3 minute read
Winter Literary Gift Guide
BY COURTNEY LINCOLN
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CHRISTMAS ON NANTUCKET
by Leslie Linsley
New Englanders know that the holiday season on Nantucket is an especially magical time. Nantucket’s Winter Stroll tradition began in 1973 as a way to encourage island shoppers to buy their gifts locally. The event has evolved over the past four decades into a weekend-long event every December that brings the spirit of the holidays to the cobblestoned streets. There are singing carolers, twinkling Christmas trees, visits with Santa Claus, cozy dinners at local eateries, and a Festival of Trees. Although this year’s Winter Stroll has been postponed until 2021, Leslie Linsley’s book, Christmas on Nantucket, may be the right gift for a loved one who is missing holiday travel this year. Readers will enjoy a tour of the island during the holiday season as Linsley, a style and craft expert, offers advice on how to create a Nantucket-style Christmas in the comfort of our own homes.
SHOP INDIE Independent bookstores need the community’s support this holiday season. If you are able, please shop early and shop local. Many local bookstores are happy to ship books to readers who may not be able to visit in person, and they would love to help you find gifts for the loved ones on your holiday list.
Visit indiebound.org to find an independent bookstore near you.
BOOK NOOK SNOWY OWL COFFEE ROASTERS
Snowy Owl sits on the 13-acre property of Great Cape Herbs, where there are plenty of spots to sit, cozy up, and enjoy a pour-over in the crisp winter air.
2624 Main Street Brewster socoffee.co
The Friends of Eldredge Public Library in Chatham host a monthly book club discussion on Zoom. December’s pick is Born a Crime by Trevor Noah, and January’s pick is The Splendid and the Vile by Erik Larson. All are welcome. (If you’re a baker or home cook, the library has a cookbook club!)
For more information, call Linda Nixon at 508-945-2094 or visit eldredgelibrary.org
BOOKSELLER NANTUCKET BOOKWORKS
Shop gifts, books, and audiobooks with this whimsical, locally owned bookstore on the island that’s been a mainstay in the community since 1972. Owned by Wendy Hudson, who also founded Cisco Brewers with her husband Randy, Bookworks is well known for its dedication to customers and commitment to preserving history and community on Nantucket.
25 Broad Street, Nantucket nantucketbookworks.com
FOR COMFORT READERS AND ARMCHAIR-TRAVEL SEEKERS PERESTROIKA IN PARIS
by Jane Smiley
Described as evoking the same feelings one experiences while watching The Great British Bake Off, Jane Smiley’s latest novel is a feel-good story about unlikely friendship.
FOR BOTH BAKERS AND BAKED-GOOD ENTHUSIASTS PASTRY LOVE: A BAKER’S JOURNAL OF FAVORITE RECIPES
by Joanne Chang
Joanne Chang is a James Beard Award-winning baker who is best known for her Flour bakeries in Boston, and in her book, Pastry Love, readers will find 125 recipes to share with loved ones this winter, including Apple Cider Sticky Buns, Malted Chocolate Cake, and Peppermint Kisses.
FOR CURIOUS, CREATIVE LITTLE ONES WHAT WE’LL BUILD
by Oliver Jeffers
For both children and parents, What We’ll Build is a heartwarming story about memories, building a future, and a parent’s love. FOR HISTORY LOVERS AND LIFELONG LEARNERS CASTE
by Isabel Wilkerson
With rich storytelling, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Isabel Wilkerson deepens readers’ understanding on the history of division in America, while reminding us that the path forward is one of hope and acknowledgment in our shared humanity.
FOR FUN-LOVING ADVENTURERS WHO LOVE A LITTLE MISCHIEF THE VANDERBEEKERS SERIES
by Karina Yan Glaser
Young readers will fall in love with this heartwarming series about the Vanderbeekers family, a family of seven (plus their band of three pets), who live in a brownstone apartment in New York City and encounter all sorts of adventures. The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street is the first of four books in the series, and would make the perfect holiday gift with the first book taking place at Christmastime.
FOR YOUNG READERS WHO LOVE ANIMALS AND STORIES OF FRIENDSHIP
COZY
by Jan Brett
With the beautiful, striking illustrations that Jan Brett is known and loved for, her latest book, Cozy, is a heartwarming read for a cold winter’s night.
