her occupation of this young woman’s thoughts and experience is so musical and convincing that I’ve read the novel twice and recommend it far and wide.