26 Nov 2019

The right books to buy fussy people for Christmas

From Afternoons, 2:07 pm on 26 November 2019

It's peak book buying time around the country as people trek to their local bookstores to find presents for the important people in their lives.

RNZ producer Robert Kelly has a dark past as a bookseller and has lots of ideas for people who are struggling to work out what to select.

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Photo: Pexels

Jesse Mulligan and Robert took text requests from listeners on Tuesday afternoon and tried to provide some answers.

The requests ranged from a forensic psychologist with love for Scandinavian noir to someone who lives in a church and has a black German Shepherd.

There are lots of tricks to the trade, the most interesting to Robert is shopping tangentially. If someone has an interest in something they're probably finding material on that subject matter, but a tangential approach can open their world up to something they had no idea they were interested in.

That was Robert's advice for an 18-year-old interested in Lego and psychology. As well as the obvious books on the history of Lego, Robert recommended The Man Who Mistook his Wife for a Hat by popular psychology master Oliver Sacks to try and get the reader out of his comfort zone and hopefully surprise him.

If you're trying to get people off their phone it's worth remembering they might be reading while they're staring at their screen. For these people short stories and essays can often be the answer.

Robert suggests stories by David Sedaris and Ashleigh Young, but there are hundreds of other options. This can also be a good way to get back into reading if you find you've been stuck on one novel for six months.

And if you're completely stuck, Robert recommends The Secret History by Donna Tartt as "an almost perfect novel" which almost anyone will be hooked by.

Robert's back with Jesse on the 4 December so if you need help choosing a book for someone send your query to Jesse@rnz.co.nz

Robert Kelly

Robert Kelly Photo: John Duke

Robert's Recommendations:

  • An 18-year-old first year at university, straight A science, maths, IT and business studies student. Lego maniac, black belt in karate, air force cadet and tramper: The Lego Book by Daniel Lipkowitz or The Man who Mistook his Wife for a Hat by Oliver Sacks.
  • My other half is a female forensic psychiatrist, loves Scandinavian serial killer stuff, deep and dark political history or near reality-based fiction: Red Notice by Bill Browder.
  • My best friend is an Aquarius with a black German shepherd and lives in a church. She is a very intellectual woman with an incredible creative mind: Plumb by Maurice Gee.
  • I need to buy a book for a young man who is into philosophy, psychology and ontology. Preferably an NZ fiction book: Faces in the Water by Janet Frame.
  • I'd like to get a book for my husband; he loves sport has loads of books on athletes that played rugby or cricket or other sports. He also reads Lee Child books and is an extremely fast reader Loves and plays golf he's an old rugby player himself in his mid-50s any great ideas that will keep him occupied this summer holiday? Murder on the Links by Agatha Christie
  • I would love to buy a book for my 15-year-old grandson who used to read heaps but now only plays on his phone, please help: Guards! Guards! by Terry Pratchett.
  • My partner is interested in sailing, space and astronomy, planes, and science and technology. He has enjoyed books about people's adventures sailing around the world and also the mountaineering book Touching the Void. He also liked the book the Natural Navigator by Tristan Gooley. Any advice would be appreciated: Gordon Bennett and the First Yacht Race Across the Atlantic by Sam Jefferson.
  • What would be recommended for someone who used to be an avid reader but now struggles to remember a story line from one evening to the next. She misses reading but it takes so long to read a book now she doesn't bother. Wary of chick lit (Bridget Jones was not funny, just sad). Lost for a good book: Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris and Can you Tolerate This? by Ashleigh Young.
  • I'd love some help to find a book for my Dad for Christmas. He is a sheep farmer in Hawke's Bay and he enjoys reading about New Zealand history, particularly our farming history. However, he reckons he has read every book on local sheep stations ever published. Is there anything similar but different that you might recommend that would spark his interest? The Shearers by Ruth Entwhistle Low and 21st Century Yokel by Tom Cox
  • I'm 17 and a keen reader, and I was wondering if Robert has any ideas for a good dystopian book. I've read several of the classics (like 1984, Brave New World, and many others) but I find that many of the books in the young adult section are, for lack of a better word, kinda lame. Got any ideas? The Gone Away World by Nick Harkaway
  • I have a 13-year-old son who is a very competent reader. He loves sport and gaming, is a deep thinker and very cynical! He has read quite voraciously over the years but is struggling to find new material that interests him. He has overdosed on apocalypse books! And help would be greatly appreciated - Yeh apocalypse overdose is tricky: The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins, Dreamhunter and Dreamquake by Elizabeth Knox and Naughts and Crosses by Malorie Blackman.
  • Loves a gripping adventure-based on fact, lots of overcoming adversity , or a huge challenge or bravery or a humanity component - needs to be a page turner rather than just factual: Little Drummer Girl by John Le Carre