Finding the perfect gift for a loved one at Christmas can often be a time-consuming and frustrating task. From my experience, there are a few gifts that are guaranteed crowd pleasers such as chocolates, food hampers, a bottle of their favourite tipple or a good book, especially if it’s already related to the recipient’s interests and hobbies. Picking up a book about a person’s favourite footballer, photographer, actor, designer etc is the perfect way to show that you listen, understand and appreciate what makes them tick. It’s so much more thoughtful than just throwing some random book from Waterstone’s fiction chart into your basket and hoping for the best. Does your granny really want to ready about a grizzly serial killer or erotic vampire thriller? Well, maybe she does but you get my point…
For the Blogger
If you’re lucky enough to have a blogger in your close circle of friends who is looking to take their blog to the next level or even a girlfriend with an entrepreneurial spirit, I can’t recommend #GirlBoss by Sophie Amoruso, The Multi-Hyphen Method by Emma Gammon and Little Black Book by Otegha Uwagba highly enough. Little Black Book (Fourth Estate, £3.25) is a pocket-friendly toolkit for working women. It contains tips, case studies, inspirational quotes and practical advice that’s transferable to a number of career paths. #Girlboss (Portfolio Penguin, £6.32) documents the rise of ‘Nasty Girl’, a global fashion empire, as well as detailed insight into, it’s former CEO and founder, Sophie Amoruso’s personal struggles, life lessons and thought process along the way. The Multi-Hyphen Method (Hodder & Stoughton, £13.26) is a little dry but nevertheless makes some interesting points about how work in the traditional sense has evolved thanks to social media and technology. All three books are sure to empower and motivate any woman with a dream and an entrepreneurial spirit whilst providing a swift kick up the arse to achieve their goals without compromising their beliefs, worth or style.
For the Fashionista
The famously outspoken Karl Lagerfeld is a fashion icon and master of couture. The World According to Karl by Jean-Christophe Napias & Sandrine Gulbenkian (Thames & Hudson, £10) is a compact collection of pronouncements on life, love, art, politics and, of course, fashion. This is a wonderful stocking filler for anyone with a love of fashion and inspirational quotes. Created with the full approval of the designer himself, this stylish and sleek collection of controversial, provocative, sometimes shocking life lessons and anecdotes, is an interesting and unpredictable must-read.
For the Art Lover…
Constable’s Skies by Mark Evans (Thames & Hudson, £14.95) is a beautifully illustrated book that captures the work of John Constable’s fascination with the heavens. Combining the artist’s studies of the sky with writings by the V&A’s Mark Evans, this volume brings together a collection of romantic and insightful paintings, sketches and diary extracts from one of the nation’s most beloved landscape painters.
For the Technology Lover…
Retro Cameras by John Wade (Thames & Hudson, £18.95) is a design-led guide that showcases the best and most iconic classic and retro cameras. Containing over 400 photographs, it also offers practical advice on how to use the cameras, and recommends which ones to buy. Anyone with a love of vintage film and photography is sure to find this coffee table essential fascinating.
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