It’s often really hard to think of a good (and cheap) gift that your friend or family would actually want. So, we think books are a brilliant way to give a more meaningful and personal present, without breaking the bank. We have compiled a list across a range of genres, so we have you covered!

FICTION

1. The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared – Jonas Jonasson
   • If you are looking for a light-hearted book then this is a great choice. The story follows Allan Karlsson, who climbs out of his window on his 100^th birthday, with no established plan.
2. Everything I Know About Love — Dolly Alderton
   • This book is inspired by real events and real stories, but is ultimately fiction. Dolly Alderton creates a very relatable book surrounding all the ups and downs of being a young adult — including breakups, friendship fall-outs, jobs, losses, and much more. Everything I Know About Love will take you on a journey full of laughs and tears.
3. Girl, Woman, Other — Bernardine Evaristo
   • Girl, Woman, Other discusses what it means to be a Black woman in modern Britain, using stories of 12 different women from a range of backgrounds, ages, sexualities, and more. This book is great at invoking a more thoughtful outlook on race, class, and other politics in contemporary British life.

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

1. Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before- Dr. Julie Smith

• Julie Smith is a clinical psychologist, who takes the reader through different everyday issues including low mood, anxiety, criticism and motivation. Each topic is separated in to accessible chapters, that can be read separately or as a whole. She also provides practical guidance that you can employ to really change your life!

2. Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race — Reni Eddo-Lodge

• This book is a great way to better understand some of the race relations within contemporary Britain, so we think is an essential read. Reni Eddo-Lodge explores different aspects of race, including its relationship with class, and the eradication of black history.

3. The Five Disfunctions of a Team — Patrick M. Lencioni
   • The Five Disfunctions of a Team explores the common ways in which teams fail, posing specific strategies for overcoming each of these issues. This is a very useful book for those who want to improve their leadership strategies, and better team cohesion and efficiency.
4. Predictably Irrational The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions — Dan Ariely
   • Dan Ariely delves into some of the ways in which our ‘irrational’ behaviours shape the way we live our lives. He covers everyday decisions and how they are influenced by a range of things that we often have no idea about. This is a great insight into behavioural economics as well as how we can use this understanding to change our behaviours for the better.

HEALTH

1. Twas The Nightshift Before Christmas — Adam Kay

• You may have read the book This Is Going to Hurt by Adam Kay, or seen the TV adaptation, but this is a brilliant Christmas gift, detailing what life is like for many NHS workers during the festive period. It is a revealing, funny, and shocking insight into some of the really difficult work done by the NHS.

2. How the Pill Changes Everything — Dr. Sarah Hill

• How The Pill Changes Everything is a brilliant insight in to some of the studies and science behind the contraceptive pill. Dr. Sarah Hill dives in to the different impacts this has on your hormones and subsequent emotions, behaviours, patterns of thinking, and more. We so often do not question the birth control that we are on, so this book is a great read for those who want to be more informed of their own health and choices they have available.

3. Unwell Women — Elinor Cleghorn
   • Elinor Cleghorn goes back through history to discover the multiple ways in which women have been mistreated and misdiagnosed in medicine, all the way up to the modern day. It is interesting to see how women and their bodies continue to not be given the same level of care as men, due to a combination of historical factors and persistent misogyny.

Let us know if you have any other recommendations this gifting period!