The Countdown Has Begun - Happy December

I won't count the days, because not all of us celebrate the same holiday, but most take part this month, with some next. So, you'll have to do your own counting. Besides, I'm not a numbers person ;-)

First Annual Winter Gift Suggestion List:

For those of you who are wondering about what to get the person who has everything for their Winter Gift, may I suggest a vial of penicillin? Or, if that is a tad too drastic, a book. Perhaps several books. Following is a list of some of the nonfiction books I've read this year, that may be well worth your investment in both time and money. And, besides, I've read them, and reviewed them, so you don't have to buy them for me. The titles are linked to my reviews, the books are available from all standard sources.

Sex with the Queen: Nine Hundred Years of Vile Kings, Virile Lovers and Passionate Politics — by Eleanor Herman

History would have been oh-so-much-more-fun in school, if we'd had this for a textbook instead of whatever we had. Queens were rarely, if ever, mentioned, it was all about the Kings. It was, truly, a man's world. Well, let me, or better, Ms. Herman, tell you, those gals had quite the lives. This book is about scandal on a royal scale. It is history that you've never read. It is funny. Well, sometimes a bit sad. Is it all true? I don't know, but it was a fun read and I heartily recommend it. 

A Month in Mongolia —by Barbara A. B. Seiders

Dr. Seiders made a few trips (work related) to Mongolia, and this little book tells of her adventures while there. It is also chock full of her photographs. I bought an electronic copy, with hot links to maps, etc., but enjoyed it so much, I bought a hard copy. A perfect gift for the traveler, or wannabe traveler, on your list. 

The Farthest Home is in an Empire of Fire: A Tejano Elegy —by John Phillip Santos This memoir tells history from an up close and personal perspective. It is memoir. It is told in past, present, and future. It is totally engaging. It is a book no one should miss. A perfect gift for the lover of history and or genealogy on your winter gift list.

Old Books, Rare Friends—Two Literary Sleuths and Their Shared Passion —by Leona Rostenberg & Madeleine Stern

This is a delightful book by and about two women who shared a love of old books, and how they worked together to find them and bring them to the light of the modern world. It is a delightful read about Life lived to the fullest. This book belongs in every bibliophile's library. 

Amazing Animal Kingdom Series by Emma Child

These are books for young readers, but chock full of facts and great photography. She writes about everything from Bears to Crocodiles to Dolphins to Dinosaurs. Her books are well researched, her approach is fun and accessible. For the budding scientist on your list. Buy them one, buy them all—you won't make a mistrake. 

Next Week, I'll give some suggestions for fiction.