Canadian Gift Guide

When I’m not shopping, working, researching, writing, managing this blog, or doing any sort of normal social or Maslow’s hierarchy of needs activity, I can generally be found with my nose in a book. I’m what most people would call an avid reader – I’ve been reading a minimum of 50 books a year for the last five years, although this year I’m actually attempting to tackle 60. Anyway what do you get when you have a gift-giving blogger who also loves to read? Lots of great insight into what the must-have books are for under your Christmas tree (or delivered digitally – whatever floats your boat).

I’ve actually got *three* posts planned on the topic of books before Christmas day is here. The reason I’ve waited on posting them till closer to December is books are pretty much the most universally accessible item to buy, assuming you’ve got a local bookshop, major grocer / discount store, or chain bookstore in your region. Or access to the internet. Without further ado, here are my top picks in the category of nonfiction. And if you associate nonfiction with stuffy historical tomes or textbook-like instruction manuals, THINK again.

*all prices on this post were quoted using the suggested retail price for an actual, hard copy book. Although I typically highlight the online shopping prices, I recognize that a lot of people might be picking up these books at their local bricks & mortar bookstores, in which case they’ll typically pay full price, or at best, get a 20-30% discount on bestsellers. So you’re prepared going in, these are the FULL prices.

Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson – $36.99*
Probably the most-talked about book of the holiday season, although it comes tinged with a touch of sadness when you consider how badly we’re clamouring to know more about the recently departed Apple founder and CEO, Steve Jobs. This mammoth tome gives serious insight into the sometimes mercurial, always ambitious Jobs as both a business leader and a person. Always one to challenge the way we do things, one of the most enticing points for this book is the bizarre methods Jobs used to try and cure his cancer before succumbing to ‘traditional’ hospital-driven treatments.
Perfect for: Apple devotees, biography lovers, pop culture fiends.

Blood, Bones & Butter: The Inadvertent Education of a Reluctant Chef by Gabrielle Hamilton – $30*
Proof that not all great book-related gift-giving ideas need be released in the fall: Gabrielle Hamilton’s memoir hit the shelves back in March, and it’s still gaining momentum and popularity. It’s essentially a foodie memoir, in the vein of many other great ones before it – Julie Powell and Barbara Kingslover fans have probably already devoured it. Gabrielle Hamilton spent dozens of hardscrabble years trying to find purpose in her life, which always seemed to be defined by kitchens. This is the story of how a traditionally untrained chef learned to love all things food, and build a successful restaurant (NYC’s Prune) to boot.
Perfect for: Gourmands real & imagined and foodie memoir fans.

Harry Potter: Page To Screen – $80*
Before you gasp at the price of this thing, I encourage you to track it down at your local bookstore. It’s a tome…the type of book that’s actually a struggle to pick up, and for good reason. This is the *Bible* of all things Harry Potter, at least when it comes to the movie adaptations that have dominated the box office for the last decade. The book details every element of filming – from the story of how the films were originally developed, through to casting. The real highlight though, is the behind-the-scenes look at the incredible amount of work that went into the sheer visual spectacle of the series – concept drawings, set maps, character photos and more pack every inch of this 500+ page book, with stories and explanations behind every prop, costume, and setting to boot. It’s hard to open this thing and not feel like you’re opening a magic book – especially when you get swept away by the spellbinding visuals and stories.
Perfect For: Potterheads naturally, or your everyday film buff.

Cornered by Ron MacLean – $33.99*
Every holiday season there’s at least one book that has all of the sports fans out there buzzing. This year it comes from Don Cherry’s long-suffering but always insightful sidekick (of sorts), Ron MacLean. Here’s what’s great about this one: MacLean is probably one of the best-known journalists in the country, and yet he still always comes off like a humble guy. He’s not shilling a million products, in fact, this is his first book ever, and that genuine feeling carries through on the page as Ron tackles his early days in Alberta through to witnessing some of sports’ greatest milestones in the last quarter-century.
Perfect for: Sports fans, hockey fanatics, biography nuts. And your dad / boyfriend / brother / husband.

What I Wore by Jessica Quirk – $20*
A somewhat unexpected choice next to some very buzzy books, but I just had to include a book for the fash pack you’re buying for, which also happens to be created by one of my favourite fashion bloggers – Jessica Quirk of What I Wore. If you’re unfamiliar, Jessica is one of the best-known bloggers out there for posting her ‘daily outfit’, where it’s from, and what the occasion was. She broke onto the scene about three years ago thanks to her frugalista ability to pair low-cost vintage and thrifted clothes with classics and designer accents alike. Her book is an attempt to allay some of that fash-knack to her fans and fashionably challenged alike. From shopping lists and colour ideas to packing tips and tailoring know-how, this is a fashion bible for the real girls out there. It’s certainly on *my* wish list.
Perfect for: Fashion lovers, blog lovers, shopping lovers – or your gal pal that’s looking to reinvent herself for 2012.

Persuasion by Arlene Dickinson – $32.99
I couldn’t talk about Ron MacLean without talking about one of Canada’s other most-exciting biography offerings. Dragons Den is definitely one of the most-watched homegrown shows, and Arlene stands out as the witty, bright, and business-savvy PR expert amongst her male Dragon counterparts. Part biography – didja know Arlene was unemployed, freshly divorced, and struggling to feed four mouths a mere decade ago? – and part business guide (Arlene owes her success based on her ability to persuade), this is a great behind-the-scenes look at one of Canada’s best-known business experts and TV personalities.
Perfect for: Dragon’s Den devotees, business owners, pals on the marketing & advertising scene.

The Orchard by Theresa Weir – $27.99*
In case you couldn’t tell by my ‘Vegetarian Awareness Month‘ posts, I’m a pretty active advocate of the whole ‘you are what you eat’ movement. The Orchard is a bittersweet love story / memoir with a subtle food activism-tinged slant by prolific fiction writer Theresa Weir. When we first meet Theresa, she’s on a slippery slope to self-pity, working (and sleeping at) at her uncle’s dive bar in Illinois farm country. Then one day she meets a beautiful – but supposedly cursed – boy, a farmer named Adrian. The twosome fall hard and fast for one another, and against everyone’s better judgement, decide to get hitched and move into a tiny home on Adrian’s family’s fifth-generation apple farm. Of course, things aren’t all white picket fences and evenings under the stars: Theresa is quickly pegged as an outsider by her new husband’s family, and the interludes of stories growing up with a nomadic, traumatic life thanks to her mom’s flippant, desperate romantic relationships punctuate how far apart Adrian and Theresa really are. As the story carries on – always with the disturbing, omnipresent drone of pesticide machines in the background – you begin to wonder what will survive the book: Theresa’s marriage, or the orchard that’s equally threatened by the chemicals they spray and the codling moth they’re trying to defeat. The story isn’t abjectly about industrial farming (the plot takes place quite a few years ago), but you’ll be hard-pressed to want to eat anything but organic apples after reading it.
Perfect for: Foodies, memoir lovers, eco activists (big & small).

So there you have it. A selection of some of the most exciting nonfiction in my books, although I’m just scratching the surface of what’s out there. The neat thing about nonfiction books is you can easily find something fits pretty much any interest – so instead of a pack of golf tees, grab John Feinstein’s look at Q School. For fans of The Walking Dead – where not much merch is out yet – check out the official companion book, The Walking Dead Chronicles. ‘Nuff said.

I’ve got five copies of Theresa Weir’s ‘The Orchard’ to give away. It’s one of the books I’m most excited about on this list, and hopefully after reading my review of it, you’ll feel the same way. To win:

1) Leave a comment below before December 7th and tell me which of the nonfiction books above you’re most interested in. Be sure to include your name and email address (the latter of which only I can see) when posting so I can contact you if you win!

2) Entries are limited to one per person per email address (or more if you score bonus entries). A random draw will be conducted on or around December 6th to select the winner, who will have 48 hours to respond before another winner is chosen in their place.

3) Entries are limited to Canadians that have reached the age of majority in their province. Quebec is not eligible to participate in this promotion.

4) Bonus Entry Time: Add me on Twitter – @cdngiftguide. Be sure to drop your Twitter handle in the comments below so I know who you are! If you’re already a follower, give me a reminder and I’ll be sure to award you a bonus entry as well.

As always, you’re free to email me if you want full rules & regs by emailing canadiangiftguide -at- gmail – dot- com. Happy paging!