A Month to Christmas -- Susan Price

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It's nearly Christmas and we're all even shorter of money than usual, so -- what
to give as Christmas presents?

BOOKS!

Books, of course.

And here's a link to BookShepherd, a site where you can find books recommended by 'authors and super-readers,' people who really know a good book when they find it.

Book Shepherd

You can even tailor your search by consulting such lists as

'The best books by journalists which capture a moment in time or history'

or

'The best books that show life in the big city isn't all glitz and glam.'

Recently, Book Shepherd asked me (and even some other writers) to report the best three books they'd read in the last year.

Here's my Book Shepherd three...

Follow the link to read the reviews

There's also Book Shepherd's

 '100 Best Books of 2023'

 

-- as voted for by '1,021 writers and super-readers.

And the winner is.... You have to go and find out for yourself.

But if you're buying for a writer and you've bought them a book every other year and you'd like to go for something different...

A notebook and pen.

Many writers I know have an almost unhealthy relationship to notebooks. They go out especially to buy a notebook as the first step to writing a book. They haunt stationary aisles and stationary shops, looking for the perfect notebook, the one  which they feel will inspire them to write their best book.

When writers meet, they discuss notebooks. I’ve overheard them. What is the perfect size?— It has to be big enough to hold a useful amount of words per page, but not so big that it’s difficult to carry about.

What’s the best paper? Smooth and shiny? Slightly rough? Lined or blank?

And the cover! Hard or soft? Shiny or matte? Should it have a photograph, and, if so, should the photograph be connected to the writing inside, or is that too intimidating?

Perhaps, instead of a photo, the cover should be patterned. Plaid, or paisley. Or plain, but in a beautiful colour. Or striped. Or in the colours of your football team.

Others have a preference for a leather cover, either real or fake. Or a slightly furry, sensual suede cover.

With a lock, maybe, like a diary. Or a fastening with a loop and button.

I’ve known writers who’ve come near to dribbling in front of a display of notebooks. If you know one of these writers, then giving them the note-book of their dreams— if you can work out what it’s like— will certainly make you the gift-giver of the season.

Here you are...

 

 

The Panther notebook, from Cartier: £250
 

 

 

The 'premium leather' notebook from Temu  

 £26-48

 

 

 

 

 

The Emma J Shipley Silk Notebook £35