Ursina's Shelf - Gift Guide 2024: Short Reads
Issue 89
Dear readers,
Books make for great gifts, but picking a book for someone else can be tricky. I tend to worry about projecting my own interests and tastes, but quite frankly, that is what most presents are anyway and it’s also what makes them personal.
Another consideration is length. My last gift guide (Gift Guide 2022) included Great Circle, a 600-page historical fiction novel that I was happy to gift my mother-in-law, a devourer of books, but often a shorter book feels more considerate.
So this year I’d like to share some short reads that make for great holiday presents.
Kick the Latch by Kathryn Scanlan (2022)
For the time-pressed reader. The short 1-4 page chapters make this a great book for short reading intervals.
Description: This fictive life story of a horse trainer and her journey through the break-neck world of race horses feels more like a biography and rightfully so, since the author spent days interviewing a real-life female horse trainer as inspiration for the book (Buy here).
My take: I bought this book after overhearing a customer buying this book as a present at Lutyens & Rubinstein in Notting Hill (see the recent London Calling issue) and it is an engrossing read indeed.
Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan (2021)
For the Christmas-cheer reader. The setting around the Holidays in Ireland makes it a meaningful and cozy read leading up to the holidays.
Description: This novella, set in the 80s, follows Bill Furlong and his family in the days leading up to Christmas in an Irish town with a secret Bill stumbles on (Buy here).
My take: Despite the hard times Bill, his family, and his community are confronted with, this story presents an uplifting view of kindness trumping hardship. I also liked the ending and was glad to discuss this with my book club friends.
Oh William! by Elizabeth Strout (2021)
For the 50+ reader. So many books feature young characters; Elizabeth Strout wonderfully portrays the experiences and musings of older characters.
Description: Lucy Barton is still close with her ex-husband William, who has recently uncovered the existence of a previously unknown family member and asks Lucy to join him on a visit to Maine to find out more. (Buy here).
My take: Strout’s writing combines both deep feelings and a lightness, making it easily digestible yet still thoughtful, capturing the human experiences and how relationships age over time.
Perestroika in Paris by Jane Smiley (2020) (previously featured in issue 21)
For animal lovers. Nothing like reading a book from the point of view of a horse.
Description: The racehorse Perestroika wanders out of her stall after winning a race, following her curiosity, which leads her all the way to downtown Paris, where she befriends a regal dog, an intellectual raven, an anxious duck couple, and eventually a young boy, among others. (Buy here).
My take: While the tone may feel lighthearted at first and some of the animals’ biologically preconceived notions may make any reader laugh aloud, the style of storytelling reminds me most of a Greek parable with deep reflections on curiosity, hope, longing, fear, loss, and the deep need to find a family of your own. This fantastical novel will make you chuckle, maybe even cry, and certainly believe in the kind nature of fate and humans.
Substack recommendation for more “slim” reads
I’d love to recommend Michelle’s substack Literary Leanings. I have been following her for a while on Instagram and recently became aware of her substack, where she recently did a lovely post on short books too. I added both of her recommendations to my to-be-read pile. Check out the issue here:
Publication alert
The Dividing Sky by Jill Tew came out earlier this week. Jill’s debut novel is a Young Adult dystopian story set in 2460. Jill is also a friend and a fellow Huntsman and Penn grad. I am already thoroughly enjoying it and can’t wait to find out whether the male lead will arrest the female lead or not…. Buy it here and add it to your GoodReads TBR (link).
Friendly recommendation
I got a lovely email from my former colleague Selena after the last issue on Musical Reads, recommending The Violin Conspiracy, a mystery about the disappearance of a violin, which sounds soooo up my alley. (Buy here).
Currently reading: The Dividing Sky by Jill Tew (buy link).
What books are on your holiday wish list? Let me know in the comments (comments also help others discover this newsletter, so I greatly appreciate them!)
Have a lovely weekend and happy Holiday shopping!