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7 Books That'll Make Excellent Holiday Gifts

Besides being so good, all these gems are either brand new or a bit older (but utterly obscure and deserving of some attention). They'll all make great gifts.
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Co-founder of Flashlight Worthy Book Recommendations

Co-founder of Flashlight Worthy Book Recommendations
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I run Flashlight Worthy Book Recommendations -- a site of 400+ themed lists of book recommendations -- so a lot of my friends and family come to me this time of year looking for gift recommendations.

The seven books below are books that, in my opinion, are thoroughly both Flashlight Worthy and gift worthy. I've personally read every single one of them and they all kept me up way past bedtime. And besides being so good, they're all either brand new or a bit older but utterly obscure (and deserving of some attention) -- so they all make great gifts. Enough of my prattle. Onto the books:

FLW
The Essential New York Times Cookbook: Classic Recipes for a New Century(01 of07)
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The Essential New York Times Cookbook: Classic Recipes for a New CenturyEvery so often a cookbook quietly comes along and becomes an instant classic (the last one? Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything). The Essential New York Times Cookbook is that book. Mark my words: 20 years from now you will see this book in more kitchens than any other new cookbook of the last decade. Why? Because it's thorough. And interesting. And simultaneously full of both clarity and whimsy. You may overlook it at first (it has no glossy photos) but flip it open to most any page and you'll be engrossed for hours in the charming headnotes the author writes before every single one of the 1,024 recipes.
Winterdance: The Fine Madness of Running the Iditaro(02 of07)
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Winterdance: The Fine Madness of Running the IditarodThis is a very little-known memoir of a man's decision to train and run Alaska's famed Iditarod dogsled race. It's perfect for any sports lover, anyone who loves the outdoors, any dog lover (male or female), or just anyone who enjoys a funny book (think Bill Bryson). And when I say funny, this is officially the only book that made me laugh so hard that I literally fell out of my chair.
How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk(03 of07)
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How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will TalkThis is not a new book (it's in its 20th edition). And it's not a sexy book. But it's a useful book that has quietly been the best-selling title across all of Flashlight Worthy for two years in a row. So, if you know a parent who could use a little help with their infant, toddler, or even teenager, get them this book. It might raise a few eyebrows but they'll thank you later. (Don't believe me? Check out the 192 five-star ratings on Amazon.) Click here to see this book on Amazon.
The Dirty Life: On Farming, Food and Love(04 of07)
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The Dirty Life: On Farming, Food and LoveA lot of reviews compare this book to Eat, Pray, Love. Personally, I think that's a disservice to this book. Yes, they're both about a woman on a journey of rebirth (and ultimately, of love), but to me, this book feel much more... rooted (pardon the pun). So what's it about? A 30ish year old female journalist who falls madly in love and chucks her life in New York City to live and work (very long hours) on a 500-acre farm in the middle of nowhere. I know that doesn't sound so romantic, but it is indeed a very romantic book... so much so that my wife and I took turns reading it aloud to one another until the very last page. Really. Click here to see this book on Amazon.
The Art of Making Money: The Story of a Master Counterfeiter(05 of07)
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The Art of Making Money: The Story of a Master CounterfeiterThis story of how a high school dropout teenager became the best counterfeiter of $100 bills in the entire country reads like a good old-fashioned heist movie (think Ocean's Eleven) -- except it's 100% true. If that sounds like a story that would interest someone in your life, get them this book. I've read it. I loved it. They'll love it. I promise. Click here to see this book on Amazon.
Hunger Games Trilogy Boxset(06 of07)
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Hunger Games Trilogy BoxsetOkay, technically this trilogy is neither brand-new nor utterly obscure, but technically these are Young Adult books, so odds are high that whoever you're thinking of giving them to hasn't read them. I'm not going to try and explain the plot; I'm just going to say that anyone who enjoyed the Harry Potter books will enjoy these. I'm not saying they're anything like Harry Potter, but any adult who can set aside preconceived notions and enjoy a fantastically well-written, well-plotted book (originally intended for teens) will thoroughly enjoy these. (And hate you for it -- they'll be up until 2am finishing the first one. I promise.) Click here to see this book on Amazon.
Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption(07 of07)
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Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and RedemptionI read this book in 24 hours and loved it -- I can go on and on about it. Instead, I'll let the facts speak for themselves: 1) it's by the author of the beleoved Seabiscuit, 2) it has 137 reviews on Amazon; 120 of those 137 reviews are for a perfect 5 stars, and 3) the book came out a little over 3 weeks ago so odds are very, very good that whoever you're thinking of getting it for doesn't have it yet. To me? That pretty much says "perfect holiday gift." Click here to see this book on Amazon.


That's it. I'm confident that among these 7 books is the perfect gift for that special someone (except for kids -- there's not much here for kids, but I have plenty of great children's books recommendations on the site). If you're still puzzled as to what to get someone, I encourage you to explore the 400+ book lists on my site -- you'll turn up dozens of great ideas there. Happy holidays!

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